Since 1959, the Grammy Awards (presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) have been one of the major events in the global record-industry year; held at The Staples Center in Los Angeles, the 57th annual ceremony on Sunday night was a typically lavish affair, with live performances from artists including Madonna, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Tom Jones.
Though classical music isn't the primary focus of the Awards (Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé were among the headlining winners this year), coveted 'golden gramophones' are still awarded in several classical categories, and we've put together this page of this year's winners and nominees. Some of our personal favourites from the last twelve months or so feature (including Christian Thielemann's searing Elektra on Deutsche Grammophon, René Jacobs's 'surround-sound' St Matthew Passion on Harmonia Mundi, and Glyndebourne's gloriously bonkers Rameau-in-a-fridge DVD), but there are also a few exciting recordings in here which had slipped under our radar!
Best Orchestral Performance
Winner
Timothy McAllister, St. Louis Symphony, David Robertson
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Also nominated
Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle
Available format: 2 CDs + Blu-ray
Xavier Phillips, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Ludovic Morlot
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Spano
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Best Opera Recording
Winner
Boston Early Music Festival, Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Also nominated
University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Kenneth Kiesler
Available formats: 3 CDs, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Glyndebourne, William Christie
Available format: 2 DVD Videos
Also available on Blu-ray
Franz Grundheber, Andreas Conrad, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Evelyn Herlitzius, Anne Schwanewilms, Waltraud Meier, Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Best Choral Performance
Winner
Glen Miller, Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 88.2 kHz, 24 bit)
Also nominated
Nidaros Cathedral Choir, Vivianne Sydnes
Available formats: Blu-ray Audio, Download & Streaming (up to 88.2 kHz, 24 bit)
Susan Gritton, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available formats: SACD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Winner
Hilary Hahn, Cory Smythe
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Also nominated
Steven Isserlis, Olli Mustonen
Available format: SACD
Harry Partch
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Harry Partch
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
New York Polyphony
Available format: SACD
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Winner
Play
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Also nominated
Leon Fleisher
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Daniil Trifonov
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Xavier Phillips, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Ludovic Morlot
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Jory Vinikour
Available formats: CD + Blu-ray Audio, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Winner
Anne Sofie von Otter, Bengt Forsberg
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 48 kHz, 24 bit)
Also nominated
Philippe Jaroussky, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon
Available format: Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Florian Boesch, Malcolm Martineau
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Joyce DiDonato, Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Lyon, Riccardo Minasi
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Lawrence Brownlee, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, Constantine Orbelian
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Ex Cathedra, Hallé, Sir Mark Elder, Jeffrey Skidmore
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 24 bit)
Gidon Kremer, Daniil Trifonov, Kremerata Baltica
Available formats: 2 CDs, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 24 bit)
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Daniel
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 24 bit)
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Winner
Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Ludovic Morlot
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Also nominated
Jennifer Koh, Jaime Laredo, Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 88.2 kHz, 24 bit)
Orchestra 2001, James Freeman
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 44.1 kHz, 16 bit)
Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
