29th November 2017

Awards, Grammy Nominations 2018

by Chris O'Reilly

For almost six decades, the Grammys (presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) have been one of the major events in the global record-industry year, and yesterday the shortlist for the 2018 Awards was announced, with nominees including Joyce DiDonato, Murray Perahia, Steven Isserlis, and the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky. The winners will be revealed in a star-studded ceremony at New York City's Madison Square Gardens in New York on Sunday 28th January.

Read on for full details of the five contenders nominated in each of the eight classical categories - many of our own favourites from the past twelve months or so make an appearance, plus a few wild cards which we'll be exploring in more depth over the coming weeks!

Orchestral Performance

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Louis Langrée

Available Formats: MP3, CD Quality FLAC

Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC

Opera Recording

Marlis Petersen, Susan Graham, Daniel Brenna, Paul Groves, Johan Reuter; Metropolitan Opera, Lothar Koenigs, William Kentridge

Available Format: Blu-ray + DVD Video

Roman Trekel, Anne Schwanewilms, Marc Molomot, Nathan Berg; Houston Symphony. Hans Graf

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien; Metropolitan Opera, Gianandrea Noseda, Penny Woolcock

Available Format: DVD Video

Diana Damrau, Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien; Metropolitan Opera, Gianandrea Noseda, Penny Woolcock

Available Format: Blu-ray

Max Emanuel Cenčić, Lauren Snouffer, Ann Hallenberg, Xavier Sabata; Il Pomo d’Oro, George Petrou

Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Vladimir Feliauer, Andrei Popov, Aida Garifullina; Mariinsky Orchestra & Chorus, Valery Gergiev

Available Format: DVD Video + Blu-ray

Choral Performance

The Crossing & PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Donald Nally

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Erin Wall (soprano), Elizabeth DeShong (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Staples (tenor), John Relyea (bass-baritone); Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis

Available Formats: 2 SACDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Anja Petersen (soprano), Andrew Redmond (bass); RIAS Chamber Choir Berlin, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Tenebrae, Nigel Short

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Christopher Jacobson (organ), South Dakota Chorale, Brian A. Schmidt

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Sophie Gent (violin), Jonathan Manson (cello), Thomas Dunford (lute); Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen

Available Format: CD

Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Available Format: CD

Stile Antico

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Augustin Hadelich (violin), Joyce Yang (piano)

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Martha Argerich (piano), Renaud Capuçon (violin), Stephen Kovacevich (piano), Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana

Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Classical Instrumental Solo

Murray Perahia (piano)

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Steven Isserlis (cello/director), The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Available Format: CD

Maria Lettberg (piano), Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Ariane Matiakh

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC

Frank Peter Zimmermann (violin), NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Alan Gilbert

Available Formats: SACD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Daniil Trifonov (piano)

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Classical Solo Vocal Album

Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Freiburger Barockorchester

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Freiburger Barockorchester

Available Formats: CD + DVD Video, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Barbara Hannigan (soprano/conductor), Ludwig Orchestra

Available Format: CD + DVD Video

Nicholas Phan (tenor), Myra Huang (piano)

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Joyce DiDonato (mezzo), Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Joyce DiDonato (mezzo), Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

Available Format: 2 Vinyls

Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Style of Five Ensemble, Constantine Orbelian

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Classical Compendium

Alexandre Tharaud (piano), with Juliette Binoche, Vanessa Paradis, Jane Birkin et al

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Roberto Díaz (viola), James Button (oboe), Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Giancarlo Guerrero

Available Formats: CD, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Asko, Schoenberg Ensemble, Netherlands Radio Choir, Reinbert de Leeuw

Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Jordi Savall

Available Formats: 2 SACDs + DVD Video, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Nicole Cabell (soprano), Alek Shrader (tenor), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (baritone), Amit Peled (cello), François-Henri Houbart (organ), Lucy Mauro (piano)

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, CD Quality FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC