Awards,
Recordings of the Year 2018 - Our Top 100
After many hours of listening and discussion, the Presto editorial team have finally decided on our top 100 Recordings of the Year: you can browse through all the finalists below, and our top 10 recordings will be announced on Friday 7th December. In the interim, stay tuned for the shortlists for our new special category awards (including Rising Star, Conductor of the Year, and Premiere Recording), which we'll reveal next week...
Gerald Finley (Robert Oppenheimer), Julia Bullock (Kitty Oppenheimer), Brindley Sherratt (Edward Teller), Samuel Sakker (James Nolan), Andrew Staples (Robert Wilson), Jennifer Johnston (Pasqualita); BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra, John Adams
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), Ensemble Resonanz, Riccardo Minasi
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Kim Kashkashian (viola)
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Hilary Hahn (violin)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Isabelle Faust (violin), Kristian Bezuidenhout (harpsichord)
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joélle Harvey (soprano), Olivia Vermeulen (mezzo), Thomas Walker (tenor), Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Thomas Bauer (baritone); Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Vilde Frang (violin), Erik Schumann (violin), Gabriel Le Magadure (violin), Roseanne Philippens (violin), Lawrence Power (viola), Lily Francis (viola), Nicolas Altstaedt (cello), Jan-Erik Gustavsson (cello); Orchestre de Radio France, Mikko Franck
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ann-Helen Moen (soprano), Roxana Constantinescu (mezzo-soprano), James Gilchrist (tenor) & Benjamin Bevan (baritone); Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Murray Perahia (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alec Frank-Gemmill (horn), Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Christian Lindberg
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Krystian Zimerman (piano), Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Sir Antonio Pappano
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Danielle de Niese (Eileen), Alysha Umphress (Ruth), Nathan Gunn (Bob Baker), Duncan Rock (Wreck), David Butt Philip (Lonigan), Ashley Riches (Guide/First Editor/Frank); London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
Available Format: SACD
Emily Birsan (soprano), Ben Johnson (tenor), BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alfred Brendel (piano), Wiener Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Gewandhausorchester, Andris Nelsons
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Vox Luminis & Ensemble Masques, Lionel Meunier
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sandrine Piau (soprano), Susan Manoff (piano)
Available Formats: CD + Book, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Steven Isserlis (cello), Dénes Várjon (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Renaud Capuçon (violin), Brussels Philharmonic, Stéphane Denève
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Copland: Orchestral Works Volume 4
Symphony No. 3, Letter from Home, Down a Country Lane & Connotations
BBC Philharmonic, John Wilson
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Allan Clayton (Hamlet), Sarah Connolly (Gertrude), Barbara Hannigan (Ophelia), Rod Gilfry (Claudius), Kim Begley (Polonius), John Tomlinson (Ghost of Old Hamlet/Grave-Digger), Jacques Imbrailo (Horatio), David Butt Philip (Laertes), Rupert Enticknap (Rosencrantz), Christopher Lowrey (Guildenstern); London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus, Vladimir Jurowski, Neil Armfield (director)
Available Format: DVD Video
Allan Clayton (Hamlet), Sarah Connolly (Gertrude), Barbara Hannigan (Ophelia), Rod Gilfry (Claudius), Kim Begley (Polonius), John Tomlinson (Ghost of Old Hamlet/Grave-Digger), Jacques Imbrailo (Horatio), David Butt Philip (Laertes), Rupert Enticknap (Rosencrantz), Christopher Lowrey (Guildenstern); London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus, Vladimir Jurowski, Neil Armfield (director)
Available Format: Blu-ray
Jerusalem Quartet
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Isabelle Faust (violin), Alexander Melnikov (piano), Tanguy de Williencourt (piano), Magali Mosnier (flute), Antoine Tamestit viola), Xavier de Maistre (harp), Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello), Javier Perianes (piano)
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth
Available Formats: CD + DVD Video, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alexander Melnikov, Olga Pashchenko (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Daniil Trifonov (piano), Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), Polina Leschenko (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Nash Ensemble
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Stéphane Degout (baritone), Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Paul Watkins (cello), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alexander Melnikov (pianos)
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Kirill Gerstein (piano), Storm Large (vocals), Gary Burton (vibraphone), St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, David Robertson
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ginastera: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3
Piano Concerto No. 1, Variaciones concertantes, Concierto argentino
Xiayin Wang (piano), BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rumon Gamba
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Philippe Jaroussky (Orfeo), Amanda Forsythe (Euridice), Emőke Baráth (Amore); Coro della Radiotelevisione Svizzera & I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano), Lise Davidsen (soprano), Ann-Helen Moen (soprano), Victoria Nava (soprano), Johannes Weisser (baritone), Håkon Høgemo (Hardanger Fiddle); Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Choirs, Edward Gardner
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Franco Fagioli (countertenor), Il Pomo d'Oro, Zefira Valova
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Léa Desandre (mezzo), Le Concert d'Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Franco Fagioli (Serse), Vivica Genaux (Arsamente), Inga Kalna (Romilda), Francesca Aspromonte (Atalanta), Andrea Mastroni (Ariodate), Delphine Galou (Amastre), Biagio Pizzuti (Elviro); Il Pomo d ́Oro Orchestra, Maxim Emelyanychev
Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Kammerorchester Basel, Giovanni Antonini
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Paul Lewis (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joyce DiDonato (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Winnie Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Roane Heckle); Orchestra and Chorus of The Dallas Opera, Patrick Summers
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
WDR Symphony Orchestra, Marek Janowski
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Czech Philharmonic, Jiří Bělohlávek
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Anu Komsi (soprano), Vienna Philharmonic, Sakari Oramo
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Francesco Piemontesi (piano)
Available Formats: CD + DVD Video, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Allan Clayton (tenor), Julius Drake (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Ádám Fischer
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
MusicAeterna, Teodor Currentzis
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Momo & Mari Kodama (piano), Sarah & Deborah Nemtanu (violin), Magali Demesse (viola), Orchestre Philharmonique de Marseille, Lawrence Foster
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Czech Philharmonic, Jiří Bělohlávek
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Budapest Festival Orchestra & Pro Musica (women's choir), Iván Fischer
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)
Available Formats: 3 SACDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ana Maria Labin, Rebecca Bottone, Martene Grimson, Eleanor Dennis, Anna Devin (sopranos), Helen Sherman (mezzo), Ben Johnson, Robert Murray (tenors); The Mozartists, Ian Page
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ensemble Appassionato, Mathieu Herzog
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alina Ibragimova (violin), Cédric Tiberghien (piano)
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
In Echo, Gawain Glenton
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic, Tonu Kaljuste
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Max Emanuel Cencic (countertenor), Armonia Atenea, George Petrou
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Martha Argerich (piano), Sergei Babayan (piano)
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Steven Osborne (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Symphonieorchester und -chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Mariss Jansons
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Magdalena Kožená (mezzo), Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Robin Ticciati
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ian Bostridge (tenor), Sir Antonio Pappano (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Anna Caterina Antonacci (soprano), John Neschling
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Albina Shagimuratova (Semiramide), Daniela Barcellona (Arsace), Mirco Palazzi (Assur), Barry Banks (Idreno), Gianluca Buratto (Oroe), Susana Gaspar (Azema), David Butt Philip (Mitrane), James Platt (L’ombra di Nino); Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Opera Rara Chorus, Sir Mark Elder
Available Formats: 4 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Bertrand Chamayou (piano), Orchestre National de France, Emmanuel Krivine
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Federico Colli (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Christian Gerhaher (baritone), Gerold Huber (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Andrew Staples (tenor), Pauline Cheviller (Perséphone); Finnish National Opera, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Kaspars Putniņš
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Kirill Gerstein (piano), Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir, Vasily Petrenko
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Czech Philharmonic, Jiří Bělohlávek
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sean Shibe (guitars)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Sophie Koch (mezzo), Riccardo Chailly
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Marc-André Hamelin (piano), Leif Ove Andsnes (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Alisa Weilerstein (cello), Trondheim Soloists
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joseph Calleja (tenor), with Vittorio Vitelli (baritone), Angela Gheorghiu (soprano); Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Ramón Tebar
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Barbara Hannigan (soprano), Reinbert De Leeuw (piano)
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Lisa Batiashvili (violin), Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo), Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Delphine Galou (Giustino), Emöke Barath (Arianna), Silke Gäng (Anastasio), Ana Maria Labin (Leocasta), Ariana Vendittelli (Amantio), Emiliano Gonzalez Toro (Vitaliano), Alessandro Giangrande (Andronico/Polidarte); Accademia Bizantina, Ottavio Dantone
Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Adrian Chandler (violin/director), La Serenissima
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Rachel Podger (violin), Brecon Baroque
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Michael Volle (Hans Sachs), Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther von Stolzing), Johannes Martin Kränzle (Beckmesser), Anne Schwanewilms (Eva), Daniel Behle (David), Wiebke Lehmkuhl (Magdalene), Günther Groissböck (Pogner); Bayreuth Festival, Philippe Jordan, Barrie Kosky
Available Format: 2 DVD Videos
James Ehnes (viola), BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Chris O'Reilly - Chief Executive
