19th November 2020

Awards, Recordings of the Year 2020 - Our Top 100

by Katherine Cooper

After many hours of listening and discussion (chiefly conducted via Zoom this year), the Presto editorial team have finally decided on our top 100 Recordings of the Year: you can browse through the finalists below, and until 25th January 2021 we're offering special discounts on almost all of the featured titles. Our top 10 recordings will be announced on Thursday 10th December.

Yuja Wang (piano), Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel

Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Mark Stone (baritone), Kirill Gerstein (piano), Christianne Stotijn (mezzo)

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès

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

Voces8

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

Anna Patalong (Miss Julie), Benedict Nelson (Jean), Rosie Aldridge (Kristin), Samuel Sakker (Ulrik)

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sakari Oramo

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

Ermonela Jaho (soprano), Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Andrea Battistoni

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

Kate Lindsey (mezzo), Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen

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

Natalya Romaniw (soprano), Lada Valešová (piano)

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

Xenia Löffler (oboe), Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin

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

Sean Shibe (guitar)

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

Jean Rondeau (harpsichord), Thomas Dunford (lute), Lea Desandre (mezzo), Marc Mauillon (baritone), Myriam Rignol (viola da gamba)

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

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)

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

Grigory Sokolov (piano)

Available Format: 2 CDs + DVD Video

Paul Lewis (piano)

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

Matthias Goerne (baritone), Jan Lisiecki (piano)

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

Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth

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

Stephen Hough (piano), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu

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

Ensemble Diderot, Johannes Pramsohler

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

Jörg Widmann (clarinet), András Schiff (piano)

Available Format: CD

Stephen Hough (piano)

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

Stuart Skelton (Grimes), Erin Wall (Ellen), Roderick Williams (Balstrode), Susan Bickley (Auntie), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Mrs Sedley), Robert Murray (Bob Boles), James Gilchrist (Horace Adams), Marcus Farnsworth (Ned Keene)

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

Rachel Mahon (organ of Coventry Cathedral)

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

Reinoud Van Mechelen (tenor), Vox Luminis, A Nocte Temporis, Lionel Meunier

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

Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Alexandre Tharaud (piano)

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

Irene Buckley (speaker), Jennifer Koh (violin)

BBC Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop, Sakari Oramo, Andrew Litton, André de Ridder

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Carolyn Sampson (piano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

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

San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas

Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC

ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Fagen

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

Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)

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

London Symphony Orchestra, François-Xavier Roth

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

Stefanie True (soprano), Helen Charlston (mezzo), Gwilym Bowen (tenor), Morgan Pearse (bass)

Academy of Ancient Music, Choir of the AAM, Richard Egarr

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

Garrick Ohlsson (piano), Takács Quartet

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

Nicola Benedetti (violin), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski

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

Christiane Karg (soprano), Malcolm Martineau (piano), Gustav Mahler (piano roll)

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Sinfonia of London, John Wilson

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

The Gesualdo Six, Owain Park

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

Ironwood

Available Format: CD

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

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

Bertrand Chamayou (piano)

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

Joyce DiDonato (Agrippina), Elsa Benoit (Poppea), Luca Pisaroni (Claudio), Franco Fagioli (Nerone), Jakub Józef Orliński (Ottone), Andrea Mastroni (Pallante), Carlo Vistoli (Narciso), Biagio Pizzuti (Lesbo), Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Giunone)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

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

Anna Lucia Richter (soprano), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor), Florian Boesch (baritone)

Il Giardino Armonico, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Giovanni Antonini

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

Jamie Barton (mezzo), Jake Heggie (piano), Matt Haimovitz (cello)

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

Héloïse Werner (soprano), The Hermes Experiment

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

Matthew Schellhorn (piano)

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

Helena Dix (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo), Benjamin Hulett (tenor), Roderick Williams (baritone)

BBC Concert Orchestra, Bach Choir, David Hill

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

Chen Reiss (soprano), Oliver Wass (harp)

Academy of Ancient Music, Richard Egarr

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Magdalena Consort, Fretwork, His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts, with Silas Wollston (organ)

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

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Gustavo Dudamel

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

Lucy Crowe (Vixen), Gerald Finley (Forester), Sophia Burgos (Fox), Jan Martiník (Badger/Parson), Peter Hoare (Mosquito/Rooster/Schoolmaster), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Harašta)

London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle

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

The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips

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

Vox Clamantis, Jaan-Eik Tulve

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

Ludwig Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan

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

Rachel Nicholls (soprano), BBC Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Norman Del Mar, Colman Pearce, Gavin Maloney, Ilan Volkov

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Louise Alder (soprano), Joseph Middleton (piano)

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

Staatskapelle Weimar, Knabenchor der Jenaer Philharmonie, Damen des Opernchores des Deutschen Nationaltheaters Weimar, Kirill Karabits

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

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

Leonore Piano Trio

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

Cupertinos, Luís Toscano

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

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu

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

Gerhild Romberger (contralto), Robert Dean Smith (tenor)

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer

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

Sarah Connolly (mezzo), Robert Dean Smith (tenor)

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski

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

Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä

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

Michael Slattery (Miles), Talise Trevigne (Ma Zegner), John Moore (Pa Zegner), Andrew Harris (The Sodbuster)

Opera Omaha, International Contemporary Ensemble, Christopher Rountree

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

Francesco Piemontesi (piano), Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Andrew Manze

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

Sarah Willis (horn), Havana Lyceum Orchestra, Havana Horns, José Antonio Méndez Padrón

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

Odense Symphony Orchestra, Andreas Delfs

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

Véronique Gens (soprano), I Giardini

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

Sarah Fox (soprano), Kathryn Rudge (mezzo), Toby Spence (tenor), Henry Waddington (bass-baritone)

Crouch End Festival Chorus, London Mozart Players, William Vann

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

Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Anna Dennis (soprano), Mhairi Lawson (soprano), Ashley Riches (bass-baritone), Roderick Williams (baritone), Gabrieli, Paul McCreesh

Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC

Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth

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

Sinfonia of London, John Wilson

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

Stef Conner (voice/lyre), Hanna Marti (soprano), Everlasting Voices

Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC

Michael Spyres (tenor), Lawrence Brownlee (tenor), I Virtuosi Italiani, Corrado Rovaris

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

Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi

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

Isabelle Faust (violin), Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Harding

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

The Nash Ensemble

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

Elīna Garanča (mezzo), Malcolm Martineau (piano)

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

Gürzenich-Orchester Köln, François-Xavier Roth

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

Alina Ibragimova (violin), State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov', Vladimir Jurowski

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

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Santtu-Matias Rouvali

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

Daniil Trifonov (piano)

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

Mark Simpson, Fraser Langton (clarinet), Nicholas Daniel, Emma Fielding (oboe), Amy Harman, Dom Tyler (bassoon), Oliver Pashley, Ausias Garrigos Morant (basset horns), Ben Goldscheider, Angela Barnes, James Pillai, Fabian van de Geest (horn), David Stark (double bass)

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

Georgios Demertzis (violin), Vassilis Varvaresos (piano), Eleftherios Venizelos (speaker)

Athens Philharmonia Orchestra, Byron Fidetzis

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

Xuefei Yang (guitar), Weiliang Zhang (wooden flute), Sha Yuan (guzheng)

Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra, Renchang Fu

Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC

Sarah Brailey, Dashon Burton, Experiential Orchestra and Chorus, James Blachly

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

ORA Singers, Suzi Digby

Available Format: CD + DVD Video

Le Banquet Céleste, Damien Guillon

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

Louise Alder (soprano), Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Robin Ticciati

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

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko

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

Chiara Skerath (soprano), The Mozartists, Ian Page

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

Virpi Räisänen (mezzo), Jukka Perko (soprano saxophone), Lapland Chamber Orchestra, John Storgårds

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

Johan Dalene (violin), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Blendulf

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

Nathan Meltzer (violin), Rohan de Silva (piano)

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

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Louis Langrée

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

Diana Damrau (soprano), Orchestra e Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano

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

Estonian Festival Orchestra, Paavo Järvi

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

Mary Bevan (soprano), Nicky Spence (tenor), Roderick Williams (baritone), Jack Liebeck (violin), William Vann (piano)

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

Jonas Kaufmann (Otello), Federica Lombardi (Desdemona), Carlos Álvarez (Iago)

Orchestra e Coro dell'Academia Nationale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano

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

Piotr Beczala (tenor), Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Marco Boemi

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

Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini

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

Katherine Cooper - Head of Editorial

Katherine Cooper read English at University College, Oxford, and joined Presto in 2009. She began her musical life as a violinist, but now spends much of her time singing Rossini and Elgar (sometimes even for money). She is also an Associate Lecturer for the Open University, specialising in music and literature.