For 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 the shortlist for the 2021 Awards has just been announced, with nominees including Igor Levit, Luna Pearl Woolf, and Thomas Adès. The winners will be revealed on Sunday 31st January.
Best Orchestral Performance
Oregon Symphony, Carlos Kalmar
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Vikingur Ólafsson (piano), Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir (cello), Daniel Bjarnason
Available Formats: CD + Blu-ray Audio, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas
Available Formats: Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Gustavo Dudamel
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Best Opera Recording
Norman Dello Joio: The Trial at Rouen
Heather Buck (soprano), Stephen Powell, Luke Scott (baritones), Ryan Stoll (bass-baritone), Jeremy Ayres Fisher (tenor)
Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose (released on Boston Modern Orchestra Project)
Florentine Opera, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, William Boggs
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Eric Owens (Porgy), Angel Blue (Bess), Latonia Moore (Serena), Golda Schultz (Clara), Denyce Graves (Maria), Frederick Ballentine (Sportin’ Life), Alfred Walker (Crown), Ryan Speedo Green (Jake)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, David Robertson
Available Format: 3 CDs
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, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Elena Tsallagova (Donna Clara), Emily Magee (Ghita), David Butt Philip (Der Zwerg), Mick Morris Mehnert (Der Zwerg - actor), Philipp Jekal (Don Estoban)
Deutsche Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles, Tobias Kratzer
Available Format: DVD Video
Elena Tsallagova (Donna Clara), Emily Magee (Ghita), David Butt Philip (Der Zwerg), Mick Morris Mehnert (Der Zwerg - actor), Philipp Jekal (Don Estoban)
Deutsche Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles, Tobias Kratzer
Available Format: Blu-ray
Best Choral Performance
The Crossing, Donald Nally
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, JoAnn Falletta
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Joseph Charles Beutel (bass-baritone), Anna Dennis (soprano)
Cathedral Choral Society, The Clarion Choir, Chamber Choir of St. Tikhon's Monastery, Kansas City Chorale, Orchestra Of St. Luke's, Leonard Slatkin
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Laquita Mitchell (soprano), Raehann Bryce-Davis (mezzo), Joshua Blue (tenor), Malcolm J. Merriweather (baritone), Dashon Burton (bass-baritone), Paul Moravec (narrator)
Oratorio Society of New York Orchestra and Chorus, Kent Tritle
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Benedict Sheehan: Once Upon a Time
Skylark Ensemble, Sarah Walker (storyteller), Matthew Guard
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Pacifica Quartet, Otis Murphy (saxophone)
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Ted Hearne, Josephine Lee, Ayanna Woods, Steven Bradshaw, Isaiah Robinson, Philip White, Saul Williams, Sol Ruiz, Sophia Byrd, Rage Thormbones
Place Orchestra, Chicago Children's Choir
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Third Coast Percussion, Devonté Hynes
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Dover Quartet
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Kirill Gerstein (piano), Boston Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Igor Levit (piano)
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Augustin Hadelich (violin), Charles Owen (piano), Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Jakub Hruša
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Daniil Trifonov (piano), Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Richard O'Neill (viola), Albany Symphony, David Alan Miller
Available Formats: FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Nicholas Phan (tenor), Myra Huang (piano)
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo), Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Brian Giebler (tenor), Steven McGhee (piano)
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Sarah Brailey (soprano), Dashon Burton (bass-baritone)
Experiential Orchestra and Chorus, James Blachly
Available Formats: SACD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
American Composers at Play: William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto
Stephen Powell (Attacca Quartet, William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto, Charles Neidich & Jason Vieaux) (released on Acis Productions)
Best Classical Compendium
Mark Stone (baritone), Kirill Gerstein (piano), Christianne Stotijn (mezzo)
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Peter Herresthal (violin), Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Clément Mao-Takacs
Available Format: SACD
Sasha Cooke (mezzo), Ryan McKinny (bass-baritone)
San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Matt Haimovitz (cello), Devon Guthrie, Nancy Anderson (sopranos), Elise Quagliata (mezzo)
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, NOVUS NY, Julian Wachner
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Kirill Gerstein (piano), Boston Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, JoAnn Falletta
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Florentine Opera, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, William Boggs
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res+ FLAC/ALAC/WAV, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Ted Hearne, Josephine Lee, Ayanna Woods, Steven Bradshaw, Isaiah Robinson, Philip White, Saul Williams, Sol Ruiz, Sophia Byrd, Rage Thormbones
Place Orchestra, Chicago Children's Choir
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Best Engineered Classical Album
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, JoAnn Falletta
Available Formats: 2 CDs, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Eric Owens (Porgy), Angel Blue (Bess), Latonia Moore (Serena), Golda Schultz (Clara), Denyce Graves (Maria), Frederick Ballentine (Sportin’ Life), Alfred Walker (Crown), Ryan Speedo Green (Jake)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, David Robertson
Available Format: 3 CDs
Third Coast Percussion, Devonté Hynes
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Gustavo Dudamel
Available Formats: CD, Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 in B flat minor 'Babi Yar'
Engineers: David Frost & Charlie Post; Mastering Engineer: Silas Brown
Alexey Tikhomirov (bass), Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Riccardo Muti
Available Formats: Hi-Res FLAC/ALAC/WAV, FLAC/ALAC/WAV, MP3
