The editorial team's personal favourites from October's very rich crop of new releases include Britten à la française from Cyrille Dubois and friends on Aparté, Mahler's three great solo songs cycles from Andrè Schuen and Daniel Heide on CAvi, Beethoven's Eroica Symphony in a new chamber arrangement by Shai Wosner from Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Leonidas Kavakos and Antoine Tamestit on Sony, and Chopin's Nocturnes from Pavel Kolesnikov on Harmonia Mundi.
Britten: « En français ! »
Cyrille Dubois (tenor), Tristan Raës, Orchestre national de Metz Grand Est, David Reiland
'With the fiftieth anniversary of Britten's death coming up, Dubois makes the finest possible case for three French-language cycles: the Quatre chansons françaises, the French folk-song settings, and Les illuminations. Dubois's incisive, illuminating (no pun intended) way with his native language pays special dividends in Rimbaud's elusive poetry, and the new, darker colours his voice has taken on of late are deployed to exciting effect in the folk-songs. Superb orchestral work, too, and surely one of my personal albums of the year.' (Katherine Cooper)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Chopin: Nocturnes
Pavel Kolesnikov (piano)
'Kolesnikov's complete recording of the nocturnes is important not because it challenges my regular choices of Nelson Goerner and Maria João Pires, but because he offers a distinctly unique perspective, exploring the overtones of Chopin's writing as much as the fundamentals. The subtle colours of the playing and Kolesnikov's use of all three pedals in creating a perfumed sound world make this a fascinating and immersive companion to existing choices.' (Matthew Ash)
Available formats: 2 CDs, Download & Streaming (up to 192 kHz, 24 bit)
Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 3 'Eroica' and Leonore Overture No. 3
Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Leonidas Kavakos (violin), Emanuel Ax (piano), Antoine Tamestit (viola)
'Competing with Igor Levit’s masterful account of the Eroica for solo piano is this latest instalment in the ‘Beethoven for Three’ series from Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma. Their accounts of the fifth and sixth symphonies are among my favourite recordings ever - to the extent that I genuinely, honestly do prefer them in some ways to the orchestral versions - and this new one doesn’t disappoint. The addition of violist Antoine Tamestit does of course undermine the ‘for three’ concept, but the chamber sound is no less enchanting for shifting from piano trio to piano quartet.' (David Smith)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Mahler - Lieder
Andrè Schuen (baritone), Daniel Heide (piano)
'A magnificent collection of Mahler’s Lieder from baritone Andrè Schuen, most affecting in songs such as 'Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht' whilst finding lighter colours and navigating the higher tessitura of 'Ging heut' Morgen über's Feld' and 'Ich atmet' einen linden Duft' with ease. Equally crucial is the contribution of pianist Daniel Heide, who melts the heart in the voiceless epilogues of 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen' and the final song of Kindertotenlieder, whilst being alive to the changing moods of 'Um Mitternacht', from its opening gloom and shrouded darkness to the bravura and optimism of its closing moments.' (James Longstaffe)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Barber & Glass: Violin Concertos - Zorn: Partita For the Firebird
Geneva Lewis (violin), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Gemma New
'Following an acclaimed appearance on Lyrita's 2025 album of concertante works by Grace Williams, violinist Geneva Lewis takes flight on this ambitious solo recording, combining Barber's notoriously demanding violin concerto with that of Philip Glass. The Barber, often presented with a generous sprinkling of Hollywood sentimentalism, is as light-footed as I've ever heard it and much the better for it; the Glass gives up its secrets less easily but Lewis brings a wistful lyricism to the haunting solo line.' (David Smith)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 192 kHz, 24 bit)
Prokofiev: Chout & Symphony No. 1 'Classical'
NDR Radiophilharmonie, Stanislav Kochanovsky
'Subtitled “The Story of the Buffoon Who Outwits Seven Others”, Prokofiev’s ballet, Chout, was commissioned in 1915 by Diaghilev and (after much revision) eventually premiered by the Ballets Russes in 1921. More commonly heard as a shorter suite, this recording of the complete ballet is most welcome, bringing out all of its daring grotesquerie and changing moods to pleasing effect. This is coupled with a refined account of the Classical Symphony, full of grace and poise in the middle movements, and nimble flair in the outer ones.' (James Longstaffe)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 48 kHz, 24 bit)
Phantoms. French Symphonic Poems
Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, Pierre Dumoussaud
'The opening horns of Guiraud’s Chasse fantastique announce the beginning of a brilliantly programmed adventure through neglected French symphonic poems, played with engaging conviction by the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitane. Every piece is tied by its composer to extra-musical content or forms part of a larger plot, and conductor Pierre Dumoussaud uses every orchestral colour available to him to bring the Phantoms to life. I was especially struck by the prelude La naissance de Cypris from Augusta Holmès’ unfinished opera Héro et Léandre, and by the ardour of Marie Jaëll’s prélude from Ossiane, both world premiere recordings, but every piece here is an immersive world of its own. The recording is demonstration quality.' (Matthew Ash)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
Diptyque: Martucci & Canteloube
Sonya Yoncheva (soprano), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Domingo Hindoyan
'The stand-out work here wouldn't feel remotely out of place on Phantoms (above) - Canteloube's 'poème symphonique' Vers la princesse lointaine will come as quite the surprise to those who know him primarily through the ever-popular Chants d'Auvergne, with echoes of Franck and Wagner plus parallels with Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé (which premiered the same year). The RLPO and Hindoyan mine its colours for all their worth, and Yoncheva's voluptuous soprano is perfectly suited to both Canteloube's Tryptique and Martucci's verismo-ish La Canzone dei Ricordi. Some great new finds here. (Katherine Cooper)
Available formats: CD, Download & Streaming (up to 96 kHz, 24 bit)
