Orchestral, Walton (composer)
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Walton: Symphony No. 1 & Violin Concerto
RecommendedTasmin Little (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Little's way with the virtuoso passages is a notch less headlong than [on her earlier recording], allowing the ear to savour her phenomenal accuracy, yet with no loss of fire...Gardner and the... —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 21st April 2014
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BBC Music Magazine, June 2014, Disc of the month
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Gramophone Magazine, July 2014, Disc of the Month
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2014
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Building A Library, July 2022, Also Recommended
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Walton: Cello Concerto; Symphony No. 1
RecommendedJonathan Aasgaard (cello), Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
Wilson is supreme in shading the orchestra to complement the cello line, both clear and expressive. In both cadenzas, Aasgaard draws a dramatically compelling narrative, again coupling precision... —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 7th November 2025
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2025
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BBC Music Magazine, Christmas Issue 2025, Concerto Choice
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The Guardian Classical Albums of the Year, 2025
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2026, Shortlisted - Concerto
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2025, Recording of the Month
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Walton: Symphony No. 2 & Cello Concerto
RecommendedPaul Watkins (cello)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
If a new Walton release can finally put paid to the notion that his music somehow 'went off' after his move to the Italian island of Ischia in 1956, then this must be it. And the performances... —
Awards:
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Building a Library, May 2015, First Choice
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Sunday Times, 2015, Albums of the Year
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Gramophone Magazine, May 2015, Editor's Choice
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2015
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Walton: Viola Concerto, Partita for Orchestra & Sonata for String Orchestra
RecommendedJames Ehnes (viola)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Ehnes, long established as one of the world’s leading violinists, doesn’t offer the same hefty, almost cello-like weight of tone on the viola as some of his specialist colleagues. Then again,... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, June 2018, Editor's Choice
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Record Review, 28th April 2018, Recording of the Week
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2018
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An English Coronation, 1902-1953
RecommendedEdward VII, George V, George VI, Elizabeth II
Gabrieli, Paul McCreesh
Some may find the extensive spoken liturgy excessive but such is Simon Russell Beale’s compelling delivery that the sheer beauty of the words offers a musical diversion of a different kind.... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, June 2019, Editor's Choice
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Presto Editor's Choice, May 2019
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Diapason d’Or, September 2019, Nouveauté
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2019
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2019
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Limelight Magazine Recordings of the Year, 2019, Nominated - Vocal
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International Classical Music Awards, 2019, Nominee - Choral
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Gramophone Magazine, December 2019, Critics' Choice
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Gramophone Awards, 2020, Finalist - Choral
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Walton: Violin Concerto, Symphonic Suite from 'Troilus and Cressida', Portsmouth Point
RecommendedCharlie Lovell-Jones (violin), Sinfonia of London, John Wilson
Wilson was made for Walton and the orchestral writing has rarely been captured with such razor-sharp edge cheek-by-jowl with transparent radiance. —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 28th February 2025
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2025, Editor's Choice
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Gramophone Awards, 2025 Shortlist, Concerto
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Walton: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Orb and Sceptre
RecommendedCity of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Kazuki Yamada
A thrilling performance, in short, of a powerful work [No. 2] that needs to get off the shelf and into our ears more often. —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 6th March 2026
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2026, Editor's Choice
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One notoriously tricky passage after another…is brought off with top-flight panache and accuracy…Brilliant precision in the Scherzo, successful avoidance of over-emotive juice-extraction in... —
Awards:
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
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Building A Library, July 2022, Also Recommended
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Michael Tippett: Piano Concerto; Benjamin Britten: Diversions; William Walton: Sinfonia Concertante
RecommendedClare Hammond (piano), BBC Symphony Orchestra, George Vass
This is a valuable album indeed...each [work] is ripe for rediscovery and could prove rewarding for performers and audiences in the concert hall. They receive fine performances here from the... —
Awards:
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2025
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Boult conducts Coates
RecommendedLondon Philharmonic Orchestra & New Philharmonia Orchestra, Adrian Boult
As ever, Coates's music has great craftsmanship as well as good tunes and, lightweight though it is, it lies firmly within the English tradition. Here Boult finds its affinities with Elgar in... —
Awards:
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Building a Library, June 2011, Featured
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Gramophone Magazine, May 2007, Editor's Choice
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