Our selection of shorter reviews includes myths, masses, Mozart and Magnard

JS Bach St John Passion

Gaechinger Cantorey et al Carus 83.313 Hans-christoph Rademann drives the action along in a punchy, pacey performance. There’s plenty of drama here, though some listeners might prefer a little more room to breathe. (JP) ★★★

Beethoven Piano Concertos

Nos 2 & 5 ‘Emperor’

Martin Helmchen (piano) et al

Alpha Classics ALPHA 555

Soloist Martin Helmchen really brings out the different approaches Beethoven took in these concertos. A sturdy, reliable recording of two great works. (FP) ★★★★

Bruckner Symphony No. 1 Philharmonie Festiva Profil PH19084 Most conductors prefer the Linz version, so here’s a rare and welcome chance to hear Bruckner’s First Symphony in its final 1891 ‘Vienna’ edition. Schaller pulls his orchestra along for a live performance full of energy and excitement. (OC) ★★★★

Chopin • Kar owicz

Orchestral Works et al

Konrad Binienda (piano); RPO DUX 1621 These composers make strange bedfellows, but the RPO gives assured accounts of Kar owicz’s Straussian worlds, and Binienda is fleet-fingered in Chopin’s Allegro. (OC) ★★★★

Philip Glass

Violin Concerto No. 2 etc Piotr P awner (violin) et al Naxos 8.559865

The endless repeated patterns and high violins make this disc a rather suffocating listen, as the performers envelop the listener. Bold, but could have benefited from a little more momentum. (FP) ★★★

Alex Hills Outsidein etc

12 Ensemble etc Carrier 045

Hills challenges us to take a deep dive into ideas of scale, space, dimension and point of view, all queried from within the music. Antagonistic, unusual and occasionally brilliant. (MB) ★★★

Kapp • Lüdig • Lemba

Orchestral Works

Estonian National Symphony

Chandos CHAN 20150

Gorgeous, lyrical works from the dawn of Estonian symphonic music – Tchaikovsky meets Sibelius in the case of Artur Kapp’s symphony, while Lemba goes down the Rachmaninov route. Excellently performed all round. (OC) ★★★★

Magnard Symphonies Nos 1 & 2 Freiburg Philharmonic Naxos 8.574083 It’s a joy to hear Magnard’s music once more. Beautiful as it is – and it really is – his style was soon to be superseded by the Impressionist movement. Finely wrought playing. (OC) ★★★★

Mathias Chamber Works etc Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone) et al Naxos 8.574053

Diverse in both performing forces and moods, this a terrific introduction to Mathias beyond the Welsh composer’s wellknown carols. The mesmerising, mysterious Harp Sonata is a particular treat. (JP) ★★★★

Paderewski

Symphony in B minor, ‘Polonia’ RPO NIFC NIFCCD 065

Over an hour long, this 1909 symphony is big-boned, dramatic stuff – Wagnerian in feel, scale and sheer orchestral oomph. The playing and the recorded sound are every bit as sumptuous. (JP) ★★★★

Rosner Masses

Blossom Street Convivium CR053

This is a mellifluous account of two 1970s works by the late American composer; both showcase his talent for giving traditional polyphony a distinctly modernist tint. (MB) ★★★

Rota Piano Works (Vol. 1)

Eleanor Hodgkinson (piano)

Grand Piano GP827

Rota’s 15 Preludes are in turns skittish, sassy and mournfully introspective, while the larger-scale Fantasia is blessed with memorable themes. Nicely played but marks off for the worthybut-dull sleeve notes. (JP) ★★★

Schubert Winterreise

Alain Buet (baritone) et al muso MU035 Schubert’s masterpiece is transcribed here for baritone and string quartet. While the baritone adds richness to the original, the string writing and performance is, at times, a little too sparse. (FP) ★★★

R Strauss Orchestral Works etc Daniil Trifonov (piano) et al

BR Klassik 900182

Underwhelming organ in the introduction aside, this is a passionate, detailed Also

Sprach. Jansons, as usual, is in total command. Daniil Trifonov sparkles in the Burleske – a concerto in all but name. (OC) ★★★★

Tomkins Choral works

The Choir of HM Chapel Royal et al Resonus RES10253

The unsung genius of the late-tudor and Stuart composer is on full display here in anthems and service settings. It’s all beautifully and intimately sung and recorded at the Chapel Royal at Hampton Palace. (OC) ★★★★

Debbie Wiseman Mythos Suite National Symphony Decca 481 8820 This disc is a treat; Stephen Fry’s retelling of the Greek myths is brought to life by Wiseman and an 80-piece orchestra. Fry’s narration is matched with cinematic music that ebbs and flows with the drama. (FP) ★★★★

The Beauty That Still Remains Works by Marcus Paus

& Maja SK Ratkje

Norwegian Girl Choir et al 2L 2L-157 Emotionally resonant roots lie beneath these two works; Paus’s, based on extracts from Anne Frank’s diary, captures her innocence and whimsy. Effervescent singing. (MB) ★★★★

Classic Works by Mozart et al HAUSER (cello); Lso/robert Ziegler Sony Classical G010004134702X

Much like his look on the cover, HAUSER (aka cellist Stjepan Hauser) performs this clutch of crowdpleasing melodies with a wellheeled slickness. So polished it’s almost clinical. (MB) ★★★

Finding Harmony Works by Byrd, James Macmillan et al

The King’s Singers Signum SIGCD607 Detailed liner notes enlighten these songs, which have united communities facing adversity. High production values and clean phrasing sometimes add a little too much gloss . (FP) ★★★

The Lady from the Sea

Duos by Vivaldi, Glière et al

Chiara Zanisi (violin), Giovanni Sollima (cello) Arcana A468

These duos for violin and cello are a smorgasbord of delights; the new works by Giovanni Sollima sit beautifully alongside Scots folk tunes, Vivaldi sonatas and more. A timeless set. (MB) ★★★★

Légende Arménienne

Works by Komitas & Alécian Akhtamar Quartet

Cypres CYP1681

Komitas’s Miniatures are lively and folky, while Alécian’s Un quatuor arménien has a darker, more wistful outlook. The admirable Akhtamar Quartet seem equally at home with the demands of both. (JP) ★★★★

Mozartissimo Tenor Arias Rolando Villazón (tenor) DG 483 7917 Villazón is typically larger than life in this celebration of his favourite Mozart roles. The concert hall acoustic makes for a rich, if sometimes overbearing, listening experience. (MB) ★★★★

Once Upon a Time Narrated works by Vaughan Williams et al

Skylark Vocal Ensemble HMR HMR-003 A pair of classic fairy tales is given a thoughtfully curated soundtrack of choral works; an odd idea on paper, the concept is actually very effective and the choir in fine fettle. (MB) ★★★★

Salve Salve Salve Choral works by Morales, Victoria et al Contrapunctus Signum SIGCD608

A truly glorious exploration of the influence of Josquin Desprez on the sacred choral music of 16th-century

Spain. As passionately sung as it is thoughtfully researched and programmed. ( JP) ★★★★

Undine

Works by Reinecke, Prokofiev et al Temo Kharshiladze (flute), Ketevan Sepashvili (piano) Gramola GRAM99201 The sonatas of Reinecke, Prokofiev and Taktakishvili are renowned in the flute world. All are delivered superbly here: tone colour is sensitively judged, dynamics well controlled. More freedom in interpretation would be welcomed. (FP) ★★★★

Reviewers: Michael Beek (MB),

Oliver Condy (OC), Freya Parr (FP),

Jeremy Pound (JP)