During 2009, hundreds of Naxos recordings gained top reviews around the world and were featured on our monthly Critics’ Choice pages. This month, in addition to the Critics’ Choices for December 2009, we present the 40 Naxos CDs which featured most frequently as Critics’ Choices throughout the year. We also include some critically acclaimed Naxos DVDs and albums from our distributed labels.

If you’re expecting to see yet another list of ‘the same old compositions’ – think again! Naxos’s commitment to exploration, our artists’ passion for unfairly neglected repertoire, our customers’ thirst for exciting musical discoveries, and the enthusiasm of expert critics combine to produce an intriguing ‘Top 40’.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE NAXOS RECORDING FROM 2009? Please email us today and tell us, in a few sentences, which Naxos CD or DVD most impressed you. Be sure to include the catalogue number. We’ll post a selection of your responses in coming months on naxos.com! read more» Please include your name and address (so we know that your message is bona fide). Naxos will respect your privacy. Name: Email Address: Catalogue Number: Album Title: I enjoyed this Naxos recording because... My address is... If you would like to receive our FREE Newsletters by email please click here and complete the online registration form.

8.559359  COPLAND Dance Symphony, Symphony No 1 The Daily Telegraph - A REVELATORY AND RICHLY RECORDED DISC Gramophone - AN ESSENTIAL CD BBC Music magazine - 5 STARS MusicWeb International - MOST REWARDING COPLAND Liverpool Daily Post - GOOD TUNES AND SYNCOPATIONS Pizzicato - 5 QUAVERS Classics Today - 9/9 American Record Guide - THE PLAYING HERE IS FANTASTIC CD Hotlist - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Turok's Choice - TERRIFICALLY PERFORMED Fanfare -STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

8.570440  RIES Piano Concertos Vol 3 CLOFO.com - PELLUCID AND WELL FOCUSED klassick.com - 4 STARS InsideCatholic - A WONDERFUL ROMP MusicWeb International - CAPTIVATING MUSIC, ELOQUENTLY PLAYED allmusic.com - THOROUGHLY ATTRACTIVE CONCERTOS Audiophile Audition - 4 STARS Fanfare - A GOLD STAR WINNER Gramophone - ENTERTAINING VISIONS OF ENGLAND American Record Guide - SOUND IS SPACIOUS AND DETAILED

8.557507  STRAVINSKY Symphony in C, Symphony in 3 Movements , Octet, Dumbarton Oaks (Stravinsky Vol 10) Manchester Evening News - A CONVENIENT COLLECTION The Herald - DEFINITIVE Gramophone - DECIDEDLY IMPRESSIVE Allmusic.com - IT'S SMART, IT'S SASSY Classics Today - 10/9 Fanfare - INDISPENSIBLE Dallas Morning News - SUPERB RECORDINGS Classical Net - ENTHUSIASTIC RECOMMENDATION

8.570568  TCHAIKOVSKY Manfred Symphony, The Voyevoda GRAMOPHONE AWARD 2009 Best Orchestral Recording cliffsclassics.com - A WELCOME ADDITION Yorkshire Post - ABSOLUTELY RIVETING MusicWeb International - FLAIR & SENSITIVITY MusicWeb International - THRILLING klassik.com - 4 STARS Limelight magazine - 4 STARS Gramophone - NOT TO BE MISSED Pizzicato - 5 QUAVERS

8.570569  GINASTERA Complete Music for Cello and Piano Musica - 4/5 (Ottimo) The Strad - ELECTRIC AND LYRICAL PERFORMANCES The Strad - SEMI-PRECIOUS GEMS Classical Source – EXTREMELY WELL PLAYED Sequenza 21 – A WONDERFUL COLLECTION Fono Forum - CONVINCING American Record Guide – RHYTHMICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY EXCITING Turok's Choice - KOSOWER IS A TERRIFIC CELLIST

8.570582  ENESCU Cello Sonatas Op 26 Ritmo - 4/4 (Excelente) Phono Forum - 4 STARS Diapason - SUPERBE Monde de la Musique - 4 STARS Ritmo - 4/4 (Excelente) Rondo - 4 STARS Luister - 4 STARS American Record Guide - AN UNUSUALLY EFFECTIVE SET OF PERFORMANCES

8.572059  FREITAS BRANCO Orchestral Works Vol 2 MusicWeb International - URBANE IMPRESSIONISM Classics Today - 10/10 American Record Guide - I AM EAGER TO HEAR MORE InsideCatholic - MARVELOUS IMAGINATION Classical Net - TERRIFIC CD Fanfare - A TOP RECOMMENDATION MusicWeb International - AN INTERESTING BUY, EXTREMELY WELL PLAYED allmusic - 3.5 STARS

8.570356  STANFORD Symphony No 1, Clarinet Concerto MusicWeb International - REVELATORY PERFORMANCE Gramophone - EXCEPTIONAL BBC Music magazine - 4 STARS Audiophile Audition - 4 STARS Classica Repertoire - 3 HEADPHONES Albion Magazine - TWO DELIGHTFUL WORKS MusicWeb International - THE PRICE MAY BE LOW BUT THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT IS MOST CERTAINLY NOT

8.570555 JANÁČEK Operatic Orchestral Suites Vol 1 – Jenůfa, The Excursions of Mr Brouček The Star-Ledger - INVALUABLE DISC MusicWeb International - REFRESHINGLY NEW Sequenza21.com - VIBRANT MUSIC Dvořák Society Newsletter - VERY CONVINCING Gramophone - TREASURE UPON TREASURE American Record Guide - ANOTHER TRIUMPH FOR NAXOS Classical Lost and Found - AUDIOPHILE

8.570763  SIBELIUS Night Ride and Sunrise, Belshazzar's Feast Suite, Kuolema Yorkshire Post - A "MUST BUY" RELEASE InsideCatholic.com - CRYSTAL-CLEAR The Times - PLAYING OF REAL QUALITY MusicWeb International - TERRIFIC DISC! MusicWeb International - SHOULD NOT BE MISSED AT ANY COST winnipegfreepress.com - VERY SYMPATHETICALLY PLAYED Fanfare - RECOMMENDED

8.570774  BAX Symphonic Variations, Concertante for Piano Left Hand MusicWeb International - VERY ATTRACTIVE MusicWeb International - AMONGST MY CHOICE OF RECORDINGS FOR 2009 Gramophone - SPELLBINDING REPERTOIRE allmusic.com - RIVALS THE BEST OF THE BEST FULL-PRICE LABELS Classics Today - 9/9 Dallas Morning News - IMMEDIATELY APPEALING Fanfare - RECOMMENDED TO BAX ADMIRERS EVERYWHERE

8.570791  KORNGOLD Violin Concerto, Schauspiel Overture, Suite from Much Ado About Nothing Classics Today - 9/9 Gramophone - MASTERLY PERFORMANCE…A SPLENDID BARGAIN BBC Music Magazine - WELL WORTH HEARING FOR QUINT'S PASSIONATELY COMMITTED PERFORMANCE MusicWeb International - A DELIGHTFUL DISC…NICE ONE, NAXOS. ScreenSounds - THOROUGHLY ENTERTAINING The Strad - 4 STARS Classic FM - RICHLY ENJOYABLE

8.502400  HAYDN Complete String Quartets (25 CD Box set) cliffsclassics.com - COUNTLESS HOURS OF PLEASURE ClassicsToday - 8/8 MusicWeb International - A FINE ACHIEVEMENT…DEEPLY ENJOYABLE allmusic.com - AN ABSOLUTE MUST American Record Guide - THE KODALY'S DO THESE WORKS JUSTICE

8.559365  FOOTE Francesca da Rimini MusicWeb International - IT HAS NO COMPETITION David's Review Corner - MOST STRONGLY RECOMMENDED allmusic.com - FINE INTERPRETATIONS MusicWeb International - GERARD SCHWARZ…PUTS GENUINE LOVE AND ATTENTION INTO EVERY ONE OF THES PIECES The Dallas Morning News - WELL WORTH HEARING Classical Lost and Found - RECOMMENDED

8.559378  JONES Tuba Concerto, Symphony No 3 ‘Palo Duro Canyon’ MusicWeb International - ONE OF NAXOS'S BEST MusicWeb International - EAR-TINGLING DETAIL Classical Net - BEAUTIFUL MUSIC…WELL WORTH HEARING allmusic.com - IMMEDIATELY ACCESSIBLE…RECOMMENDED gatheringnote.org - BROAD SWEEPING MUSIC American Record Guide - A PLEASURE TO HEAR

8.559398  LESHNOFF Violin Concerto, String Quartet No 1 'Pearl German' Inside Catholic - SOARING LYRICISM AND PASSION CLOFO.com - TREASURE THIS DISC! Baltimore Sun - MAJOR ADDITION TO THE REPERTOIRE Classical Net - ENGAGING Fanfare - STRONG RECOMMENDATION American Record Guide - VERY ATTRACTIVE MUSIC

8.559601  CORIGLIANO Circus Maximus Newmusicbox - SHARP, RHYTHMICALLY TIGHT, BRILLIANTLY IN TUNE…AND LOUD Music & Vision - THE PERFORMANCE COULD NOT BE BETTERED Classics Today - 9/10 Bandworld - YOUR IMAGINATION & MUSIC SENSES WILL BE WELL REWARDED Gramophone - SPECTACULAR…A SUBSTANTIAL WORK MusicWeb International - ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES WRITTEN FOR BAND FOR SOME TIME

8.559615  LANG Pierced The West Australian - SUPERB Pitchfork - ENLIGHTENING AND REFRESHING MusicWeb International - THE STAMP OF AUTHORITY San Francisco Chronicle - EDGY, AGGRESSIVE, THOUGHTFUL AND IRONIC Allmusic.com - POST-MINIMALIST DEVELOPMENTS PopMatters - A SERIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT

8.570469  RODE Violin Concertos Nos 7, 10 & 13 The Classical Music Guide - HEARTILY RECOMMENDED! The Yorkshire Post - A DAZZLING DISPLAY klassik.com - 4 STARS American Record Guide - A SPLENDID INTRODUCTION TO THE MUSIC OF PIERRE RODE Fanfare - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED Fanfare - NO FANCIER OF THE VIOLIN SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS DISC

8.570507  IRELAND Piano Trios MusicWeb International - A CRITICAL PART OF HIS REPERTOIRE allmusic.com - A WEALTH OF MELODIC INVENTION MusicWeb International - WILL ENHANCE ANY RECORD COLLECTION BBC Music Magazine - 5 STARS Gramophone - A THOROUGHLY DESIRABLE RELEASE Classical Lost and Found - AUDIOPHILE

8.570722  SZYMANOWSKI Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 Classics Today - 10/10 MusicWeb International - SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN THIS REPERTOIRE allmusic.com - THOROUGHLY ENJOYABLE Atlanta Audio Society - LUXURIANTLY SCORED MUSIC…HARD TO RESIST The Buffalo News - RESTLESS, PROTEAN AND EXTRAORDINARY TALENT BBC Music Magazine - 5 STARS

8.570925  RÓZSA Viola Concerto, Hungarian Serenade ScreenSounds - HIS DISTINCTIVE STYLE SHINES THROUGH Gramophone - STRENGTH AND APPEAL MusicWeb International - A TRULY REMARKABLE COMPOSER klassik.com - 4 STARS American Record Guide - A MAGNIFICENT WORK Fanfare - DEEPLY SATISFYING

8.570993  DEBUSSY Orchestral Works Vol 2 – Nocturnes, Clair de lune, Pelleas et Melisande-symphonie The Sunday telegraph - EVOCATIVELY PLAYED MusicWeb International - AN HOUR OF DELICIOUS LISTENING Gramophone - IMPRESSIVE IMPRESSIONIST COLLECTION MusicWeb International - VERY SATISFYING American Record Guide - EXPERTLY AND SENSITIVELY PLAYED Fanfare - ONE HECK OF A GOOD PERFORMANCE

8.571251 BEETHOVEN Piano Sonatas Vol 1 - Nos 1, 2, 19 & 20 (Biret Beethoven Edition Vol 1) MusicWeb International - IMPORTANT ADDITION TO THE CATALOGUE All About Jazz - THE HANDS OF A MASTER ROMANTIC classicalnet.com - YOUTHFUL HUMOUR AND JOY Classical Net - YOUTHFUL HUMOR AND JOY allaboutjazz.com - AN IMPORTANT BEETHOVEN RENAISSANCE IS UNDERWAY allmusic.com - A MAJOR STATEMENT

8.572076  BRETON Escenas andaluzas, En la Alhambra, Opera Preludes Liverpool Daily Post - ATTRACTED BY THE NAXOS SPANISH CLASSICS SERIES MusicWeb International - A VERY ATTRACTIVE DISC Scherzo - EXCEPCIONAL Classics Today - 9/9 Gramophone - ALLURING IBERIAN EXOTICISM Fanfare - WELCOME COLLECTION...LOTS OF FUN

8.572138  SHOSTAKOVICH The Girlfriends, Rule, Britannia!, Salute to Spain, Symphonic Movement (1945) Classics Today - 10/10 Score Notes - EXCELLENT CLASSICAL FILM MUSIC MusicWeb International - HAS SHOWN US NEW SIDES OF SHOSTAKOVICH'S ENDEAVOR allmusic.com - WELL WORTH HEARING Gramophone - SHOULD BE IN EVERY SHOSTAKOVICH COLLECTION Classical Net - RECOMMENDED

8.559622-23 BERNSTEIN Mass Toronto Star - GREAT RECORDING The Washington Post - EXUBERANT…ONE OF ALSOP'S HAPPIEST ACHIEVEMENTS The Baltimore Sun - THOROUGHLY PERSUASIVE AND INVOLVING MusicWeb International - A TRUE REVELATION infodad.com - EMOTIONALISM AND STRONG PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT Gramophone - TRIUMPHANT

8.501042  HAYDN Complete Piano Sonatas (10 CD Box Set) cliffsclassics.com - BELONGS IN EVERY SERIOUS MUSIC LOVER’S LIBRARY Audiophile Audition - 5 STARS cliffsclassics.com - LANDMARK ANTHOLOGY Classical Net - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

8.506019  HAYDN Complete Concertos (6 CD Box Set) MusicWeb International - A GREAT SET The New Recordings - LOVELY CREATIONS Classical Net - RECOMMENDED Audiophile Audition - 5 STARS Gramophone - ENJOYABLE AND ECONOMICAL…AN INEXPENSIVE TREAT

8.559331  CORIGLIANO Mr Tambourine Man - Seven Poems of Bob Dylan Music & Vision - TITANIC, ZEALOUS STUFF BBC Music magazine - 5 STARS Charlestown Gazette - BEST RECORDING I HAVE HEARD THIS YEAR 2 GRAMMY AWARDS - Best Classical Vocal Performance & Best Classical Contemporary Composition The Weekend Australian - 5 STARS

8.559352  GIANNINI Symphony No 4, Piano Concerto Classics Today - MORE GIANNINI, PLEASE allmusic.com - WELL CRAFTED, IMAGINATIVE American Record Guide - ENDOWED WITH GENEROUS, HUMANE EMOTION Classical Net - EXPRESSIVE, HEARTFELT MUSIC Fanfare - DAZZLING COMBINATION OF PASSION AND PRECISION

8.559363  CARTER String Quartets Nos 2, 3 & 4 Sequenza21.com - STRONG AND EXPRESSIVE Gramophone - INDISPENSABLE freep.com - LOCATES THE EMOTIONAL CORE WITH STRIKING EASE NewMusicBox - DRAMA, HUMOUR, PASSION Fanfare - A TRIUMPH OF ADVENTUROUS AND STUNNING MUSIC-MAKING

8.559614  CARTER 100th Anniversary Release Pizzicato - 5 QUAVERS GlobeandMail.com - EXQUISITELY PERFORMED Sequenza21.com - VALUABLE MusicWeb International - TESTIMONY TO AN ASTONISHING MUSICAL PERSONALITY thewholenote - A STANDOUT

8.570284  DOWLAND Lute Music Vol 4 - The Queen’s Galliard MusicWeb International - BARGAIN OF THE MONTH...PERFECTION GuideLive - GRAB UP ALL FOUR VOLUMES [Box Set 8.504016] The Wholenote - EXEMPLARY PLAYING American Record Guide - EXCELLENT IN EVERY WAY Gramophone - THE ART OF LUTE-PLAYING AT ITS MOST REFINED AND SENSITIVE

8.570360  BÉRIOT Violin Concertos Nos 2, 3 & 5 Gramophone - APPEALING limelight - 4 ½ STARS MusicWeb International - SONGFUL CONCERTOS American Record Guide - AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO THE LIBRARY Fanfare - URGENTLY RECOMMENDED

8.570517  LISZT Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2, Totentanz MusicWeb International - NEBOLSIN GREATLY IMPRESSES Gramophone - POWER AND POETRY MusicWeb International - EXCEPTIONALLY POWERFUL AND REALISTIC RECORDING Classic FM - 4 STARS American Record Guide - KEEPS YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT

8.570550  IRELAND Sextet, Clarinet Trio, Fantasy-Sonata, The Holy Boy Yorkshire Post - MOST ENGAGING MusicWeb International - A MUST FOR ALL IRELAND ENTHUSIASTS CLOFO.com - AUDIOPHILE Gramophone - RAVISHING PLAYING Fanfare - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED

8.570563  TELEMANN 12 Fantasias for Solo Violin The New Recordings - STELLAR AND RICHLY INSPIRED PERFORMANCES MusicWeb International - LYRICAL MUSIC-MAKING OF THE FIRST ORDER The Wholenote - CLEAR AND NATURAL Winnipegfreepress.com - DELIGHTFUL RELEASE American Record Guide - STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL VIOLIN PLAYING

8.570570 Hungarian Music for Cello and Piano Classical Source - A TOP-NOTCH RELEASE Strings Magazine - BRILLIANT AND GENEROUS HUNGARIAN RECITAL All Music Guide - IMMENSE PRECISION...WITH A WARM, VELVETY TONE Ritmo - 4/4 (Excelente) MusicWeb International - A WINNING RECITAL

2.110224  The Full Monteverdi Gramophone - BRILLIANT FILM Opera Today - A BRILLIANT ADAPTATION OF MONTEVERDI’S FOURTH BOOK OF MADRIGALS THAT IS TOTALLY FAITHFUL TO THE COMPOSER’S MUSIC The Times - A BRILLIANT FILM…A SEARING DRAMATISATION Fono Forum - LA BOUCHARDIÈRE’S CONCEPT FINDS ITS IDEAL REALISATION IN FILM. BRILLIANT. Classics FM - BRILLIANT (5 STARS) American Record Guide - FANTASTIC! I WISH THE WORD ‘BRILLIANT’ HAD NOT BEEN SO OVERUSED, SO THAT I COULD SUMMON IT TO PRAISE THIS FILM

2.110232  DONIZETTI Roberto Devereux Musica - 4/5 (Ottimo) MusicWeb International - RECORDING OF THE MONTH David’s Review Corner - VIVID PERFORMANCE

2.110259  ROSSINI Il Turco in Italia Video Librarian - RECOMMENDED American Record Guide - HIGH COMEDY...THE SINGING IS QUITE FINE David’s Review Corner - A SUPERB PRESENTATION OF THE HIGHLY AMUSING COMEDY

2.110268  DONIZETTI Maria Stuarda MusicWeb International - RECORDING OF THE MONTH Classical Net -FINE RENDITION OF THIS DONIZETTI MASTERPIECE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED David’s Review Corner - A RELEASE I MUCH COMMEND

CAPRICCIO C5001 BLOCH Prelude and 2 Psalms, Suite hebraique, Baal shem, 3 Jewish Poems allmusic.com - INTENSE AND PASSIONATE Turok's Choice - EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES…EXCELLENT SOUND American Record Guide - VERY VERSATILE COMPOSER

CAPRICCIO C5002 SCHNITTKE Film Music Vol 4 allmusic.com - ENGAGING AND ENJOYABLE Classical Lost and Found - A SONIC EXTRAVAGANZA OF CONSIDERABLE PROPORTIONS Audiophile Audition - 4STARS

DACAPO 6.220547 NØRGÅRD Symphonies Nos 3 & 7 Classics Today - REALLY GOOD CONTEMPORARY MUSIC Classical CD Review - AN OUTSTANDING RELEASE. GET IT! Audiophile Audition - 4 STARS American Record Guide - ONE OF THE YEAR'S BEST RELEASES Classics Today - 10/10

DACAPO 6.220525 LANGGAARD Symphony No 1 ClassicsToday - 10/10 allmusic.com - COGENCY AND POLISH WETA FM - URGENTLY RECOMMENDED

DACAPO 6.220533 GUDMUNDSEN-HOLGREEN Plateaux, For Piano MusicWeb International - EXCITING TEXTURES AND MYSTERY Fanfare - IDIOMATIC AND COMMITTED…A LOT OF FUN San Francisco Chronicle - EXCELLENT…WONDERFULLY IDIOSYNCRATIC

DACAPO 8.226034 RUDERS Concertos David's Review Corner - PROVES MODERN MUSIC CAN BE INSTANTLY LIKEABLE The New York Times - HIGH ENERGY PERFORMANCE The Philadelphia Inquirer - 4 STARS

Ondine ODE1156-2Q RAUTAVAARA Concertos Audiophile Audition - 4 STARS Classics Today - 10/10 allmusic - 4 STARS

Phoenix101 KRAUS Olympie, La Scusa, La Pesca, La Gelosia, La Primavera CD Hotlist - EXCELLENT Baker & Taylor CD Hotlist - A MUST American Record Guide - MASTERY OF THE "SWEDISH MOZART"

Phoenix171 HANDEL Silete venti, HASSE La gelosia BACH Non sa che sia dolore Fanfare - OUTSTANDING MusicWeb International - A DELIGHTFUL PROGRAMME American Record Guide - KIRKBY'S HANDEL IS OF SPECIAL MERIT

Phoenix174 GOSSEC, VANHAL, MAHAUT, KRAUS Classical Symphonies Baker & Taylor CD Hotlist - THE PIECES ARE ALL DELIGHTFUL American Record Guide - VERY FINE PERIOD INSTRUMENT PERFORMANCES Turok's Choice - ESSENTIAL

Phoenix175 CHERUBINI Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn Evening Standard - 4 STARS, RATHER JOLLY REQUIEM Allmusic.com - ENTHUSISTICALLY RECOMMENDED Turok's Choice - ESSENTIAL

Phoenix176 HAYDN Soprano Cantatas, Violin Concerto No 4, Symphony No 92 American Record Guide - WORTH THE ATTENTION OF HAYDN COLLECTORS Turok's Choice - ESSENTIAL Fanfare - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Phoenix177 STAMITZ Clarinet Concertos, Orchestral Quartet The New Recordings - ALTOGETHER FUN CD MusicWeb International - GREAT FUN American Record Guide - AS GOOD AS ONE WILL HEAR