This month brings you another bumper crop of great reviews from the leading music magazines, quality dailies and online review sites. There’s no doubt about it: Naxos releases and distributes some of the best music and audiovisual albums!
‘…well prepared, with accurate intonation and most expressive singing, and the whole disc is a pleasure to hear.’
– MusicWeb International
‘The Peterhouse Choir catches winningly the bounding enthusiasm and engaging harmonies of the Magnificat…’
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★
‘Richly textured, with sudden, unexpected sounds and harmonic segues adroitly threaded by soloist Nicolas Altstaedt and conductor Edward Gardner… William Barton and Carin Levine are excellent.’
– BBC Music Magazine
‘…An intimate and powerful listening experience.’
– Pizzicato
‘Lim’s is a fascinating, deeply spiritual and constantly evolving musical language, shining here in the profoundly sensitive performances of the BRSO and soloists on this recording.’
– Limelight
‘The magical and almost impossible balance that Hosokawa achieves by musically merging East and West is evident in the choice of the two protagonists. Excellent work by Jun Märkl and the Residentie Orkest The Hague.’
– Ritmo
‘An intriguing snapshot of a prolific composer… a rich collection… gutsy support from the Salzburg Chamber Soloists… Schiff brings passion and sustained intensity to the solo-violin Yeraz and offers a beautifully throaty, rhapsodic account of Hovhaness’s sumptuous op.1.’
– The Strad
‘The well-crafted and musically appealing music is…enhanced by the interpretations, so that one listens with great pleasure.’
– Pizzicato ★★★★★
‘…magnificent interpretations under the direction of Giancarlo Guerrero.’
– Pizzicato ★★★★★
‘There is no phrase without intention, no articulation that is not respected, and if you add to that the fine phrasing and elegance of the delivery, plus a choir in masterful blending, and soloists who more than fulfil expectations, the end result is that from Cologne’s complete recording that is increasing in quality with every release.’
– Ritmo ★★★★★
‘It’s magnificent playing.’
– MusicWeb International
‘This is altogether a jubilant celebration of Price’s work, performed throughout with commitment and poise.’
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★
‘…a unique and highly imaginative program of accessible contemporary music performed with commitment and expressiveness…’
– Pizzicato ★★★★
‘…The care put into the project makes the result very enjoyable, both musically and in terms of the presentation…’
– Ritmo
‘Top marks must be awarded to Kitayenko’s account of the Fourth Symphony, which has rarely sounded with such an uncompromising sense of terror.’
– Gramophone
‘…This disc is an astonishing achievement all around.’
– Fanfare
‘Sakari Oramo matches words with performance with this excellent showcase of her music.’
– Gramophone
‘I greatly enjoyed them, and repeated listens have only added to that pleasure. …sophisticated, emotional, beautifully crafted and a delight from first to last.’
– MusicWeb International
‘I admire Ballot’s work…I found a slightly different perspective on Bruckner.’
– American Record Guide
‘There is quite a variety here… in the hands of a talent like Ruben Micieli these pieces shine brightly and would please any fan of Liszt or Thalberg… Micieli enhances them with some of his own touches…’
– MusicWeb International
‘…provides an opportunity to explore more colours from the organ of St Etienne du Mont in Paris… Albrecht’s skilful handling of the instrument makes it sounds finer on this recording than any other I have heard.’
– Choir & Organ ★★★★★
‘Treviño brings out all the drama in [Walker’s Fourth Symphony], while lending it a cohesion from first note to last. His Basque orchestra performs with precision, flare and grace, aided by a fine recording of sonic depth and detail.’
– Limelight
‘Treviño’s interpretation is contextually and harmonically in tune with this repertoire, improving upon the few previous recordings of these works. Highly recommended.’
– Ritmo
‘…[a] brash, swooning, yet disciplined and idiomatic performance [of La Coronela] – a smashing conclusion to an outstanding album.’
– American Record Guide
‘Derek Clark’s direction…is fluid and elicits a cohesive and sparkling response…’
– Ritmo
‘This collection of chamber works, played by musicians for whom they were mostly written, could not be more welcome.’
– Gramophone
‘…This is no routine run-through; every moment demonstrates total commitment and careful preparation. A vivid studio recording acoustic that captures every detail of the score adds to the listening pleasure.’
– Fanfare
‘The MÁV Orchestra of Budapest under Takács-Nagy play to the manner born, and the sound is lucid and spacious.’
– Limelight
‘Laurent Pelly’s refined production is the ideal setting for Stéphane Degout’s debut as Onegin, carried to great heights by Alain Altinoglu’s passionate conducting.’
– Diapason ★★★★★
‘…a truly remarkable film about a remarkable artist. …The careful framing of the shots and pacing of the “action” are immaculately accomplished.’
– MusicWeb International
‘Overall, this recital by Yuja Wang is a winner – a recording that will beckon me to frequent re-listenings. Highly recommended.’
– Fanfare
‘The cast is remarkable. The voice is powerful, with beautiful colours, and the portrayal is very successful.’
– Pizzicato ★★★★
‘Maestro Corrado Rovaris (Opera Philadelphia’s music director) conducts a performance that is exciting on the one hand, graceful and intimate on the other.’
– Fanfare ★★★★



































