Critics Choice October 2025

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!

Highly Reviewed Albums of the Month
Choir of Peterhouse, Cambridge • S. Jackson
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘…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 ★★★★


Bavarian Radio Symphony • Gardner • Ollu • Poppen
Concerto Choice | BBC Music Magazine
Editor’s Choice | Limelight

‘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

Audio Releases
Naxos Releases
Eerens • Ryoko Aoki • Caroli • Residentie Orkest The Hague • Märkl
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘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


Z. Schiff • V. Stark • Salzburg Chamber Soloists • A. Eisenberg

‘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


Gould Piano Trio

‘The well-crafted and musically appealing music is…enhanced by the interpretations, so that one listens with great pleasure.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


F. Martino • São Paulo Symphony • Guerrero

‘…magnificent interpretations under the direction of Giancarlo Guerrero.’
Pizzicato ★★★★★


Cologne Cathedral Vocal Ensemble • Cologne Chamber Orchestra • Poppen

‘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 ★★★★★



Swietlicki • L.G. Johnson • Samuelsson • Malmö Opera Chorus and Orchestra • J. Jeter

‘This is altogether a jubilant celebration of Price’s work, performed throughout with commitment and poise.’
BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★


V. Sokolov • Nurie Chung • Bouchkov • D. Yablonsky • Smbatyan • J. Warner

‘…a unique and highly imaginative program of accessible contemporary music performed with commitment and expressiveness…’
Pizzicato ★★★★


Independent Label Releases (in alphabetical order)
Švedaite-Waller • Benedikt • Sedlevicius • Kaunas State Choir • Lithuanian National Symphony • Pitrenas
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘…The care put into the project makes the result very enjoyable, both musically and in terms of the presentation…’
Ritmo


Shaguch • Kotchinian • Prague Philharmonic Chorus • Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra • Kitayenko

‘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


Mary Elizabeth Bowden

‘…This disc is an astonishing achievement all around.’
Fanfare


Donohoe • BBC Symphony • Oramo
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘Sakari Oramo matches words with performance with this excellent showcase of her music.’
Gramophone


St. Louis Symphony • Denève
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘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


Altomonte Orchester St. Florian • Ballot

‘I admire Ballot’s work…I found a slightly different perspective on Bruckner.’
American Record Guide


Ruben Micieli
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘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


Hansjörg Albrecht

‘…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 ★★★★★


Basque National Orchestra • Treviño
Editor’s Choice | Limelight
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘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


N. Davies • Laugharne • W. Morgan • Scottish Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Clark
Discos Recomendados | Ritmo

‘Derek Clark’s direction…is fluid and elicits a cohesive and sparkling response…’
Ritmo


Rudersdal Chamber Players
Editor’s Choice | Gramophone

‘This collection of chamber works, played by musicians for whom they were mostly written, could not be more welcome.’
Gramophone


South West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden • Stuttgart Radio Symphony • Ahronovitch

‘…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


Budapest Symphony Orchestra MÁV • Takács-Nagy
Editor’s Choice | Limelight

‘The MÁV Orchestra of Budapest under Takács-Nagy play to the manner born, and the sound is lucid and spacious.’
Limelight

Audiovisual Releases
Naxos Releases
Naxos 2.110777
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(NBD0185V)
Degout • Matthews • Volkov • Grabias • Melis • Jørstad • Courjal • Brussels La Monnaie - De Munt Opera Chorus and Orchestra • Altinoglu • Pelly

‘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 ★★★★★


Independent Releases (in alphabetical order)
BelAir Classiques BAC226
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(BAC526)
A film by Willem Aerts
Recommended | MusicWeb International

‘…a truly remarkable film about a remarkable artist. …The careful framing of the shots and pacing of the “action” are immaculately accomplished.’
MusicWeb International


C Major 767308
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(767404)
Yuja Wang

‘Overall, this recital by Yuja Wang is a winner – a recording that will beckon me to frequent re-listenings. Highly recommended.’
Fanfare


Dynamic DYN-38031
Also available on Blu-ray Video
(DYN-58031)
Siragusa • Fiume • Corrado • Hungarian Radio Choir • Donizetti Opera Orchestra • Rovaris • Pintor

‘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 ★★★★



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