Classical Highlights for April 2025

Solo virtuosity shone in the latest batch of new releases that we reviewed. Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet delivers an exciting set of works by Khachaturian, while Jan Lisiecki combines Chopin’s Preludes with those of other composers. Violinist Liza Ferschtman (pictured) shines in Brahms’ concerto and a fantasy by Suk, while James Ehnes gives thoroughly satisfying readings of violin plus orchestra warhorses. A couple of other choice recordings include Bach’s B Minor Mass by Pygmalion, led by Raphaël Pichon and the Kronos Quartet in new works by Mary Kouyoumdjian.

April Classical Reviews

Paul Agnew, Les Arts Florissants, Benjamin Alard – J.S. Bach: A Life in Music, Vol. 2 – The Weimar Years (1708-1717)
Martha Argerich – Ravel: Adagio assai from Piano Concerto in G; Ma mère l’oye; Gaspard de la nuit
Maurizio Baglini – Heroica
Nicolas Baldeyrou – Mozart: Complete Works for Clarinet on Period Instruments, Vol. 1
Semyon Bychkov, Catriona Morison, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Pueri Gaudentes, Czech Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Masabane Cecilia – Masabane Cecilia
Bertrand Chamayou – Ravel: Fragments
The Curious Bards, Ilektra Platiopoulou – Sublimation: Songs and dances from 18th-century Scandinavia
Danish National Vocal Ensemble, Martina Bartic – O Listen! to the Music of Uros Krek & Else Marie Pade
Patrick Demenga, Andres Mustonen, Kamer, Riga Cathedral Boy’s Choir, State Choir Latvija – Alexander Knaifel: Chapter Eight
Sabine Devieilhe, Cyrille Dubois, François-Xavier Roth – Stravinsky: Le Rossignol
James Ehnes, BBC Philharmonic, Juanjo Mena – Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Sarasate: Concert Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen
Mark Elder, Hallé – Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Original 1857 Version)
Ensemble Altera, Christopher Lowrey – Dazzling Light
Laurence Equilbey, Accentus, Insula Orchestra – Beethoven: King Stephan; The Ruins of Athens; Leonore Prohaska
Liza Ferschtman, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra – Brahms: Violin Concerto; Suk: Fantasy

Edward Gardner, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus – Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem
Edward Gardner, Mary Bevan, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 5 – Symphony No. 9, Orchestral Songs
Stewart Goodyear, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Constantine – Mendelssohn, Goodyear, Schumann
Michael Hofstetter, Vanessa Waldhart, Robert Sellie – Handel: Brockes Passion
Paavo Järvi, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich – Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason – Fantasie
The King’s Singers – Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On
Felix Koch – Georg Philipp Telemann: Complete Cantatas, Vol. 4 – Französischer Jahrgang 1714/1715
Stanislav Kochanovsky, NDR Radiophilharmonie – Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 3; Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol
Kronos Quartet – Mary Kouyoumdjian: Witness
Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Giulio Zappa – Donizetti: Songs, Vol. 4
Christian Li – Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Julien Libeer, Pierre Colombet, Máté Szücs, Eckart Runge – Mozart: 1, 2, 3, 4 – Solo, Duo, Trio, Quartet
Jan Lisiecki – Preludes
London Choral Sinfonia, Jack Liebeck, Michael Waldron – Malcolm Arnold
Charlie Lovell-Jones, Sinfonia of London, John Wilson – Walton: Violin Concerto; Symphonic Suite from ‘Troilus and Cressida’; Portsmouth Point
Cristian Măcelaru, WDR Sinfonieorchester – Rachmaninov: Orchestral Works
Dmitry Masleev, Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra – Liszt, Rachmaninoff: Dies Irae
Nicholas McGegan, Cantata Collective – Bach: Easter Oratorio; Magnificat
Patrick Messina, Lise Berthaud, Fabrizio Chiovetta – Mozart, Bruch
Peter Moore, Tredegar Band, Ian Porthouse – Shift
Novus Quartet – Brahms: The Complete String Quartets
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Ludwig Wicki – Howard Shore: Anthology – The Paris Concerts
Antonio Pappano, Tenebrae, London Symphony Orchestra – Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé

Adrian Partington, BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales – Grace Williams: Missa Cambrensis
Julian Perkins, Academy of Ancient Music – John Weldon: The Judgment of Paris
Phantasm – Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue
Philharmonic Brass, Riccardo Muti – Italiana!
Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon – J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor
Quatuor Bozzini – Jürg Frey: String Quartets
Charles Richard-Hamelin – Échos
Timothy Ridout- Telemann, Bach, Britten, Shaw
Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7; The Tempest
Vladimir Rumyantsev – Sean Hickey: Sapiens – A Brief History of Humankind
Schola Antiqua of Chicago, Michael Alan Anderson – Notker Balbulus: Liber ymnorum
Silesian Quartet – Górecki: Complete Works for String Quartet
Niklas Sivelöv, Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra, Joachim Gustafsson – Beethoven: Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 – Op. 61a & Op. 58
Baiba Skride, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons – Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Steven Sloane, Bochum Symphony Orchestra – George Antheil: Venus in Africa
Takács Quartet, Marc-André Hamelin – Dvořák & Price: Piano Quintets
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel – Khachaturian
Trio Gaspard – Haydn: The Complete Piano Trios, Vol. 4; Sally Beamish: Trance
Various Artists – Georges Bizet: Djamileh; Vasco de Gama; Cantates
James Way, Natalie Burch – Benjamin Britten: Canticles
John Wilson, Jonathan Aasgaard, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – Richard Rodney Bennett, Vol. 5
Simone Young, Sydney Symphony Orchestra – Mahler: Symphony No. 2 ‘Resurrection’; Barton: Of the Earth
Haochen Zhang – Beethoven: Hammerklavier Sonata; Liszt: Sonata in B minor