The Best Classical Music of 2012
This year we’ve seen a bumper crop of books, music and film and over the next few weeks we’ll be presenting a series of our favourites, voted for and selected by Readings’ staff.
Here classical specialists Kate Rockstrom and Phil Richards share their top ten classical recordings of 2012 - Phil, the top five and Kate the bottom five.
On her debut album on the Decca label, the talented and glamorous Nicola Benedetti tackles the world of the Italian baroque violin. Playing works by Vivaldi, Tartini and Veracini, Benedetti dazzles with her musicality. The support from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra under the skilful baton of Christian Curnyn is excellent.
Pyotr Illich Tchaikovsky: The Seasons
The Grigoryan Brothers play the music of Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons, which is skilfully arranged by their father, Edward Grigoryan, a very fine musician in his own right. The performance from the brothers is of course of the highest quality and you would expect nothing less from these talented musicians.
Greig: Music for String Orchestra
The ACO and Richard Tognetti have the Midas touch when it comes to making recorded music. Whatever they choose quickly becomes the CD of the moment and this recording will continue that trend. The ensemble playing is, as one would expect from this excellent orchestra, precise, beautiful and strong.
Havergal Brian: The Gothic Symphony
Havergal Brian’s Symphony No. 1 in D minor, also known as ‘The Gothic’ is one of the great works in the symphonic repertoire and this new performance from Hyperion is one of the best. At around 106 minutes, it’s not for the faint-hearted, but life is short, so take a chance.
Comprising of Xue Fei Yang’s transcriptions of Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, the two violin concertos and the music of Bach arranged for solo guitar, this really is an outstanding album. Everything is beautifully played and the sound and balance of the recording is excellent.
Tchaikovsky: Complete Orchestral Suites
I am a devoted and, to be honest, almost obsessive fan of Tchaikovsky’s ballets, so I was horrified when I realised that I didn’t know his Orchestral Suites. This reissue from the Brilliant Classics label, full of the soaring tunes we know and love, is welcome indeed.
Rhapsody in Blue: Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Gershwin
Benjamin Grosvenor is a truly extraordinary musician and with this new recording he takes another step toward superstardom, delivering spirited renditions that are not just precise but full of an emotion that can never be fully explained in words.
Ay Portugal: Music from the Renaissance to the New World
We’re pretty lucky in Melbourne to have access to musicians of this calibre. When listening to this disc, the word that popped into my head was ‘groovy’. Every track gets your toe tapping, even on the more lyrical songs. A seriously good disc.
Dvorak: Silent Woods (works for cello and piano)
I don’t know whether or not you’ve heard Dvorak’s works for cello and piano before, but this sonority is almost unmatched by anything else. Starting with the meaty Sonatina in G Major, what follows are a series of enchanting miniatures that are perfect for a summer afternoon.
Westlake: Missa Solis Requiem for Eli
In 2008, with the sudden death of his 21-year-old son Eli, composer Nigel Westlake reworked and re-imagined his Missa Solis as a Requiem for him. Full of love, incredibly powerful and moving.
