Our latest reviews
Vivaldi: French Connection 2, Adrian Chandler & La Serenissima
Adrian Chandler and LaSerenissima, winners ofBaroque Instrumentalcategory in the 2010Gramophone Awards forVivaldi: The FrenchConnection, return with the sequel, FrenchConnection 2. This is another well-executedperformance of Vivaldi concertos, featuringthe flute, bassoon, oboe and violin. Includedhere is the newly discovered concerto Il…
Mozart: Divertimento in E flat major, Henning Kraggerud, Lars Anders Tomter & Christoph Richter
This is a welcome addition to the everexpandingNaxos catalogue. Consideredamong the greatest works written for thecombination of violin, viola and cello, thisdivertimento is sure to delight anyone withinlistening distance. At nearly 50 minutes inlength, the three players involved never letthe…
Weber: Overtures, Jean-Jacques Kantorow & Tapiola Sinfonietta
Carl Maria Von Weber is known as thefather of German Romantic opera but isonly really recognised for the opera DerFreischutz. This new disc from Jean-JacquesKantorow and the Tapiola Sinfonietta willdefinitely enhance his reputation as a composer.All the pieces are beautifully…
Steve Reich: The Desert Music/ three Movements, Kristjan Jarvi
Reich’s own comment about this recording isparticularly true and on the money: ‘Incisive,focused, and intense … perform[ed]with a relaxed rhythmic precision thatperfectly fits the music.’ This new offeringfrom increasingly present conductor KristjanJarvi features Reich’s Three Movements forOrchestra and The Desert…
Vivaldi: Prima Donna, Nathalie Stutzmann
I’m not one who usuallyappreciates the world of theclassical vocalist, but withthis recording, NathalieStutzmann has managed tomake me sit back and reallylisten to the beauty and control of herinstrument. The repertoire on this disc is aselection of arias by Vivaldi…
The Modern Pantry by Anna Hansen
I came across a couple ofAnna’s recipes in Coco, asurvey of 100 of the bestcontemporary chefs. I wasintrigued by her NewZealand upbringing andDanish heritage and the factthat she had ended upworking in London with Peter Gordon,another New Zealander, who pioneeredfusion…
Black Jesus by Simone Felice
[[Felice]]Deep in the Catskill Mountains,one assumes beardedmen sit in lonely cabins infront of log fires contemplatingHuckleberry Finn andwriting folk songs. Thus it’s asurprise to find one part offamed duo The Duke and theKing (and The Felice Brothers), SimoneFelice…
Cain by José Saramago
[[jose]]In 1991, Jose Saramago’sportrayal of a spiteful andadolescent God in The GospelAccording to Jesus Christprovoked such an outrage inPortugal that the governmentwithdrew the book fromconsideration from theEuropean Literary Prize. Despairing of thebacklash, he moved to the Canary Islands tolive…
Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
Dee is just like every normal sixteen-year-old girl, or at least she thinks she is. That is until she meets Luke, a mysterious boy that she is instantly drawn to. But deep down Dee knows that he is not just…
Muncle Trogg by Janet Foxley
Muncle Trogg is the smallest giant in the world. The giants of Mount Grumble are big and ugly with yellow teeth and faces covered in warts. They feast on fungus porridge, squirrels-on-askewer and frogspawn crumble and love to compete in…