A stunning year
A stunning year t’s been quite a few years since we’ve had as rich a short
Classical Music Awards as this
It’s been quite a few years since we’ve had as rich a short list for the Gramophone Classical Music Awards as this 2013-14 harvest. Each year, we draw up a long list of all the recordings that we’ve reviewed favourably – and which have been reviewed favourably elsewhere – during a 12-month period (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014). This year we changed the nomination process slightly by allowing our critics to add up to half a dozen further recordings they felt should be included. These recordings were then considered by specialist juries (in other words, by critics who usually review music of that particular genre). This narrowed the long list down to six per category – and these are the recordings whose reviews follow in this digital magazine.
2013-14 harvest. Each year, we draw up a long list of all the recordings that we’ve reviewed favourably – and which have been reviewed favourably elsewhere – during a 12-month period (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014). This year we changed the nomination process slightly by allowing our critics to add up to half a dozen further recordings they felt should be included. These recordings were then considered by specialist juries (in other words, by critics who usually review music of that particular genre). This narrowed the long list down to six per category – and these are the recordings whose reviews follow in
These six recordings in each category were then auditioned and voted on by any critic who chose to opt in. A winner then emerges in each category, and from those 12 category winners, one, following an extra vote, is named Recording of the Year. The category winners will be revealed on our website
These six recordings in each category were then auditioned and voted on by any critic who chose to opt in. A winner then emerges in each category, and from those 12 category winners, one, following an extra vote, is named Recording of the Year. The category winners will be revealed on our website on August 27, with the Recording of the Year, as well as the special artist awards, at the Gramophone Awards ceremony on September 17 (the Awards issue is published on September 18).
27, with the Recording of the Year, as well as the special artist awards, at the Gramophone Awards ceremony on September 17 (the Awards issue is published on September 18).
The strongest category this year has to be the Instrumental, an extraordinary line-up of some of today’s finest pianists – Marc-André Hamelin, Arcadi Volodos, Mitsuko Uchida, Danny Driver and András Schiff – and one of the stars of tomorrow, Igor Levit. It was a tough challenge for those voting in that category to produce a winner…but it’s been done!
The strongest category this year has to be the Instrumental, an extraordinary line-up of some of today’s finest pianists – Marc-André Hamelin, Arcadi Volodos, Mitsuko Uchida, Danny Driver and András Schiff – and one of the stars of tomorrow, Igor Levit. It was a tough challenge for those voting in that category to produce a winner…but it’s been done!
In their anniversary years, CPE Bach has done well, Richard Strauss less so – proving perhaps that saturation point can be reached. But then, two major releases of the ‘corest’ of core repertoire – the symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms – prove that there is always a place for revisiting music’s masterpieces
In their anniversary years, CPE Bach has done well, Richard Strauss less so – proving perhaps that saturation point can be reached. But then, two major releases of the ‘corest’ of core repertoire – the symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms – prove that there is always a place for revisiting music’s masterpieces and bringing to it the influence of the Zeitgeist. Riccardo Chailly and his Gewandhausorchester bring an approach to the Brahms symphonies that renews tradition but very much in the long legacy forged by the world’s oldest orchestra. And Mariss Jansons, who has burnished the already glowing reputation of Munich’s Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, enters that staggeringly well-stocked lake that is the Beethoven symphonies with a set of the nine that demand to be heard. Again: decisions, decisions…
and his Gewandhausorchester bring an approach to Brahms symphonies that renews tradition but very much in the long legacy forged by the world’s oldest orchestra. And Mariss Jansons, who has burnished the already glowing reputation of Munich’s Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, enters that staggeringly well-stocked lake that is the Beethoven symphonies with a set of the nine that demand to be heard.
. Riccardo
Seventy-two reviews follow, bearing witness to the richness of the musical world in which we live, to the high quality of today’s musicians and, often, to the imagination – and courage – of some often small labels who, month after month, enrich our lives. We hope you will find much to explore, and also perhaps a few to join your collection. We’ve produced this digi-mag in association with our friends at Presto Classical – simply click on a sleeve and you’ll be conveyed to the appropriate page on the
Seventy-two reviews follow, bearing witness to the richness of the musical world in which we live, to the high quality of today’s musicians and, often, to the imagination – and courage – of some often small labels who, month after month, enrich our lives. We hope you will find much to explore, and also perhaps a few to join your collection. We’ve produced this digi-mag in association with our friends at Presto Classical – simply click on a sleeve and you’ll be conveyed to the appropriate page on the Presto Classical site. James Jolly July 2014
EDITORIAL
gramophone.co.uk
ADVERTISING Phone 020 7738 5454 email gramophone@markallengroup.com gramophone.co.uk
Phone 020 7738 5454 email gramophone.ads@markallengroup.com
SPECIAL DIGITAL EDITION PRODUCED BY James Jolly and James McCarthy
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Esther Zuke / 020 7501 6368
GRAMOPHONE is published by MA Business & Leisure Ltd, St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB, United Kingdom
