Presto Recordings of the Year, Bach, J S (composer)
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With the exception of the ‘Black Pearl’ variation, which lasts almost ten minutes, this is one of the fastest sets I have ever heard, yet it’s also one of the most enjoyable. Ólafsson draws... — More…
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 6th October 2023
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International Classical Music Awards, 2024, Nominated - Baroque Instrumental
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2023
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Sunday Times, 10 Best Classical Albums of 2023
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2024, Bestseller of the Year
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Grammy Awards, 67th Awards (2025), Winner - Best Classical Instrumental Solo
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Perahia is unrivalled in coaxing a subtle dialogue in the dances that resort to the artful pared-back minimalism of the two-part invention. There’s nowhere to hide and Perahia’s effortless variety... — More…
Awards:
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BBC Music Magazine, Disc of the month
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2016, Disc of the Month
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2016
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Gramophone Awards, 2017, Winner - Instrumental
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Grammy Awards, 60th Awards (2017), Nominee - Classical Instrumental Solo
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JS Bach: Violin Concertos
RecommendedIsabelle Faust (violin), Bernhard Forck, (violin), Xenia Loeffler (oboe)
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Faust's tone is both lean and exquisitely sweet, combined with consistent stylistic elegance which reaches the heights of eloquence in the slow movement of the E major Concerto. — More…
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 15th March 2019
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2019, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, June 2019, Concerto Choice
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Building a Library, November 2019, Also Recommended
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2019
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International Classical Music Awards, 2019, Nominee - Baroque Instrumental
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Gramophone Magazine, December 2019, Critics' Choice
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2020, Nominee - Instrumentalist of the Year
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I expected this to be good; but just how good it was was still a surprise…Ólafsson creates a ravishing musical sequence. Every track has its own allure, and many reflect a virtuosity which is... — More…
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, November 2018
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2018
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BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2018
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2019, Winner - Instrumental
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2019, Recording of the Year
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2019, Winner - Solo Recital (piano)
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Limelight Magazine Recordings of the Year, 2019, Nominated - Instrumental
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With the exception of the ‘Black Pearl’ variation, which lasts almost ten minutes, this is one of the fastest sets I have ever heard, yet it’s also one of the most enjoyable. Ólafsson draws... — More…
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 6th October 2023
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2023
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International Classical Music Awards, 2024, Nominated - Early Music
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2023
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Sunday Times, 10 Best Classical Albums of 2023
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2024, Bestseller of the Year
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Grammy Awards, 67th Awards (2025), Nominated - Best Classical Instrumental Solo
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JS Bach: Matthäus-Passion
RecommendedJulian Prégardien (Evangelist), Stéphane Degout (Christus), Sabine Devieilhe & Hana Blažiková (sopranos), Lucile Richardot (mezzo), Tim Mead (countertenor), Reinoud Van Mechelen & Emiliano Gonzalez Toro (tenors), Christian Immler (bass-baritone)
Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
The choirs are razor-sharp in their ensemble, and if they seem initially soft-grained (in keeping with Pichon’s essentially intimate approach), their incisiveness eventually locates real venom... — More…
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2022, Recording of the Month
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Presto Recording of the Week, 15th April 2022
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Gramophone Awards, 2022, Winner - Choral
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Building a Library, October 2022, Also Recommended
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International Classical Music Awards, 2023, Nominated - Baroque Vocal
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Winner 2022
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Every piece in Rana's tapestry is vividly characterised, and none are overblown, didactic or taken at an extreme tempo. The alternating comedy, grandeur, and exultant cleverness of the up-beat... — More…
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2017, Editor's Choice
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Gramophone Awards, 2017, Finalist - Instrumental
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
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The New York Times, Recordings of the Year 2017
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Selaocoe inhabits a captivating sphere of spontaneous, mercurial creativity...In Selaocoe’s hands the cello is a shape-shifter...Song is the dominant form: everything flows from his own extraordinary... — More…
Awards:
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Songlines, Top of the World, November 2022
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BBC Music Magazine, November 2022, Chamber Choice
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Presto Editor's Choice, September 2022
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2022
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2023, Nominated - Chamber
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2023, Winner - Newcomer
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2023, Winner - Classical Without Borders
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Bach: Magnificats
RecommendedJoélle Harvey (soprano), Olivia Vermeulen (mezzo), Thomas Walker (tenor), Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Thomas Bauer (baritone)
Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
You would be hard-pressed to find a more illuminating disc than this latest offering from Arcangelo…There’s nothing overfamiliar about the captivating freshness and buoyancy that both chorus... — More…
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, February 2018, Editor's Choice
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BBC Music Magazine, March 2018, Choral &Song Choice
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Presto Editor's Choice, February 2018
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Gramophone Awards, 2018, Shortlisted - Choral
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2018
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Bach, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244
RecommendedJames Gilchrist (Evangelist), Stephan Loges (Jesus), Hannah Morrison, Zoë Brookshaw, Charlotte Ashley (soprano), Reginald Mobley, Eleanor Minney (alto), Hugo Hymas (tenor), Ashley Riches, Alex Ashworth, Jonathan Sells (bass)
English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir, Trinity Boys Choir, Sir...
James Gilchrist is among the most communicative of storytellers and his lightly articulated, subtly nuanced declamation and, where required, sense of urgency are eloquent and dependable…the... — More…
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 17th March 2017
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2017, Disc of the Month
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Gramophone Awards, 2017, Finalist - Baroque Vocal
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
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Record Review, 15th April 2017, Recording of the Week
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