We are pleased to announce that the International Classical Music Awards Jury have selected the following albums featuring Rayfield Allied artists as nominations for its 2020 awards! Winners will be announced on 21 January 2020.
EXAUDI: Gesualdo Madrigali
EXAUDI presents eighteen madrigals from Gesualdo’s Books V and VI in their first ever early music disc for Winter & Winter. The disc has been awarded a Schallplattenkritik prize and has been praised for its emotional expression: “it’s the emotional wisdom as well as the beauty of EXAUDI’s disc which gives it the edge” (The Telegraph). You can read more here.
Dunedin Consort: Handel Samson
Joshua Ellicott, Matthew Brook & Fflur Wyn
Handel’s powerful Oratorio with the Dunedin Consort features three wonderful RA artists with Joshua Ellicott singing Samson, navigating “that tight-rope between oratorio and opera really well” (BBC Radio 3 Record Review). Released by Linn Records, you can read more here.
Ensemble Pygmalion: Libertà! Mozart et l’opera
John Chest
Ensemble Pygmalion’s CD Libertà! Mozart et l’opera features arias and ensembles from Mozart operas, woven together with music by Giovanni Paisiello, Vicente Martín y Soler and Antonio Salieri, to create a compelling narrative. Baritone John Chest has received praise for his “decorative, tender lyricism” and his “fine buffa characterization” (BBC Music Magazine) in his two arias. The album will be presented in concert throughout Europe in December, with more information available on Ensemble Pygmalion’s website and the album is available to listen to here.
Mahan Esfahani: Bach: The Toccatas
"One can imagine the young Bach showing off his prowess just like this." (Richard Fairman, The Financial Times). Mahan Esfahani's latest album with Hyperion, released on 2 August 2019, has attracted fantastic reviews, reaching top ten on Billboard's Traditional Classical Chart, as well as top 5 in the Classic FM Chart. Read more here.
F. Schubert & J. Brahms: The Complete Duos - Coda
Pieter Wispelwey and Paolo Giacometti
Released on Evil Penguin Records, this double album concludes the duo's venture to record the complete duos by Brahms and Schubert. Recognised for their achievements as pioneers for the repertoire, the duo were awarded the 2019 Brahms-Preis shortly after the release in May 2019. Read more here.
Orfeo Orchestra: Rameau: Les Indes Galantes
Katherine Watson
Here described as "all one could desire" and "spine-tingling" (Gramophone), Katherine Watson sings Rameau's Les Indes Galantes with the Orfeo Orchestra under György Vashegyi. Released on Glossa, find out more here.
Kaija Saariaho
Clément Mao–Takacs, Peter Herresthal
As experienced Saariaho interpreters who collaborate extensively with the composer herself, conductor Mao – Takacs and violinist Herresthal were lauded by the press for their expressivity, clarity and virtuosity on this disc, which includes Circle Map, Vers toi qui es si loin and Graal Théâtre. More information on the disc, which was named BBC Music Magazine Concerto Choice for December 2019, is available from the BIS website here.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
René Pape
Rounding off the Wiener Symphoniker’s acclaimed recordings of the complete Beethoven symphonies, “René Pape and the Wiener Singverein help take Beethoven’s finale to exultant heights” (Ken Walton, The Scotsman) in this recording of the Ninth under the baton of Philippe Jordan. Read more here.
Gabrieli Consort: An English Coronation
Paul McCreesh
An impressive large-scale spectacle, An English Coronation 1902-1953 features composers such as Tallis and Byrd as well as festive music by Elgar, Parry and Vaughan Williams, bringing together a huge orchestra and choir of 300 singers. Gramophone critics have said: “One can imagine the virtuosity required by every contributor, at every turn, to make this a reality, let alone a dazzling triumph.” Read more here.
