Best Recordings of 2012!

[Brian]

It's time to start creating 2012 Best of the Year lists!

- - -

Bruce already posted Alex Ross's Ten Notable Recordings of 2012. Here they are in a short list:

"Drama Queens": Joyce DiDonato, Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco (Virgin Classics).
Berg and Beethoven, Violin Concertos; Isabelle Faust, Claudio Abbado, Orchestra Mozart (Harmonia Mundi).
Schubert, "Winterreise"; Florian Boesch, Malcolm Martineau (Onyx Classics).
Bach, St. Matthew Passion; Mark Padmore, Christian Gerhaher, Magdalena Kozena, Topi Lehtipuu, Thomas Quasthoff, Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic and the Rundfunkchor Berlin, Peter Sellars directing (Berlin Philharmonic DVD).
Wagner, "Tristan und Isolde"; Nina Stemme, Stephen Gould, Kwangchul Youn, Michelle Breedt, Johan Reuter, Marek Janowski conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (PentaTone).
Vivaldi, Bassoon Concertos, Vol. 2; Sergio Azzolini, L'Aura Soave Cremona (Naïve).
"endBeginning": Works by Brumel, Crecquillon, Clemens non Papa, Josquin, Jackson Hill; New York Polyphony (BIS).
Kristin Norderval, "Aural Histories" (Deep Listening)
Feldman, "Crippled Symmetry"; Eberhard Blum, Jan Williams, Nils Vigeland (frozen reeds).
Jeremy Denk Plays Ligeti (Etudes) and Beethoven (Sonata No 32) (Nonesuch).

- - -

Today MusicWeb International published its reviewers' Recordings of the Year, an enormously diverse list including entries from 63 different record labels (!). Alex Ross didn't choose the same label twice.

Here are the only CDs which multiple MusicWeb critics nominated:
•  Stéphane Denève's Debussy collection on Chandos
•  Elgar Apostles with the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder
•  cello and percussion concertos by Rautavaara on Ondine
•  Sir Simon Rattle's Bruckner 9 in its completed version on EMI
•  Corelli's concerti grossi with Pavlo Beznosiuk on Linn
•  the Symphonie Fantastique from Scotland with Robin Ticciati on Linn
•  Glazunov's Raymonda from La Scala on Arthaus
•  the completion of Moeran's second symphony on Dutton

- - -

I personally didn't nominate any of those. Here are my personal top ten in pictorial form. The first six are my official MusicWeb Recordings of the Year. There is no order, although Yevgeny Sudbin's Chopin may be #1. If I reviewed one of the CDs, the image links to my review.




I reviewed the FFG Beethoven for MusicWeb, but they don't seem to have published that, so the link goes to a post by Todd here on GMG, quoting me so you get two viewpoints.

EDIT: Here's the 2011 thread.

[North Star]

I like Virpi Räisänen & Marita Viitasalo's recital of Mahler, Berg, Schoenberg, Shostakovich & Britten very much.

[asin]B008DWG006[/asin]

'Although an accomplished violinist, Virpi Raisanen is now making her name as a mezzo-soprano... with obviously positive artistic side affects... Raisanen's instrument is clear, clean and beautifully produced... with an extra something that's initially hard to put your finger on... As much as her sound recalls Mattila, her vocal line is like Felicity Lott's... a highly impressive calling card.' --David Patrick Stearns, Gramophone Awards 2012 Issue

[Todd]

I'm done buying for the year, but I have not had a chance to listen to even one disc of the Cortot Edition since it is officially from Santa.  I probably won't even finish listening to it until next spring.  That aside, my list is below.  As usual, it includes both new releases from the year and releases new to me. 


The Best of the Best
Bach – Well Tempered Clavier; Andras Schiff (ECM)
Beethoven – Piano Sonatas, Vol 1; Francois Frederic Guy (Zig Zag)
Beethoven – Piano Sonatas, Vol 2; Francois Frederic Guy (Zig Zag)
Bach – Organ Works; Olivier Vernet (Ligia)
Mozart – Piano Sonatas; Maria Joao Pires (Denon/Brilliant Classics)
Martha Argerich – Complete Due Recordings (DG)
Bruckner – Symphonies 8 & 9; Schuricht (EMI)


The Rest of the Best
Messiaen – Vingt Regards; Eugeniusz Knapik (Dux)
Gesualdo – Madrigals, Book IV; La Venexiana (Glossa)
Haydn – Piano Sonatas, Vol III; Bavouzet (Chandos)
Haydn – Piano Sonatas, Vol IV; Bavouzet (Chandos)
Liszt – Piano Sonata, et al; Jean Philippe Collard (EMI)
Shostakovich – Quartets 7 & 8, Piano Quintet; Prazak Quartet, et al (Praga)
Brahms – Solo Piano Music; Kun-Woo Paik (DG)


A couple non-classical super goodies
Lyle Lovett – The Road to Ensenada
Lana Del Rey – Born to Die

[kishnevi]

I don't think I've actually bought that many new releases this year.  (Several of the recordings I was about to list turn out to have been released in 2011:  Jerusalem Quartet's Mozart, Takacs Quartet's Haydn, Frieburger Barock's Bach Overtures)
I would, however, suggest the Pacifica's second volume of DSCH,  Hamelin's third volume of Haydn, and Bavouzet's first volume of Beethoven.

Of those mentioned by others,  FFG is almost a no brainer, and Staier's Diabelli. So is Azzolini's Vivaldi. (Much of the ones listed I don't have.)

I have to admit that it would never occur to me to name Rattle's B9 as a recording of the year.

ETA: there at least three possible additions to my list currently in transit to me: Bezuidenhuit's Mozart concertos CD;  Takacs Quartet Schubert;  Hewitt's Debussy recital.

[admiralackbar]

Well, I've only purchased one disc that is a new release this year, but I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

[asin]B0072A4FC0[/asin]

[jlaurson]

Let the "Best Recordings of 2012" begin, spread over the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's #10:



Best Recordings of 2012 (#10)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-10.html

[DavidA]

The Faust recording of the Beethoven violin concerto is IMO the best since Heifetz.

[jlaurson]

Let the "Best Recordings of 2012" begin, spread over the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's #10:



Best Recordings of 2012 (#10)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-10.html

Best Recordings of 2012 (#9)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-9.html

Best Recordings of 2012 (#8)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-8.html

[jlaurson]

Let the "Best Recordings of 2012" begin, spread over the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's #10:



Best Recordings of 2012 (#10)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-10.html

Best Recordings of 2012 (#9)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-9.html

Delete the last four letters from the link and press Enter.

OR

Click: http://ionarts.blogspot.in/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-9.html

Thanks! Didn't mean to make it more difficult to get to than necessary. Sloppiness, since I was tired and very near my day's end.
Now off to the coffee shop to write about Franz Mittler and forge No.8 in this list.

[Opus106]

Thanks! Didn't mean to make it more difficult to get to than necessary.

No biggie.

[Brian]

Classic FM has released a hilariously terrible list of their top 20 albums of 2012. Lang Lang's Chopin recital clocks in at #5, the Queen's Jubilee soundtrack makes the cut, they have the gall to add a CD to the list which they produced and released themselves, and the top choice will strike nearly every GMGer as hilariously misguided.

Plus there's some flat-out poor writing, such as this: "Vladimir Jurowski and the LPO have managed to bring something fresh and invigorating to these old favourites. Crucially, Jurowski realises that they should be treated as museum pieces"

(A pity, as Jurowski's Tchaikovsky 4&5, which only just arrived in my collection, will be in consideration when I am writing up the best of 2013.)

[The new erato]

Thank you Brian. That's a frankly hilarious (or sad) list.

[Opus106]

Hey! Where did the posts from 'Monkey' Greg and me go?

[jlaurson]

Let the "Best Recordings of 2012" begin, spread over the 12 Days of Christmas. Here's #10:



Best Recordings of 2012 (#10)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-10.html

Best Recordings of 2012 (#9)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-9.html

Best Recordings of 2012 (#8)
http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2012/12/best-recordings-of-2012-8.html

[North Star]

Thank you Brian. That's a frankly hilarious (or sad) list.

+1
I feel bad for those on the list that actually deserve to be on such lists.

[TheGSMoeller]

Hey! Where did the posts from 'Monkey' Greg and me go?

Again, huh? 

Is my life being erased?

[Sammy]

Classic FM has released a hilariously terrible list of their top 20 albums of 2012. Lang Lang's Chopin recital clocks in at #5, the Queen's Jubilee soundtrack makes the cut, they have the gall to add a CD to the list which they produced and released themselves, and the top choice will strike nearly every GMGer as hilariously misguided.

Yes, that's an odd list, sort of a mix of classical lite and classical bad.

[TheGSMoeller]

Classic FM has released a hilariously terrible list of their top 20 albums of 2012. Lang Lang's Chopin recital clocks in at #5, the Queen's Jubilee soundtrack makes the cut, they have the gall to add a CD to the list which they produced and released themselves, and the top choice will strike nearly every GMGer as hilariously misguided.

Although the list is quite odd, I am one GMGr that enjoys Richter's Recomposed. And that Faure/Bach disc from LSO Live is muy bueno.

[Lake Swan]

But who is best at picking the best? 

[mc ukrneal]

(A pity, as Jurowski's Tchaikovsky 4&5, which only just arrived in my collection, will be in consideration when I am writing up the best of 2013.)

SO you liked these?