Masterful playing ‘on the edge of utopia’

Works by Dobrinka Tabakova, Shirley J Thompson et al Black Oak Ensemble Cédille CDR90000237 69:59 mins Black Oak Ensemble is a string trio on a mission. The ensemble is hungry to expand the repertoire

shouting forever into the receiver Anne Denholm (harp), Louise McMonagle (cello), Jonathan Morton (violin) et al NMC NMC D285 61:56 mins Tackling social themes and reckoning with history is part of wh

Kafka Fragments Susan Narucki (soprano), Curtis Macomber (violin) Avie AV2760 54:30 mins In the July issue we praised pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s inspired performance of György Kurtág’s Játékok mi

Symphony No. 6 ‘Pathétique’; Souvenir de Florence Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Domingo Hindoyan Onyx ONYX4259 81:54 mins In 1890, Tchaikovsky returned home from a spell in Italy with the ske

Works by RR Bennett, Holst, Tavener, Cecilia McDowall, Francis Pott, Caroline Shaw et al Tenebrae/Nigel Short Signum Classics SIGCD880 80:45 mins Nigel Short’s experience as a King’s Singer has rubbed

German conductor Anja Bihlmaier studied at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg and later at the Mozarteum Salzburg, before holding posts at Staatsoper Hannover and Staatstheater Kassel. Since then, she