Awards,
Discs of the Year 2015 - our top 10
"Many are called, but few are chosen"... the process of slimming our 100 finalists down to just 10 was not an easy one by any means, but after several rounds of negotiations we managed it.
Here they are - our ten favourites, the recordings that we think are the absolute pinnacle of this year's releases.
You can view our gallery of the winners with their awards here.
Discs of the Year 2015 - The Winners
'Ibragimova’s playing, from the very first entry, is surprisingly sweet-toned; even in the relatively boisterous first movement the instrument constantly sings, and she’s not afraid to let the sustained notes ring out a little... her musical comfort zone seems to know no bounds.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'Levit's Diabelli Variations brim with exuberance, vitality and often humour, tumbling into one another with unstoppable energy but with such lightning-like shifts of character that the overall experience is exhilarating and exhausting.'
Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'The rapport between clarinet and strings throughout [the Brahms] is supremely warm and natural...But the real fun comes with the half-dozen companion-pieces...The result is so breathtakingly virtuosic that I laughed out loud the first time I heard it.'
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'The sound he draws from his players is rich without being heavy... even when the music peters out into inaudibility at the end somehow that richness still seems to be there, which leaves an aftertaste of serenity rather than of exhausted collapse. If you like your Mahler histrionic and overwrought then this may not be the disc for you – but I found it a mature, sensitive performance throughout.'
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Nessun dorma: The Puccini Album
Jonas Kaufmann, Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano
'I don't think I can recall another new release which has received quite so much air-time in the Presto office...Puccini's tenor writing is often associated with a rather more 'golden' sound than Kaufmann's essentially coppery one, but once you adjust to that everything's glorious.'
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'There's a freshness and vigour to it that kept me enthralled throughout...Listen to the way Abbado carefully crafts and shapes each bar, helped by some sensitive horn playing...The string sound is really quite beautiful...The oboe solo at the start of the second movement is full of poise and refinement...A delight of a recording'
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'Mark Padmore is in quite extraordinary voice: the hushed passage where he describes the Peri arriving in a plague-stricken land is nothing short of spine-tingling, with an amazingly mournful horn solo, so simple on the page and yet when brought to life by such expert players as the LSO it becomes an astonishingly poignant moment.'
Available Formats: 2 SACDs + Blu-ray Audio, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'Nelsons’s masterful grasp of the architecture of the work (particularly the epic 20-minute first movement, which almost feels like a symphony in its own right here), the slow-burn climaxes and the searing brass-playing all make their mark, but there’s something quite special going on here which transcends the technical side of things.'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
'[This disc] maintains the astonishingly high standards that we have come to expect from them...Their tone, radiant one moment and poignantly hushed the next, is quite marvellous...With these highly expressive, virtuosic performances, the Pavel Haas Quartet have done it again!'
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
Finalists
San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas & John Adams
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Polyphony, Stephen Layton
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
English Chamber Orchestra, Julian Lloyd Webber
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Vox Luminis, Scorpio Collectief, Lionel Meunier
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Igor Levit
Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Andreas Staier, Freiburger Barockorchester
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
David Watkin
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC
Gil Shaham
Available Format: 2 CDs
Academy of Ancient Music & Choir of the AAM, Richard Egarr
Available Formats: 3 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alina Ibragimova, Arcangelo, Jonathan Cohen
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Renée Fleming, Emerson String Quartet
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
James Ehnes, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Rachel Podger
Available Formats: 2 SACDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Samuel West, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ian Bostridge, Graham Johnson
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Riccardo Chailly
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Christian Tetzlaff, Tanja Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Andreas Ottensamer
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Ex Cathedra, Jeffrey Skidmore
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Tenebrae, Nigel Short
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alisa Weilerstein, Inon Barnatan
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Seong-Jin Cho
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Emily Birsan, Barry Banks, Alan Opie; Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis
Available Formats: 2 SACDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
James Ehnes, Andrew Armstrong
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Piotr Beczala, Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Lyon, Alain Altinoglu
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Erin Morley, Javier Camarena, Michèle Losier, Laurent Naouri; Hallé Orchestra, Sir Mark Elder
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Philippe Jaroussky, Jerome Ducros, Quatuor Ebène
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Philippe Jaroussky, Jerome Ducros, Quatuor Ebène
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Stephen Hough
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Julia Lezhneva, Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Gabrieli Consort & Players, Paul McCreesh
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Robin Ticciati
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Bryan Hymel, Prague Philharmonia, Emmanuel Villaume
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Contrapunctus, Owen Rees
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
Juan Diego Flórez, Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini, Carlo Tenan
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
James Ehnes, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Joyce DiDonato, Antonio Pappano
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC
Krystian Zimerman, Berliner Philharmoniker, Simon Rattle
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Antonio Pappano
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Steven Isserlis, Stephen Hough
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Christian Gerhaher, Freiburger Barockorchester
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Robin Johannsen, Mari Eriksmoen, Maximilian Schmitt, Dimitry Ivashchenko; Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, René Jacobs
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Sabine Devieilhe, Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Paul Lewis
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Greta Bradman, English Chamber Orchestra, Richard Bonynge
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Véronique Gens, Susan Manoff
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Gidon Kremer, Kremerata Baltica
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
New York Philharmonic, Alan Gilbert
Available Formats: 4 SACDs, MP3, FLAC
Sonya Yoncheva, Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Frederic Chaslin
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Balthasar-Neumann-Chor-und-Ensemble, Pablo Heras-Casado
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Steven Isserlis, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Järvi
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Jonas Kaufmann, Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Emmanuel Pahud, Kammerorchester Basel, Giovanni Antonini
Available Format: CD
Yuja Wang, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Lionel Bringuier
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Orchestre et Choeur de l'Opéra National de Paris, Philippe Jordan
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Vladimir Jurowski
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
András Schiff
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Orchestra Mozart, Claudio Abbado
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Berliner Philharmoniker, Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
London Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
Available Formats: 2 SACDs + Blu-ray Audio, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Isabelle Faust, Freiburger Barockorchester, Pablo Heras-Casado
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Yevgeny Sudbin, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Narva Boys Choir & Estonian Concert Choir, Paavo Järvi
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Marc-André Hamelin, Takács Quartet
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Leonidas Kavakos, Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Okko Kamu
Available Format: 3 SACDs
Latvian Radio Choir, Sigvards Klava
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Pavel Haas Quartet
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin & Rundfunkchor Berlin, Marek Janowski
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Edward Watson, Sarah Lamb, Zenaida Yanowsky, Steven McRae; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, David Briskin
Available Format: DVD Video
Edward Watson, Sarah Lamb, Zenaida Yanowsky, Steven McRae; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, David Briskin
Available Format: Blu-ray
The Cardinall's Musick, Andrew Carwood
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Kirill Gerstein, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, James Gaffigan
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Anna Netrebko, Sergey Skorokhodov, Alexey Markov, Vitalij Kowaljow; Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Emmanuel Villaume
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Natalia Osipova, Matthew Golding,Elizabeth McGorian; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House & The Royal Ballet, Boris Gruzin
Available Format: DVD Video
Natalia Osipova, Matthew Golding,Elizabeth McGorian; Orchestra of the Royal Opera House & The Royal Ballet, Boris Gruzin
Available Format: Blu-ray
Grigory Sokolov
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC
Daniil Trifonov
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Mahan Esfahani
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Nicholas Daniel, Britten Sinfonia, James MacMillan
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Katherine Broderick, Roderick Williams, Hallé, Hallé Choir et al, Sir Mark Elder
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Max Emanuel Cencic, Franco Fagioli, Valer Sabadus, Juan Sancho; Il Pomo d'Oro, Riccardo Minasi
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Rachel Podger, Brecon Baroque
Available Formats: MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC, Hi-Res+ FLAC
Matthias Goerne, Kim Begley, Michelle DeYoung, Peter Sidhom; Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden
Available Formats: 2 CDs, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Matthias Goerne, Kim Begley, Michelle DeYoung, Peter Sidhom; Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Jaap van Zweden
Available Format: Blu-ray Audio
Paul Watkins, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Available Formats: SACD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Alina Ibragimova
Available Formats: CD, MP3, FLAC, Hi-Res FLAC
Chris O'Reilly - Chief Executive
