Gramophone magazine CD successes

Four of our artists have reached the final nomination stage of the Gramophone Awards 2020:

Chamber Music: Lawrence Power is nominated for his recording of the Veress String Trio with Vilde Frang and Nicolas Altstaedt, and Marc-André Hamelin for Dohnanyí Piano Quintets with the Takács Quartet.

Orchestral: François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles are nominated for their recording of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique.

Contemporary: Topi Lehtipuu is among the artists in the nominated recording of Eötvös's Halleluja.

The winners will be announced online on 22 September.

Three new releases have been selected for Gramophone's Editor's Choice in the October issue, receiving glowing reviews:

Saint-Saëns Le Timbre d'argent, Les Siècles conducted by François-Xavier Roth

'The recording itself is tremendous, conducted with infectious energy by François-Xavier Roth, and with Les Siècles really relishing every shift of colour in Saint-Saëns’s gorgeous orchestral palette' – read the full review.

Liszt and Thalberg Opera transciptions and fantasies, Marc-André Hamelin

'If I were allowed a two-word review of this disc, it would read as follows: buy it. But then, as a long-term admirer of Marc-André Hamelin, you would expect me to write that. Except that I think this new release is among the very best of all the recordings he has given us, returning, as he does, to the kind of repertoire in which he made his name and in which he is sui generis. Just turned 59, the fabulous dexterity, the nonchalant dispatch of the most challenging writing and the ability to convey with the most economic means the sheer physical joy of playing this music are still with him' – read the full review.

Schumann Symphonies Nos.1 and 4, Gürzenich Orchestra, François-Xavier Roth

'He's far from the first to do so, but Roth makes the once-heretical case, through judicious observance of the score and an acute ear for sonority, that Schumann knew what he was doing... Considering these recordings are taken from live performances, the precision is noteworthy... This is one of the most sheerly enjoyable Schumann symphony discs to have arrived in a while, finely played, gloriously recorded' – read the full review.