Musical no man’s lands
Two violin concertos fail to inspire
A great conductor leaves the stage
No conductor from China or Japan ever commanded world orchestras before Seiji Ozawa, and none has since matched his impact
A masterpiece in miniature
Taneyev, Schumann: Piano quintets (Signum)
Playfulness and tedium
Stravinsky, Petrushka; Debussy, Jeux and Prelude (Decca)
Beethoven: Nine symphonies+ (Decca)
This Beethoven gift set is not for Christmas. It is for life
Whisperings of the cruel sea
Britten: Concertos (Orfeo)
How to win at Chopin
Giving marks to people playing Chopin is no different from deciding on medals in gymnastics
A talented pianist and a battered piano
Bezhod Abduraimov: Shadows of my ancestors (Alpha-Classics)
What became of Tchaikovsky?
Tchaikovsky: 5th symphony etc (ICA Classics)
Essential all-embracing warmth
Gidon Kremer: Songs of Fate (ECM)