Norman Lebrecht

Norman Lebrecht is a British commentator on music and cultural affairs, a novelist, and the author of the classical music blog Slipped Disc. He was a columnist for The Daily Telegraph from 1994 to 2002, and assistant editor of the London Evening Standard from 2002 to 2009. He tweets at @NLebrecht

Viktor Kalabis: Chamber music (Hyperion)

Valentin Silvestrov: “… flowering over Lethe…” (ECM); Violin concerto (Naxos)

Somehow Alfred Brendel managed to appear both deadly serious and not serious at all

Carl Nielsen: Clarinet concerto, 5th symphony (Chandos)

Alois Haba: Complete piano music (Supraphon)

Dmitri Shostakovich: 24 Preludes and Fugues (Pentatone)

Schubert: Piano sonata D959, Moments Musicaux (Hyperion)

Other singers presented Lieder recitals; Fischer-Dieskau personified the art form

Sir Thomas Beecham: Complete stereo recordings (Warner)