Thomas Fasano

Tom Fasano has been writing reviews of classical music recordings for the past quarter century. He's finally making them public on this blog.
71

Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)

Long before he became the most important German composer of the seventeenth century, Heinrich Schütz was just…

93

Philip Glass: Music in Twelve Parts

The Philip Glass Ensemble; Michael Riesman, musical director Nonesuch 79324-2; three CDs Philip Glass composed Music in…

76

Philip Glass: Koyaanisqatsi

Albert de Ruiter, bass voice; Western Wind Vocal Ensemble; Philip Glass Ensemble and additional instrumentalists; Michael Riesman,…

77

Philip Glass: Akhnaten

Paul Esswood, Milagro Vargas, Melinda Liebermann, Tero Hannula, Helmut Holzapfel, Cornelius Hauptmann; Stuttgart State Opera Chorus and…

66

Muzio Clementi: Piano Sonatas

Nikolai Demidenko, piano Hyperion CDA66808 Recorded at Snape Maltings, December 1994 68 minutes Anyone who knows Clementi…

72

Muzio Clementi: Piano Sonatas

Muzio Clementi: Piano Sonatas Vladimir Horowitz, piano RCA Victor Gold Seal GD87753 Recorded 1950, 1954, and 1979;…

66

Biber: Harmonia artificioso-ariosa

The Rare Fruits Council; Manfredo Kraemer, director Auvidis Astrée E 8572 Biber’s Harmonia artificioso-ariosa consists of seven…

69

Biber: Violin Sonatas

Romanesca: Andrew Manze, Baroque violin; Nigel North, lute and theorbo; John Toll, harpsichord and organ Harmonia Mundi…

62

Biber: The Mystery Sonatas

John Holloway, violin; Davitt Moroney, harpsichord and organ; Tragicomedia Virgin Classics VCD 7 90838-2 (2 CDs) Biber’s…

63

Albinoni & Vivaldi: Oboe Concertos

Paul Goodwin, oboe; The King’s Consort; Robert King, conductor Hyperion CDA66383; reissued as Helios CDH55349 Albinoni inevitably…

59

Albéniz: Iberia, Navarra and Suite española

Alicia de Larrocha, piano. Decca 417 887-2—2 CDs. Alicia de Larrocha returned to Albéniz’s Iberia throughout her…

52

Albéniz: Iberia and Other Piano Works

Alicia de Larrocha, piano. EMI Classics CMS 7 64504-2—2 CDs. Isaac Albéniz spent the final years of…

49

John Adams: Harmonielehre and Other Orchestral Works

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Jonathan Holland and Wesley Warren, trumpets; Simon Rattle, conductor. EMI Classics CDC…

66

John Adams: Shaker Loops / Phrygian Gates / Chamber Symphony

Ensemble Modern; Hermann Kretzschmar, piano; Sian Edwards, conductor. RCA Victor Red Seal/BMG Classics 09026 68674-2. This generously…

68

John Adams: The Death of Klinghoffer

James Maddalena, Janice Felty, Thomas Hammons, Thomas Young, Eugene Perry, Sanford Sylvan, Stephanie Friedman and Sheila Nadler;…

84

Tchaikovsky’s Final Symphonies: Four Russian Traditions

Mravinsky: The Essential Standard Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4–6 Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra; Yevgeny Mravinsky Deutsche Grammophon 419 745-2…

57

Janet Baker’s Unforgettable Dido

Henry Purcell: Dido and Aeneas Janet Baker, Raimund Herincx, Patricia Clark, Monica Sinclair and John Mitchinson St….

67

Monteverdi’s Vespers in Full Splendor

Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine, 1610 Jill Gomez, Felicity Palmer, James Bowman, Robert Tear, Philip Langridge, John…

72

Ancient Rome in Living Sound

Chants de l’Église de Rome: Période byzantine Ensemble Organum; Marcel Pérès, director Harmonia Mundi HMC 901218 This…

64

Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas: Three Essential Recordings

Piano Sonatas Nos. 1–9 — Barbara Nissman Newport NCD 60092, 60093 and 60094 Barbara Nissman’s complete cycle…

63

Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges

Complete Opera Gabriel Bacquier, Jean-Luc Viala, Hélène Perraguin, Vincent Le Texier, Georges Gautier, Didier Henry and Gregory…

64

Poulenc: Three Concertos

Piano Concerto; Concerto for Two Pianos; Organ Concerto Pascal Rogé and Sylviane Deferne, pianos; Peter Hurford, organ;…

62

Handel: Twelve Concerti Grossi, Op. 6

English Chamber Orchestra — Raymond Leppard Philips 426 465-2, 3 CDs Raymond Leppard approaches Handel’s twelve concerti…

76

Handel’s Water Music: Three Recordings

English Baroque Soloists — John Eliot Gardiner Philips 434 122-2 Gardiner’s Water Music has unusual vitality without…