With the announcement of the winners of this year’s Midem Classical Awards – held as usual during the record industry’s annual trade fair in Cannes – just two weeks away, we can reveal the discs in contention. Nominations were submitted by 127 different record companies in 23 different countries. These were then auditioned by a jury comprising editors, executives and producers from an international group of magazines, radio stations and musical organisations. Gramophone is part of this jury which also includes Classic Radio (Finland), Crescendo (Belgium), Fono Forum (Germany), Gramofon (Hungary), IAMA (UK), IMZ (Austria), Klassik.com (Germany), MDR Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (Germany), Musica (Italy), Musik & Theater (Switzerland), ORF (Ustria), Pizzicato (Luxemburg), Radio Classique (France) and Scherzo (Spain).
Awards that have been “pre-announced” include the two Artists of the Year. The violinist Julia Fischer receives the Instrumental award and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky the Vocal counterpart. A Lifetime Achievement Award is being made to the great Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi and the Label of the Year goes to Sony Masterworks.
The MCA 2009 will be presented in the Théâtre Debussy in the Palais in Cannes on Tuesday, January 20 and will be hosted by the French pianist Lise de la Salle and Gramophone’s editor-in-chief, James Jolly. The record categories are listed below with the top three contending recordings on each.
EARLY MUSIC
“Estampies and Danses Royales”
Hesperion XXI, Jordi Savall (Alia Vox)
Monteverdi Quinto Libro dei Madrigali
La Venexiana (Glossa)
“Crystal Tears” (John Dowland and His Contemporaries)
Andreas Scholl, Concerto di Viole, Julian Behr (Harmonia Mundi)
BAROQUE MUSIC
Biber Rosenkranz Sonatas
Riccardo Minasi, Bizzarrie Armoniche (Arts Music)
Schütz Geistliche Chor-Music 1648
Dresdner Kammerchor, Cappella Sagittariana / Hans-Christoph Rademann (Carus)
“Carestini - The Story of a Castrato”
Philippe Jaroussky, Le Concert d'Astrée / Emmanuelle Haďm (Virgin Classics)
VOCAL RECITALS
Schubert Die schöne Müllerin
Christoph Prégardien, Michael Gees (Challenge Records)
”Melancholie” (Schumann Lieder)
Christian Gerhaher, Gerold Huber (RCA Red Seal)
”Arie di Bravura” (Mozart, Salieri, Righini)
Diana Damrau, Le Cercle de l'Harmonie / Jérémie Rhorer (Virgin Classics)
CHORAL WORKS
Handel Messiah
Sampson, Wyn-Rogers, Padmore, Purves, The Sixteen / Harry Christophers (Coro)
Ives Psalms (Complete Recording)
Lustig, Pfeifer, Johannsen, SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Collegium Iuvenum, Mitglieder des Radio-Sinfonieorchesters Stuttgart des SWR / Marcus Creed (Hänssler Classic)
Schumann Das Paradies und die Peri
Röschmann, Hartelius, Martin, Fink, Strehl, Güra, Gerhaher, Chor und Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Nikolaus Harnoncourt (RCA Red Seal)
SOLO INSTRUMENT
Beethoven Complete Works for Piano Solo, Vol 6 (Appassionata, etc.)
Ronald Brautigam (BIS)
Debussy Complete Works for Piano, Vol. 2
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (Chandos)
Bach Partitas Nos 2, 3, 4
Murray Perahia (Sony Classical)
CHAMBER MUSIC
Beethoven Complete Works for Piano and Cello
Antonio Meneses, Menahem Pressler (Avie Records)
Schumann Violin Sonatas Nos 1-3
Carolin Widman, Dénes Várjon (ECM New Series)
Janacek String Quartet No. 1 Haas String Quartets Nos 1 & 3
Pavel Haas Quartet (Supraphon)
OPERA
Sciarrino Lohengrin
Alberti, Pousseur, Ensemble Risognanze, Ceccherini (Col Legno)
Janácek The Excursions of Mr. Broucek
Vacik, Straka, Janál, Haan, Plech, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Belohlávek (DG)
Cherubini Lodoďska
Soloviy, Pańko, Szlenkier, Kröner, Lhôte, Gierlach, Łukomski, Kowalski, Desoń, Smołka, Styszko, Deiber, Polish Radio Choir Kraków, Camerata Silesia, Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra Warsaw, Borowicz (Ludwig van Beethoven Association / Polskie Radio)
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
”Kurtág: 80” Concertante, Zwiegespräch, Hipartita, etc.
Kikuchi, Hakii, G Kurtág, M Kurtág, Keller Quartet, Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra / Zoltán Kocsis (BMC)
Nono Prometeo, Tragedia dell’ascolto
Hoffmann, Bair-Ivenz, Otto, Frenkel, Mayer, Schell, Dalal, Solistenchor Freiburg, Ensemble Recherche, Richard, Hirsch, Ryan (Col Legno)
Saariaho Notes on Light, Orion, Mirage
Mattila, Karttunen, Orchestre de Paris / Christophe Eschenbach (Ondine)
HISTORICAL
Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos 1-5
Paul Badura-Skoda, Vienna State Opera Orchestra / Hermann Scherchen (Genuin)
”Fritz Busch: Complete Dresden Recordings (1923-32)”
Roselle, Schöffler, Tessmer, Sigmund, Pauly Dreesen, Staatskapelle Dresden, Busch (Profil)
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 Sibelius Symphony No.5
Glenn Gould, Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan (Sony Classical)
CONCERTOS
Bartók Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion and Orchestra. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No 1. Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
Stefanovich, Aimard, Thomas, Percy, Kremer, Bashmet, London Symphony Orchestra, Berliner Philharmoniker / Pierre Boulez (DG)
Handel Organ Concertos Op 4
Academy of Ancient Music / Richard Egarr (Harmonia Mundi USA)
Mozart Piano Concertos, Vol.3 (K453 & 456)
Christian Zacharias, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (MDG)
SYMPHONIC WORKS
Mozart Symphonies Nos 38-41
Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras (Linn)
Mahler Symphony No.4
Mojca Erdmann, Bamberger Symphoniker, Jonathan Nott (Tudor)
Beethoven Symphonies 1-9. Overtures
Kaappola, Kielland, Schäfer, Bauer, Anima Eterna, Jos van Immerseel (Zig-Zag Territoires)
FIRST RECORDING
Pickard The Flight of Icarus, The Spindle of Necessity, Channel Firing
Lindberg, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra / Brabbins (BIS)
Marais Sémélé
Mercer, Tauran, Azzaretti, Thébault, Dahlin, Dolié, Abadie, Labonnette, Le Concert Spirituel / Niquet (Glossa)
Wellesz String Quartets Nos. 3, 4, 6
Artis Quartett Wien (Nimbus Records)
DVD: OPERA / BALLET
Busoni Doktor Faust
Hampson, Groissböck, Kunde, Macias, Trattnigg, Zysset, Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House / Philippe Jordan, Grüber, Arroyo, Dessecker, Breisach (Arthaus Musik)
Adams Doctor Atomic
Finley, Rivera, Owens, Fink, Maddalena, Glenn, Morris, Rabiner, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus of De Nederlandse Opera, Renes, Sellars, Lobel, Ramicova (Opus Arte)
Donizetti La fille du régiment
Dessay, Flórez, Palmer, Corbelli, Maxwell, French, Secombe, Price, Blanchard, The Royal Opera Chorus, The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Bruno Campanella, Pelly, Thomas, Lough (Virgin Classics)
DVD: CONCERTS
”Christa Ludwig: The Birthday Edition” (Schubert, Mahler, Wolf, Strauss, Bernstein)
Christa Ludwig, Charles Spencer, Sánchez Lansch, Viller (Arthaus Musik)
Lazar Berman: The 1988 Tokyo Recital” (Schumann, Liszt, Wagner-Liszt, Schubert-Liszt, Rachmaninov)
Lazar Berman (Dynamic)
Mahler Symphony No 3
Lucerne Festival Orchestra / Claudio Abbado, Beyer (EuroArts)
DVD: DOCUMENTARIES
Itzhak Perlman: Virtuoso Violinist” (Sarasate, Beethoven, etc.)
Perlman, Zukerman, Ashkenazy, Harrell, Canino, Philharmonia Orchestra, Foster, etc (Allegro Films)
Herbert von Karajam: Maestro for the Screen”
Herbert von Karajan, Wübbolt (Arthaus)
”Martha Argerich - Evening Talks”
Martha Argerich, Gachot (Idéale Audience/EuroArts)
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