Leoš Janáček’s ‘The Excursions of Mr Brouček’ may be one of the composer’s least frequently staged mature operas, but this concert performance by the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle, recorded live at the Barbican Hall on 4 and 6 May 2025, makes a compelling case for its musical riches. With a superb cast, an outstanding contribution from the Tenebrae Choir and an orchestra playing with remarkable clarity, colour and vitality, this is a performance that reveals just how astonishingly inventive Janáček’s score is.
Rattle’s particularly strong affinity with the composer is already well established from the previous releases in his Janáček opera cycle with the LSO, and his interpretation here is distinguished by both clarity and an exceptional ear for orchestral colour. The score’s restless rhythms, abrupt juxtapositions and sharply etched instrumental gestures are handled with precision but never rigidity. Rather than allowing its episodic structure to become disjointed, Rattle finds ways of giving the music an underlying unity. The result is a performance of considerable refinement in which every detail seems to have its place.
The LSO respond magnificently. From the technically demanding opening, the orchestra displays an extraordinary degree of transparency on this recording. The strings are clear and incisive, while the brass has both brilliance and weight. Janáček’s orchestration is packed with sudden contrasts and unexpected combinations, and Rattle seems determined to reveal every one of them.
At its centre is Peter Hoare’s outstanding portrayal of Mr Brouček. This is a demanding role, both vocally and theatrically, and Hoare inhabits it with tremendous energy. His performance captures the character’s absurdity and pomposity without reducing him to a caricature. Vocally, Hoare is consistently impressive, negotiating Janáček’s speech-inflected writing with clarity, flexibility and stamina.
Aleš Briscein brings a bright, penetrating tenor to Mazal, with an upper register that remained strong and secure. Lucy Crowe is equally impressive, moving between her several roles with remarkable vocal versatility. Her silvery soprano is ideally suited to the music, combining radiance with an expressive warmth that makes her contribution particularly memorable.
The demands on the excellent supporting cast, in which almost everyone changes roles, are considerable, yet the ensemble maintains impressive cohesion throughout. The accurate placement of the singers across the soundstage on this recording makes identifying who is singing considerably easier.
Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, is another major asset. The choral writing is delivered with precision and tonal focus that few opera house choruses could achieve, while the male voices make a particularly strong impact when Janáček expands the musical scale. The change in character required later in the work is achieved with impressive stylistic control, and the recording captures the chorus with sufficient presence to give its contributions real weight without overwhelming the soloists.
LSO Live’s presentation is first class. A lavish 160-page booklet includes artist biographies, photographs from the performances, programme notes and a helpful synopsis of the opera from Nigel Simeone but, most importantly, a full Czech/English libretto.
The performance demonstrates that beneath the opera’s eccentricities lies a score of extraordinary originality. In Rattle’s hands, and with an orchestra of the LSO’s calibre, Janáček’s music emerges as vivid, sophisticated and irresistibly alive.
In every respect, this is a cherishable recording.
Barry Forshaw
FLORENT SCHMITT: ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Peter Donohue, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier/Chandos
How does Chandos do it? How do they continue to find vibrant, colourful orchestral music from the late 20th century and grant it the kind of deluxe treatment it had not received before? This collection of orchestral works by Florent Schmitt is a good case in point, and this could well be the most beguiling collection that the company has issued in some while, particularly as every nuance of orchestration is given the kind of stunning surround sound recording that Chandos is particularly celebrated for. This disc is a considerable winner.
BRAHMS: SYMPHONIES 1 & 2
Philharmonisches Staatsorchester, Hamburg, Kent Nagano/BIS
It goes without saying that there are umpteen alternatives for these much-loved symphonies, but Kent Nagano demonstrates that his mastery of Brahmin repertoire is evident in every bar. The BIS SACD recording is extremely analytical in the best sense of the word. Some pieces are particularly lucky on disc, and Brahms’ first two symphonies are such works. In order to make a mark, any new recordings have to offer persuasive and nuanced performances in impeccable sound, and these latest takes from Nagano more than fulfil this requirement – and, what’s more, are presented in the kind of richly detailed surround sound picture that the BIS label is famous for.
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: A SEA SYMPHONY; MACONCHY: NOCTURNE FOR ORCHESTRA
Soloists, London Symphony Orchestra & chorus, Sir Antonio Pappano/LSO Live
Maestro Antonio Pappano’s highly impressive readings with the London Symphony Orchestra of Vaughan Williams’s fourth and sixth symphonies was an absolute winner, so it’s hardly a surprise that this disc of the of the composer’s first symphonic venture, the ‘Sea Symphony’, maintains the upward trajectory of its predecessor. The London Symphony Orchestra, of course, is an aggregation famous for its interpretation of this glorious corpus of work (in earlier decades, under Previn, a Vaughan Williams set with the orchestra was a market leader), and this new cycle is proving equally revelatory. The First Symphony is here dispatched with great sensitivity and drama, as is Maconchy’s wining ‘Nocturne’.
BANTOCK: HEBRIDEAN SYMPHONY& OTHER WORKS
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rumon Gamba/Chandos
Given the considerable weight of his achievement, it’s somewhat surprising that the orchestral works of the British composer Bantock have been somewhat neglected, although the Hebridean Symphony has enjoyed some attention. At a stroke, however, this new take from the BBC Scottish Symphony orchestra under Rumon Gamba becomes the definitive version, particularly as it is couched in the impeccable Chandos soundscape. The other pieces on the disc, too, are no mere makeweights but further proof that this is a composer who needs to be pulled firmly into the spotlight again.
LISZT: DANTE SYMPHONY; LISZT/JOHN ADAMS: THE BLACK GONDOLA
Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liege, Gergely Madrass/BIS
Liszt’s ‘Dante’ Symphony has enjoyed some dramatic performances over the years, but this take is particularly notable given that it is the first in wide-ranging surround sound – a recording coup typical of the highly accomplished BIS engineers. And the particular combination of performance and recording renders this a very collectable disc, particularly for admirers of the composer. Gradually, the orchestral works of Franz Liszt are becoming available in a variety of performances, but few have the sheer character of this reading, along with the coupling, John Adams‘ adroit orchestration of Liszt’s ‘The Black Gondola’.
MENOTTI: ORCHESTRAL DISCOVERIES, GOYA SUITE
Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano, Francesco Cilluffo/Orfeo
The composer Menotti is perhaps best remembered for the first television opera, ‘Amal and the Night Visitors’ – along with his association with another much more heavyweight American composer, Samuel Barber. But as this charming disc from the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano under Francesco Cilluffo demonstrates, Menotti is no one hit wonder. Certainly, there are no groundbreaking masterpieces here, but colourful and cannily orchestrated works that demand attention.
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: FROM URSULA WITH LOVE
Recordings of the music of Vaughan Williams from the collection of Ursula Vaughan Williams,
Various artists/Albion Records
This is a particularly tempting selection showcasing the brilliance of the music and the subtleties of interpretation. In this disparate group of Vaughn Williams pieces drawn from the collection of the composer’s partner Ursula Vaughan Williams, the Albion Records label once again demonstrates its commendable dedication to the music of one of the greatest of English composers.
WAGNER: DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG
Soloists, Choir and orchestra of the Bayreuth Festspiele, Danielle Gatti/C Major
For many, Meistersinger is a favourite Wagner opera – always approachable, and a perfect demonstration of the composer’s genius. This exemplary performance is one of the most transporting that the listener is likely to encounter, perfectly judged in every way and recorded in notably faithful sound.
JOHN WILLIAMS: FLUTE CONCERTO; BERNARD HERRMANN: SOUVENIRS DE VOYAGE
Soloists, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Darrell Ang, Joshua Tan/Pentatone
Admirers of the best film music will be attracted to this enterprising programme – but they are likely to notice a signal difference between the contributions of John Williams and Bernard Herrmann. The former has always tried to distinguish his ‘serous’ works from such classic film scores as Close Encounters and Superman. and the intriguing flute concerto is notably less accessible. Bernard Herrmann, on the other hand, saw no distinction between his serious work and film scores which inhabit the same sound world.
AN AMERICAN DREAM: GERSHWIN,RODGERS et al
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Barbara Hannigan/Alpha Classics
Another demonstration of the very disparate skills of Barbara Hannigan – from conductor to singer – in a programme of some highly attractive American music from such composers as George Gershwin and Richard Rodgers.
LOESSER:GUYS AND DOLLS
Soloists, Sinfonia of London, John Wilson/Chandos
After the considerable success for his versions of musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Lowe, John Wilson turns his attention to another Broadway classic – and one of the best loved of all musicals, Frank Loesser’s immortal Guys and Dolls. This spirited, superbly sung version of the Damon Runyon-Inspired classic is quite the equal of its illustrious predecessors and captures both the beauty of the ballads and the sardonic wit and attack of the comic songs. Long may John Wilson’s excavations of Broadway’s past continue.
Barry Forshaw
ROXANNA PANUFNIK: LOVE SONGS & LULLABIES, Matthew Barley, cello, Mary Bevan, soprano et al/Signum Classics
Forthcoming in September is a beguiling collection of Roxanna Panufnik’s works and arrangements, synthesising a wide variety of musical traditions with contemporary influences, and showcasing a talented selection of musicians including cellist Matthew Barley and soprano Mary Bevan. Panufnik, daughter of a famous composer father, is one of the UK’s most well-regarded contemporary composers. Her work demonstrates a reluctance to be categorised, and she was recently the recipient of a well-deserved OBE. One of her most fruitful collaborations has been with the musicologist and writer Jessica Duchen (whose recent biography of the pianist Myra Hess was published to great acclaim), and it is Duchen who provides the words for one of the most seductive entries on this set, ‘When I Wake Up’, which is an extract from the opera Duchen that Duchen and Panufnik composed together, ‘Dalia’, about a Syrian refugee girl finding her feet in Anew locale. For listeners new to the music of the composer, this is perhaps the perfect introduction.
SCENES FROM FINLAND: PALMGREN, ENGLUND, TUUKANEN, SIBELIUS, Oulu Sinfonia, Rumon Gamba/Chandos
Mention the words ‘Finnish music’ to many listeners, and the composer’s name that will immediately spring to mind is, of course, Jean Sibelius. The latter is inevitably represented on this beautifully played set, but the revelation for many will be the unfamiliar names whose music is showcased here: Palmgren, Englund and Tuukanen, all of whom prove to be well worth the attention of discerning listeners. It’s a moot question as to whether or not there is a specific national identity discernible in serious music from Finland, but the musical rewards here are many, and this disc once again proves that Chandos is a label more than prepared to strike out into unfamiliar territory with splendid results. The Oulu Sinfonia under Rumon Gamba are on top form.
AMERICAN TUNES #1: PREVIN: VIOLIN CONCERTO 2, etc./Alpha Classics
Anne-Sophie Mutter has released American Tunes #1, the second album in her ASM Forte Forward series on Alpha Classics. This is a really winning collection of contemporary American music, most notable for the violinist’s dedication to the music of her ex-partner Andre Previn, whose own serious music has only fitfully achieved the attention it deserved. This excellent (if not notably accessible) album – with Anne-Sophie Mutter displaying her customary peerless technique – may go some way to remedying that situation. The album’s release aligns with her upcoming 50th-anniversary concerts at the 2026 Lucerne Festival, marking exactly half a century since her international debut as a 13-year-old prodigy on August 23, 1976. The disc contains Previn: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and String Orchestra with Two Harpsichord Interludes, Sebastian Currier’s Ringtone Variations for Violin and Double Bass, and Previn’s Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano.
BRITISH MUSIC FOR STRINGS, Sudwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim, Douglas Bostock/CPO
This writer is part of a coterie who has long followed the music of Imogen Holst, daughter of the celebrated composer of The Planets. Her neglect over the years is perhaps unsurprising; she did, of course, spend much of her time as part of the Benjamin Britten coterie, providing invaluable musical input for that composer. But her own miniatures –rather different from her father’s sprawling canvases – is truly beguiling, as her short piece here, The Unfortunate Traveller, proves. There are other excellent composers in the mix here, including Gordon Jacob, Eugene Goosens and a female composer who is gleaning more attention lately, Dorothy Howells. None of these pieces are groundbreaking or strikingly unusual, but this is extremely civilised music played with great sympathy by the Sudwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim under Douglas Bostock.
SIBELIUS, GOLDMARK: WORKS FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHESTRA, Sueye Pulk violin RSO, Valentin Egle/BIS SACD
The Sibelius violin concerto has been particularly lucky over the years with many distinguished recordings on disc. This new take by Sueye Pulk and the RSO under Valentin Egle deserves to be place in the upper echelons, with immense sensitivity displayed towards the composer’s distinctive and unusual orchestration The Goldmark concerto, #2 is extremely well played, though the piece remains marginal. Nevertheless, it makes a good makeweight for this impressive disc, recorded in in the customary BIS wide-ranging surround sound canvas.
Barry Forshaw
RACHMANINOV: SYMPHONIC DANCES, PLETNEV: RACHMANIANA, International Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev/EuroArts
Along with a very persuasive reading of Rachmaninov’s final masterpiece, the glorious Symphonic Dances, there is a particularly tempting piece on this disc for admirers of the composer in the fill up: the world premiere recording of Pletnev’s Rachmaniana: an eight-movement Suite which is essentially transcriptions of Rachmaninov in sumptuous new orchestral dress by the conductor. The piece was first performed in January 2026 in Hamburg and will be particularly attractive to those who feel they already have everything by Rachmaninov on their shelves.
RICHARD STRAUSS: INTERMEZZO, soloists, Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Sir Donald Runnicles/Naxos
While Strauss’s opera Intermezzo has long had its admirers, it has never acquired the popularity of the composer’s operas Der Rosenkavalier and Arabella. That being said, it’s unlikely that the piece will enjoy elsewhere as persuasive an advocacy as it receives here by the Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin under the sympathetic conducting of Donald Runnicles. Of course, a piece such as this stands or falls on the contributions of its principal singers and as the avatars of Strauss himself and his wife Pauline, Philipp Jekal and the luminous Maria Bengsston could not be bettered.
MAHLER: SYMPHONY NO. 5, Grand Teton Festival Orchestra, Sir Donald Runnicles/Reference Recordings
Still with Sir Donald Runnicles, Reference Recordings – always to be counted upon for the dynamic surround sound picture on their discs – here provide a truly authoritative reading of Mahler’s great fifth Symphony, a work that has always been fortunate on disc, and is here couched in typically impressive Reference sound.
NIELSEN: THE ULTIMATE SOLO PIANO COLLECTION, Rikke Sandberg/OUR Recordings
In the various classical lists, there has been the occasional disc of selections of Nielsen’s piano music, but that side of the composer’s talent remains relatively elusive. Not anymore: this triple album gives us the for the first time the complete solo piano works of Denmark’s national composer and, what’s more, in performances of great authority. This is music that will never be as popular as such calling card Nielsen pieces as the Fifth Symphony, but makes a solid bid for the attention of the composer’s aficionados.
COPLAND: SYMPHONY NO. 3, WALKER: SINFONIA NO. 5/London Symphony Orchestra, Antonio Pappano/LSO Live
Those lucky enough to have heard the recent performances at London’s Barbican of Copland’s Symphony No. 3 by the London Symphony Orchestra under Antonio Pappano (and I’m lucky enough to be in their number) will not be surprised to hear that this is quite one of the most powerful and dramatic performances this great piece of Americana has ever received with the final appearance of the Fanfare for the Common Man acting as the perfect final apotheosis. Walker’s Sinfonia No. 5 rounds off a very tempting program in impressive surround sound.
BARBER: VANESSA, soloists National Symphony Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda/NSO
While never likely to attain the popularity of the composer’s orchestral works, Barbers neglected opera Vanessa is worthy of the occasional performance – and, certainly, it receives a solid reading here. Barber aficionados will be more than prepared to grant the piece the repeated hearings it requires to reveal its hidden appeal, but there is no denying that the composer’s Antony and Cleopatra was not his only considerable achievement in the operatic field. It’s hard to imagine a better summer performance than it is granted here.
ODD SYMPATHIES, Matthew Schellhorn piano/First Hand Records
For over two decades, Mathhew Schellhorn has championed the creativity of living composers through commissions and premières, with the aim of bringing new music to a wider audience. This album draws together a selection of eclectic and captivating piano works, united through shared interpretative concerns and deep artistic connections developed through close collaboration with composers. The programme is conceived as a coherent artistic statement rather than a survey, focusing on repertoire that resists straightforward categorisation and invites the performer to negotiate questions of clarity, responsibility, and expressive ambiguity.
