Lebrecht’s Album of the Week
Beethoven: Nine symphonies+ (Decca)
This Beethoven gift set is not for Christmas. It is for life
Whisperings of the cruel sea
Britten: Concertos (Orfeo)
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)
The light and the insubstantial
Poulenc and others: Chamber music (Calliope/DG)
Laid-back Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Württemburg sonatas (ECM)
Rozsa’s regret
Miklos Rozsa: Orchestral works (Capriccio)
Stravinsky’s aching quality
Stravinsky, Bartok, Martinu: Works for violin and orchestra (BIS)
Masterful pianism
Bartok, Janacek, Szymanowski (Warner)
The NHS need not depend on immigration
The shortage of British trainees is the result of a political choice
British industry has forgotten how to use its voice
Corporate cowards are not standing up to the government
“Bold vision”
An action or choice can perfectly well be bold without being good
When will bishops be held to account?
If you challenge the progressive establishment, prepare to be abandoned by the hierarchy of the Church of England
The public sector must reform or die
Too big to fail? It is too big to succeed
Leo Varadkar is still stirring division
The former Taoiseach should have more humility
Not much COP
Holding the climate summit in Baku displays brazen hypocrisy
Minimum pricing, maximum annoyance
No one wins when the minimum price for alcohol rises
A manifesto for the fun police state
The IPPR recommendations would do more harm to your freedoms than good for your health
Anti-extremism or opportunism?
The UK government should be more careful to distinguish criminal activities from legitimate opinion
Reparate good times, come on!
The Critic’s Extremely Factual Guide to Slavery Reparations the UK Most Definitely Owes
