The MR Fanfare aggregator

Fanfare is an excellent periodical of classical music reviews, and every year I aggregate the results from the “Critics’ Want Lists.”  This year, these were the works that made the Want Lists of more than one critic:

Havergal Brian, The Gothic Symphony, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

Hector Berlioz, Requiem, conducted by Paul McCreesh.

John Adams, Harmonielehre, Short Ride in a Fast Machine.

Busoni’s Doktor Faust, conducted by Adrian Boult.

That’s three out of four in the “large and unmanageable” category.  Perhaps they have been made manageable, or perhaps we are deciding to live with unmanageability these days.

The Gramophone best classical CD of the year was Heinrich Schütz’s Musicalische Exequien, conducted by Lionel Meunier, which I enjoy very much.

Above and beyond the usual retreads, I was impressed by the vitality of:

Bach, St. John’s Passion, conducted by Monica Huggett, with a stripped-down orchestra, not just a stripped-down choir.  Here is one good review, here is another.

There is more taste aggregation on the way.