Andrew Clements

Quatuor Molinari(Atma Classique)Canadian group’s take on the mysterious Italian composer, who has enjoyed a resurgance of late, offers a good sense of how his music developed. But his work remains as elusive as ever

· 2-min read Like so many composers born in the 1880s, Thomas de Hartmann found the course of his career was largely shaped by world events.

The Czech trio deliver two great works with freshness, energy and maximum intensity

The composer’s only surviving orchestral score feels more preliminary sketch than finished work, but Sibelius’s Fifth Symphony was stirringly delivered

The Proms’ tribute to Andrew Davis was crowned by a joyous Steve Reich premiere, while the next day saw three outstanding musicians grapple with awkward acoustics

In a startling, authoritative performance of Elgar’s demanding masterpiece, the Norwegian violinist and Robin Ticciati are utterly convincing

Fujita’s attention to detail serves the Scriabin miniatures well, although the Chopin needs more character

Rolf Hind’s opera about the 13th-century poet is mostly hard to follow, but countertenor James Hall and baritone Yannis François come into their own when the drama is clearer

Recorded in Aix where the work was premiered, with the composer himself conducting, the beauty of George Benjamin’s instrumental lines shine with this excellent cast

Soprano Véronique Gens, mezzo Fleur Barron, tenor Laurence Kilsby and baritone Stéphane Degout came together to cover almost half of Fauré’s entire song output