CLASSICAL
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos (Archiv). Trevor Pinnock leads his crack English Concert in crisp, exuberant performances.
Bartók: The Miraculous Mandarin; Two Portraits (Deutsche Grammophon). Bartók's bloodcurdling ballet gets an elemental reading from Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony.
Elliott Carter: Night Fantasies; Piano Sonata (Nonesuch). One of the landmarks of 20th century keyboard music, the Sonata (1945-46) is definitively Interpreted by the late Paul Jacobs.
Copland: Short Symphony; Ives: Symphony No. 3 (Pro Arte). Quintessential slices of orchestral Americana, lovingly realized by Dennis Russell Davies and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Charles Tomlinson Griffes: Piano Music (Nonesuch). Griffes' unique brand of American romantic impressionism...