2025 in music

Presented with minimal comments

1. Víkingur Ólafsson, Opus 109. Structured around the key of E (major and minor): Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas, Op. 90 (neglected gem) & Op. 109 (one of the bangers from the late period), Bach’s Partita No. 6, and Schubert’s Piano Sonata, D. 566. A superstar now but he does not disappoint; while his sound is a tad too soft to my ears—on all his albums—this is an original and compelling ‘proposition’, though the centerpiece, Opus 109, is not even the best part of it to me.

2. Chris Thile, Bach: Sonatas and Partita, Vol. 2 (the long awaited second volume of the incredible Thile on the mandolin; virtuosic, singing, dancing, reinventing Bach like Bach would have loved).

3. Martin Fröst, B.A.C.H. (gorgeous arrangements by a premier clarinetist).

4. Francesco Tristano, Bach: The English Suites and Bach: The 7 Toccatas (a young pianist with a distinctive style; these two are more successful than his partitas; the prelude to suite No. 2 is fire).

5. Salomé Gasselin, Mystères (arrangements for viol da gamba, gambas, and organ of Bach and Biber works; I like to think the late Helen de Cruz would have found it wonderful).

6. Tiffany Poon, Nature (this could have been gimmicky but is very well done; French composers, from the Baroque era to the 20th century, on the piano; playful and meditative).

7. Shani Diluka, Renaissance (a stunning journey from Renaissance to Baroque composers, on the piano).

8. Alice Sara Ott, John Field - Complete Nocturnes (allegedly the inventor of the nocturne, beautiful sound, lovely miniature pieces).

9. Timothy Ridout, Telemann - Bach - Britten - Shaw (gorgeous viola and a very interesting programme).

1. Beethoven, String Quartets, Op. 59 (‘Razumovsky’). The first three of the ‘Middle Quartets’, where Beethoven really starts pushing the boundaries. I spent hours on the bus listening to those three quartets. I like recent recordings by Doric String Quartet but also Takács and Cleveland.

2. Mahler, Symphonies. No. 2 (‘Resurrection’) and No. 6 were also frequent companions on my bus rides. Either Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic or the Berlin Philharmoniker collection with various conductors.

3. Dvorák, Symphonies 7, 8, 9 (Czech Philharmonic & Semyon Bychkov). I like this orchestra a lot (e.g., the Mahler symphonies). This made be appreciate works I used to neglect.

4. Mozart, Piano Concertos. This year my favorite recordings were by the inimitable Mitsuko Ushida with English Chamber Orchestra & Jeffrey Tate.

5. I’ve written about Haydn’s appreciation of Mozart, the most famous of which was expressed when he first heard Mozart’s so-called “Haydn Quartets”. Haydn himself, “the father of the string quartet,” practically standardized the form and produced some of its loveliest works in the classical era. You can’t beat Beethoven’s string quartets, but I do think some of Haydn’s quartets beat some of Mozart’s. I enjoyed two series of recordings by Doric String Quartet and the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam. Opp. 20 (early) and 76 (late) are two sets of quartets each remarkable in their own right, full of invention and beauty.

6. I’m returning to Bach’s Six Partitas for Piano (BWV 825-830), which I listened to a lot when I was much younger. For a long time, they maintained some bittersweet associations that prevented repeated listening but have now faded. I’ve enjoyed Zhu Xiao-Mei’s album and Martha Argerich’s classic recording of the Partita No. 2 in C minor (the album also includes my favorite English Suite and Toccata!).

7. Some of the best recordings of Mozart’s Symphonies are with Sir Charles Mackerras and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra

   1. Nos. 29, 31 (“Paris”), 32, 35 (“Haffner”), and 36 (“Linz”) — I think No. 35 is especially underrated

   2. Nos. 38-41 — no comment

1. Kurt Rosenwinkel & Jean-Paul Brodbeck, The Brahms Project (I liked their Chopin project; my favorite guitarist, who, like Brad Mehldau, keeps reinventing himself)

2. Brad Mehldau, Ride Into the Sun (one of the most important living jazzmen plays Elliot Smith and manages to not make you want to kill yourself. Very well done. I dig the woodwinds)

3. John Patitucci, Spirit Fall (ft. Chris Potter and Brian Blade) (you can’t go wrong with a lineup like this; just first-rate jazz)

4. Sullivan Fortner, Southern Nights (trio with Peter Washington and Marcus Gilmore; Fortner was a regular pianist in Roy Hargrove’s band, a solid sideman, he’s been on the rise for a while but might be reaching his zenith)

1. Kurt Rosenwinkel, The Next Step Band: Live at Smalls 1996 (oh, being a jazz fan in New York in the ‘90s; the era-defining band that gave us The Next Step and propelled one of the most influential jazz guitarists of the century so far)

2. Miles Davis and John Coltrane, The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 (prompted by the awesome Ethan Iverson, I listened to these mindblowing recordings again, paying more attention to what Iverson notes—OMG). And of course, because of this, I’ve been on yet another Coltrane kick, digging A Love Supreme, Ascension, Giant Steps, John Coltrane Plays the Blues, Coltrane with Monk, Coltrane with Cannonball Adderley, and much else.

3. Lester Young with Count Basie, Okeh & Vocalion Sessions, vol. 1-4 and On Savoy. Everyone should listen to Lester Young more than they do. The late Verve recordings are great, but it’s really worth exploring the earlier stuff, which was the most influential. And then you can listen to the last live concerts and cry a bit.

4. I’ve also been digging through this incredible list compiled by Iverson:

I mostly listen to classical and jazz, though, because of my kids, my Apple Music wrap-up would tell you otherwise. My consumption of punk rock and hardcore has drastically decreased over the last year or so, but I was still excited to play Propagandhi’s latest album, At Peace.

I’m very impressed by the South African guitarist Derek Gripper. Classically trained, he has specialized in transcribing kora music, especially from the Malian music Toumani Diabaté. His album with Ballaké Sissoko is excellent.

I can’t believe Phoebe Bridgers isn't listening to my calls and hasn’t released a new album yet. In the meantime I’ve kept listening to her discography, including her work with boygenius.

Yes, our household is still big on Taylor Swift. We have enjoyed The Life of a Showgirl. Don’t listen to the critics, just listen to the music and have fun.