Recording of the Year

While 2018 was a good year for the big labels as far as the Limelight Awards were concerned, if there’s a winner in 2019 it would have to be living composers. Out of the final 25 recordings, a remarkable six living composers are represented: Arvo Pärt, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Nigel Westlake, Steve Reich, Kaija Saariaho and George Benjamin. If you go back to the original 100 recordings that made the long lists, you can add 11 more names. It was all change too in the battle between the big guns and the boutique labels. Last year saw Andris Nelsons’ recording of Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos 4 and 11 carry off the top prize with major labels winning three out of five categories. This year it’s a different kettle of fish with connoisseur labels triumphing across the board. And whereas last year Australian recordings made a relatively poor showing, this year 14 of them made the final 100, with two making the shortlist of 25 and one of them winning a top honour. As far as repertoire goes, it’s a pretty even split between familiar fare and rarities, with music by underrated composers such as Busoni, Korngold, Kabalevsky and Charpentier among the latter. And now, read on…

The winners…

Orchestral Recording of the Year 2019

Chamber Recording of the Year 2019

Instrumental Recording of the Year 2019

Vocal Recording of the Year 2019

Opera Recording of the Year 2019

The Limelight Recording of the Year 2019

 

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