by Anastasia Tsioulcas
The 2010 Grammy Awards offered proof positive of the vibrant and vigorous recording scene today within classical music. This year's very strong contenders ranged from recordings made by such majors as EMI Classics and Sony Masterworks to live performances on such "house" labels as the Boston Symphony Orchestra's BSO Classics and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's CSO Resound. Nominated recordings from any number of artist-focused and artist-led labels, such as the Boston Modern Orchestra Project's BMOP/Sound and the choral group The Sixteen's Coro imprint, prove the impact that even small performance ensembles are having on recordings today.
Category: Best Classical Album
Winner: Michael Tilson Thomas: Mahler, Symphony No. 8; Adagio from Symphony No. 10 [SFS Media]
Other nominees included:
Marin Alsop: Bernstein, Mass [Naxos]
James Levine: Ravel, Daphnis et Chloe [BSO Classics]
Alastair Willis: Ravel, L’Enfant et les sortileges [Naxos]
Valery Gergiev: Shostakovich, The Nose [Mariinsky]
Category: Best Orchestra Performance
Winner: James Levine: Ravel, Daphnis et Chloe [BSO Classics]
Other nominees included:
Simon Rattle: Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique; La mort de Cleopatre [EMI Classics]
Benjamin Zander: Bruckner, Symphony No. 5 [Telarc]
Valery Gergiev: Shostakovich, Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15 [Mariinsky]
Antoni Wit: Szymanowski, Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4 [Naxos]
Best Opera Recording
Winner: Daniel Harding: Britten, Billy Budd [Virgin]
Other nominees included:
Valery Gergiev: Shostakovich, The Nose [Mariinsky]
Best Choral Performance
Winner: Michael Tilson Thomas: Mahler, Symphony No. 8; Adagio from Symphony No. 10 [SFS Media]
Other nominees included:
Harry Christophers: Handel, Coronation Anthems [CORO]
Antoni Wit: Penderecki, Utrenja [Naxos]
Dennis Keene: Song of the Stars—Granados, Casals & Blancafort [Naxos]
Paul McCreesh: A Spotless Rose [DG]
Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra)
Winner: Evgeny Kissin: Prokofiev, Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 [EMI Classics]
Other nominees included:
Pierre Boulez: Bartok, 3 Concertos [DG]
Gil Rose: Bermel, Voices for solo clarinet and orchestra [BMOP/Sound]
Philippe Quint: Korngold, Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 [Naxos]
Yefim Bronfman: Salonen, Piano Concerto [DG]
Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra)
Winner: Sharon Isbin: Journey to the New World [Sony Classical]
http://masterworks.sonymusic.net/albums/journey-to-the-new-world-%28sharon-isbin-sony-2009%29
Other nominees included:
Caroline Goulding: Caroline Goulding [Telarc]
Maria Joao Pires: Chopin [DG]
Ursula Oppens: Plays Carter [Cedille]
Yuja Wang: Sonatas & Etudes [DG]
Best Chamber Music Performance
Winner: Emerson Quartet: Intimate Letters [DG]
Other nominees included:
Enso Quartet: Ginastera, String Quartets [Naxos]
Guarneri Quartet: The Hungarian Album [RCA Red Seal]
Martha Argerich & Gidon Kremer: Schumann & Bartok—The Berlin Recital [DG]
Yolanda Kondonassis, Cynthia Phelps & Joshua Smith: Air--Debussy & Takemitsu [Telarc]
Best Small Ensemble Performance
Winner: Paul Hillier: Lang, The Little Match Girl Passion [Harmonia Mundi]
Other nominees included:
Monica Huggett: Bach, Orchestral Suites for a Young Prince [Avie]
Tallis Scholars: Josquin, Missa Malheur me bat; Missa Fortuna desparata [Gimell]
Stile Antico: Song of Songs [Harmonia Mundi]
Daniel Hope Plays Vivaldi [DG]
Best Classical Vocal Performance
Winner: Renee Fleming: Verismo [Decca]
Other nominees included:
Anne Sofie von Otter: Bach [Archiv]
Juan Diego Florez: Bel Canto Spectacular [Decca]
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Recital at Ravinia [Harmonia Mundi]
Susan Graham: Un Frisson francais--A Century of French Song [Onyx Classics]
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
Winner: Higdon, Percussion Concerto [London Philharmonic Orchestra]
Other nominees included:
Crumb, The Winds of Destiny [Bridge]
Part, In Principio [ECM New Series]
Sierra, Missa Latina "Pro pace" [Naxos]
Wyner, Piano Concerto "Chiavi in mano" [Bridge]
Classical Crossover Album
Winner: Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs of Joy & Peace [Sony Classical]
Other nominees included:
Conspirare: A Company of Voices--Conspirare in Concert [Harmonia Mundi]
Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer: The Melody of Rhythm [E1]
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by Anastasia Tsioulcas
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