麦克阿瑟天才奖获得者，纽约客的乐评人，作曲出身，也是纽约口碑最好的乐评人。2007年到过北京一次，自费看图兰朵，有幸接触过一次，确实很有想法和高见。事后他写了一篇文章，有点不和谐哈哈。
Alex Ross: The Ten Best Classical-Music Recordings of 2008 Amid a strong array of contenders, Andreas Scholl’s disc “Crystal Tears,” a darkly entrancing program of music from Elizabethan and Jacobean England, is my candidate for CD of the year. Scholl, a German countertenor with a pure yet full voice, goes uncannily deep into the songs of John Dowland and his contemporaries; the lutenist Julian Behr and the viol consort Concerto di viole provide immaculate, hypnotic accompaniment.
“
Crystal Tears”: songs of Dowland, Robert Johnson, Byrd, and others; Andreas Scholl, countertenor, Julian Behr, lute and Concerto di viole (Harmonia Mundi).
Schumann, “
Dichterliebe” and other Heine Lieder; Gerald Finley, baritone, and Julius Drake, piano (Hyperion).
“
Heavenly Harmonies”: music of Tallis and Byrd; Stile Antico (Harmonia Mundi).
Morton Feldman, “
The Viola in My Life” (I-IV); Marek Konstantynowicz, viola, with Christian Eggen conducting the Cikada Ensemble and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (ECM).
“
Gods, Kings, and Demons”: René Pape, bass, with Sebastian Weigle conducting the Staatskapelle Dresden (Deutsche Grammophon).
Jonathan Harvey, “Body Mandala,” “Tranquil Abiding,” “Timepieces,” “White As Jasmine,” “…Towards a Pure Land”: Ilan Volkov and Stefan Solyom conducting the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (NMC).
“
Hommage à Messiaen”: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano (Deutsche Grammophon).
John Adams, “
Doctor Atomic”: Gerald Finley, baritone, with Lawrence Renes conducting the Netherlands Opera (Opus Arte DVD).
Chopin, Preludes, and pieces by Mompou: Alexandre Tharaud, piano (Harmonia Mundi).
Brahms and Schumann Lieder: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, mezzo-soprano, and Julius Drake, piano (Wigmore Hall Live).
Honorable mention:
Violin Concertos by Schoenberg and Sibelius, with Hilary Hahn and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Swedish Radio Symphony (Deutsche Grammophon).
Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 2 and 7, with Osmo Vänskä conducting the Minnesota Orchestra (BIS).
Piano works by Salonen, Stucky, and Lutosławski, with Gloria Cheng (Telarc).
The Stravinsky symphonies, with Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic (EMI).
Elliott Carter’s Quartets Nos. 1 and 5, with the Pacifica Quartet (Naxos),
Josquin’s “
Missa Sine nomine” and “Missa Ad fugam,” with the Tallis Scholars (Gimell).
Volume 4 of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas, with Paul Lewis (Harmonia Mundi).
The NOW Ensemble anthology (New Amsterdam).
Nico Muhly, “
Mothertongue” (Bedroom Community/Brassland).
“
Scattered Rhymes” (works of O’Regan, Machaut, Bryars, and Dufay), with the Orlando Consort and Paul Hillier conducting the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir (Harmonia Mundi).
