Michelle Dulak Thomson

We were all grateful for Esa-Pekka Salonen’s tenure as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But we’re even happier to see him creating works like this brilliant Violin Concerto.

Dipping into later-than-real-Baroque territory, Philharmonia Baroque clearly loves to perform Brahms Serenades, which it plays as if living in the style of his era.

Even if you’re awash in recordings of the Schubert Cello Quintet piece, this recording by the Arcanto Quartet and Oliver Marron is one to hear.

ETHEL goes to great extremes to play down the fact that it’s a classical ensemble, but in the end it doesn’t matter. The album is great and well-played.

After a game of musical chairs in recent years, the Artemis Quartet is still up on its game, as heard on its latest CD of Schubert masterworks.

Magnificent playing, a fine new work commissioned from Lera Auerbach, and penetrating emotional currents mark violinist Vadim Gluzman’s new disc.

A seven-disc treasure trove captures Music@Menlo’s 2011 sumptuous banquet of Brahms and others.

Handel’s little-known opera Atalanta receives a delightful outing in Philharmonia Baroque’s new release, sung by a stellar cast — in perhaps the sole recording in print.

Steven Isserlis performing all of Beethoven’s cello music is a treat; his doing it in company with fortepianist Robert Levin promises to be an adventure.

There isn’t a concert in the Quartet’s 2012 lineup that I’d want to miss.