David Nice surveys available recordings of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades and makes recommendations:

First choice:

Tchaikovsky Edition
TCHAIKOVSKY: Pique Dame
Andrei Ivanov and Pavel Lisitsian (baritones), Georgi Nelepp (tenor), Evgenia Verbitskaya, Naina-Elena Korneyeva and Veronika Borisenko (mezzo sopranos),
Evgenia Smolenskaya (soprano), Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Alexander Melik-Pashaev (conductor)
http://www.brilliantclassics.com/release.aspx?id=FM00394943
BRILLIANT CLASSICS 93980 (60 CD + CD-ROM)

Single set choice:

TCHAIKOVSKY: Pique Dame
Maria Guleghina and Olga Borodina (sopranos), Gegam Grigorian (tenor), Vladimir Chernov (baritone), Kirov Opera and Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor)
DECCA 4381412 (3CD)

Jonas Kaufmann – Verismo Arias
ZANDONAI: Giulietta, son io
GIORDANO: Colpito qui m’avete…Un di all’azzurro spazio, Come un bel di di maggio
CILEA: E la solita storia del pastore
LEONCAVALLO: Musette...Testa adorata, Pagliacci, Recitar...Vesti la giubba
MASCAGNI: Intanto amici…Viva il vino spumeggiante, Mamma! Mamma - quel vino e generoso
BOITO: Dai campi, dai prati, Giunto sul passo estremo
GIORDANO: Amor ti vieta
CILEA: L’anima ho stanca, La dolcissima effigie
PONCHIELLI: I Lituani, Si questa estrema grazia, Cielo e mar!
REFICE: Ombra di nube
GIORDANO: Vicino a te
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor), Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano (conductor)
DECCA 4782258 (CD)

Six Concertos for Harpsichord Wq 43
C P E BACH: Concerto no. 1 in F major, Concerto no. 2 in D major, Concerto no. 3 in Eb major, Concerto no. 4 in C minor, Concerto no. 5 in G major, Concerto no. 6 in C major
Andreas Staier (Harpsichord), Freiburger Barockorchester, Petra Mullejans (director)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC902083-84 (2 CD)

ROSSINI: Ermione
Carmen Giannattasio (Ermione), Patricia Bardon (Andromaca), Colin Lee (Oreste), Paul Nilon (Pirro), Bulent Bezduz (Pilade), Graeme Broadbent (Fenicio), Rebecca Bottone (Cleone), Victoria Simmonds (Cefisa), Loic Felix (Attalo)
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, David Parry (conductor)
OPERA RARA ORC42 (2 CD)

BIRTWISTLE: The Shadow of Night, Night’s Black Bird, The Cry of Anubis
Owen Slade (tuba), The Halle, Ryan Wigglesworth (conductor)
NMC Recordings NMCD156 (CD)

Songs & Proverbs of William Blake and other songs
BRITTEN: Lemady, She’s like the swallow, I wonder as I wander, Tom Bowling, Songs and Proverbs of William Blake Op. 74, Tit for Tat, Um Mitternacht, A Poison Tree, Evening, Morning, Night, David of the White Rock, Greensleeves, The Crocodile, The Deaf Woman’s Courtship, Bird Scarer’s Song
Gerald Finley (baritone), Julius Drake (piano)
HYPERION CDA67778 (CD)

ELGAR:The Kingdom Op.51
Claire Rutter (soprano, The Blessed Virgin Mary), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano, Mary Magdalene), John Hudson (tenor, St. John), Iain Paterson (baritone, St. Peter), Hallé, Hallé Choir, Sir Mark Elder (conductor)
HALLE CDHLD7526 (2 CD mid price)

SCHUBERT: Die Winterreise D911
Christopher Maltman (baritone), Graham Johnson (piano)
Wigmore Hall Live WHLIVE0046 (CD mid price)

Piers Burton-Page joins Andrew to review some recent recordings of Russian orchestral works:

SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No.10
TCHAIKOVSKY: Snow Maiden Suite – Melodrama
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Invisible City of Kitezh
USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov (conductor)
ICA CLASSICS ICAC5036 (CD mid price)

LIGETI: Atmospheres
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10 Op. 93
Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, David Afkham (conductor)
ORFEO C797111B (CD mid price)

SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No 6 in B minor op.54, Symphony No 12 in D minor ‘The Year 1917’ op.112
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko (conductor)
NAXOS 8572658 (CD, budget)

Weinberg Edition Vol. 1
WEINBERG: Symphony No. 6*, Sinfonietta No. 1~
Wiener Sangerknaben, Gerald Wirth (choirmaster), Wiener Symphoniker, Vladimir Fedoseyev (conductor)*
Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg, Gerard Korsten (conductor)~
NEOS SACD NEOS11125 (hybrid SACD)

Weinberg Edition Vol. 2
WEINBERG: Symphony No. 17 “Memory” op.?137
Wiener Symphoniker / Vladimir Fedoseyev (conductor)
NEOS NEOS11126 (Hybrid SACD)

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 in B minor ‘Pathetique’
Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev (conductor)
PENTATONE PTC5186386 (Hybrid SACD)

TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony no. 4, Symphony no. 5, Symphony no. 6
Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Recorded at Salle Pleyel, Paris, January 2010
MARINSKY MAR0513 (DVD), MAR0015 (Bluray) and digital download (audio only via iTunes)