A Gramophone Critics’ Choice: Favourite classical recordings of 2025

Bloch Schelomo. Suite for Viola (Cello) and Orchestra (arr Baller/Rejtő)

Parry Karp vc BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Kenneth Woods

Signum SIGCD932 (8/25)

Bloch’s marvellously inventive Suite for viola and orchestra sounds if anything even finer in this arrangement for cello, and the performance by Parry Karp and Kenneth Woods is inspired. Their stirring account of Schelomo is also one of the finest of recent years. A most rewarding album. Christian Hoskins