This year's Gramophone Classical Music Awards gave the Orchestral Recording of the Year to Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhusorchester Leipzig for their Brahms Symphony cycle, released on Decca.
James Jolly, former editor-in-chief of Gramophone Magazine, said the recording "epitomizes classical music's way of reinventing itself and staying relevant to every generation."
Violinist Leonidas Kavakos was voted Artist of the Year by an international public vote. The Greek musician’s last Gramophone Award came 23 years ago at the beginning of his solo career.
Other awardees included conductor Neville Marriner, who was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award, and Northern Irish flautist James Galway received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
"He put the flute on the musical map in modern times," said Jolly. "He is a true classical music superstar — his role in music education is powerful and heartfelt."
Galway’s recordings have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His "Annie’s Song" reached No. 3 on the U.K. pop charts in 1978.
The baroque instrumental category saw a win for British-based harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and his recording of J.S. Bach’s second son’s "Württemberg Sonatas." C.P.E. Bach came up again in the baroque vocal category as Hans-Christoph Rademann’s recording of his "Magnificat" won top prize.
George Benjamin’s opera Written on Skin took home the Contemporary Award. This was his second major award this year following the RPS Award for large-scale composition.
Other winners include British countertenor Iestyn Davies for "Arise My Muse" on the Wigmore Live label and John Butt and the Dunedin Consort for their radical reconstruction of the first performance of Mozart’s "Requiem."
