NPR
December 17, 2015

Our 10 Favorite Classical Albums Of 2015

Straight on the heels of their enormously gratifying recording of John Luther Adams'Become Ocean last year, the Seattle Symphony and conductor Ludovic Morlot released another dynamite project — smartly pairing two European sound portraits of the U.S.A. just coming into its own. Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World," is a staple, but this excellent rendition, with standout contributions by Seattle's powerhouse brass and razor-sharp strings, demands us to listen anew. Edgard Varèse's crackling, clangorous Amériques is far more rarely encountered, but the orchestra offers a tour de force performance, especially the percussion section.

Seattle, under Morlot's leadership, has proved itself to be one of the truly great and most vital American orchestras. (And they are really on a roll: Be sure to keep an ear on their terrific and ongoing Henri Dutilleux cycle.)

- Anastasia Tsioulcas