Poster Members of the Danish String Quartet
The Danish String Quartet, from left: Asbjorn Norgaard, Fredrik Schoyen Sjolin, Rune Tonsgaard Sorensen and Frederik Oland
Courtesy of the artist
New Classical Tracks®

New Classical Tracks: Most coveted releases of 2018

New Classical Tracks: Danish String Quartet - Most Coveted 2018

Here on New Classical Tracks, we love sharing with you the most exciting new recordings every year. And, when you enter our weekly CD giveaways, you show us how excited you are about these recordings, too! With 2018 drawing to a close, we looked back at the past year of New Classical Tracks to uncover your 10 most coveted releases of 2018.

Topping the chart at Nos. 1 and 2, the Danish String Quartet was far and away your favorite artist this year on New Classical Tracks. First place goes to its Grammy-nominated album, Prism I, the first in a series of five albums exploring the connections between Bach and Beethoven's late string quartets. Almost as popular was Last Leaf, the quartet's album inspired by a popular melody written on the last leaf of a 13th-century medieval manuscript. Similar to the Prism project, the album explores the transmission of traditional Nordic melodies in arrangements for string quartet. Together, both albums shed new light on the classics.

Top 10 most coveted releases of 2018

1. Danish String QuartetPrism I (ECM)

2. Danish String QuartetLast Leaf (ECM)

The Danish String Quartet's 'Prism 1'
The Danish String Quartet: 'Prism 1'
ECM

3. Anne Akiko MeyersMirror in Mirror (Avie)

The Danish String Quartet: Last Leaf
The Danish String Quartet: 'Last Leaf'
ECM

4. Seraph BrassAsteria (Summit)

Anne Akiko Meyers: 'Mirror in Mirror'
Anne Akiko Meyers: 'Mirror in Mirror'
Avie

5. Francisco FullanaThrough the Lens of Time (Orchid Classics)

Seraph Brass
Seraph Brass: 'Asteria'
Summit Records

6. Rachel Barton PineBlues Dialogues (Cedille)

Francisco Fullana
Francisco Fullana: 'Through the Lens of Time'
Orchid Classics

7. Joshua BellScottish Fantasy (Sony Classical)

Rachel Barton Pine's latest release, 'Blues Dialogues.'
Rachel Barton Pine: 'Blues Dialogues'
Cedille Records

8. Anne Akiko MeyersFantasia (Avie)

'Bruch: Scottish Fantasy'
Bruch: 'Scottish Fantasy'
Sony

9. Ronn McFarlaneThe Celtic Lute (Sono Luminus)

Anne Akiko Meyers: Fantasia
Anne Akiko Meyers: 'Fantasia'
Avie Records

10. Lara DownesFor Lenny (Sony Classical)

Ronn McFarlane: The Celtic Lute
Ronn McFarlane: 'The Celtic Lute'
Sono Luminus

We can't wait to share even more New Classical Tracks with you every Wednesday in 2019!

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Host Julie Amacher provides an in-depth exploration of a new classical music release each week.

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