"This list of our critics’ favorite albums of the year, each represented by a single track, is a lot like the classical music scene: It might seem at first to be dominated by standards — alphabetical order, alas — but quickly reveals rarer treasures, from overlooked centuries-old works to fresh experiments. Enjoy.

Kurtag: Seven Songs 
“The Edge of Silence”; Susan Narucki, soprano (Avie)

György Kurtág: Seven Songs Op.22

"These seven songs, a highlight in this album of Kurtag’s vocal works, pass in just over nine minutes: dark little pools of fervor, articulated by Ms. Narucki with precision and tenderness and accompanied by just the percussive cimbalom, played here with richly pianistic resonance by Nicholas Tolle."

Z.W.