WHAT’S ON: John Wilson and the John Wilson Orchestra, Cole Porter plus special guests, at Sage Gateshead, at 3pm and 7.30pm tomorrow (Friday,Nov21) Box office: 0191 443 4661.

Reviews: Handel: Messiah (Warner Classics)

One of the leading exponents of the Baroque repertoire, conductor Emmanuelle Haim conducts her own ensemble, Le Concert d’Astrée, in a refreshing English language performance of Handel’s Messiah. The album features a stellar lineup of soloists, including Lucy Crowe, Tim Mead, Andrew Staples and Christopher Purves. Highly recommended.

Les Vents Francais: Winds and Piano (Warner Classics)

The wind quintet Les Vents Francais, comprises Emmanuel Pahud, Paul Meyer, Francois Leleux, Gilbert Audin and Radovan Vlatkovic are joined by by pianist Eric Le Sage for a riveting 3-CD programme of chamber music that spans three centuries and the French, Austro-German and Russian repertoires. Highlights aplenty this set guarantees hours of listening pleasure.

Menahem Pressler & Quatuor Ebene (Warner Classics) The legendary pianist Menahem Pressler celebrates his 90th birthday in a concert with Quatuor Ebene at the Salle Pleyel in Paris in November 2013

. The programme includes Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A major and Schubert’s Trout Quintet . Incisive performances delivered with verve. The works feature on an accompanying DVD version.

Gavin Engelbrecht