Latest News: Classical
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - May 2023 Choices 23rd May 2023
Chris introduces this month's choices, headed by a Turandot of 'passion and intelligence' from Sir Antonio Pappano on Warner Classics, starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Jonas Kaufmann and Ermonela Jaho.
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Video Interview,
Michael Waldron on Sword in the Soul 22nd May 2023
Conductor Michael Waldron shares some of his thoughts on Francis Grier's contemporary Passion oratorio 'Sword in the Soul', which he conducts on a new recording with the London Choral Sinfonia alongside works by Park, Bednall and Elgar.
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Recording of the Week,
Christophe Rousset conducts Spontini's La vestale 19th May 2023
The first-ever period-instrument recording of Spontini's 1807 opera emphasises the score's debt to the French declamatory tradition, with Marina Rebeka on ravishing form in the title-role and Stanislas de Barbeyrac showing his true heroic colours as the Roman soldier Licinius.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 19th May 2023 19th May 2023
Bruch & Price concertos from Randall Goosby, a snapshot of Mozart's time in Mannheim from the Freiburger Barockorchester, Liszt orchestral songs from Thomas Hampson and friends, and the Bevan Family Consort's debut album of sacred choral music (including works by Palestrina, Tallis, Holst & Stanford).
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Interview,
Lara Downes on Love at Last 18th May 2023
The pianist and activist talks about her new album, pulling together piano miniatures from all around the world, past and present, in response to challenging times.
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Obituary,
Ingrid Haebler (1929-2023) 17th May 2023
The Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper broke the news on Sunday that the Austrian pianist and early pioneer of period instrument performance had died at the age of 93.
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Interview,
Missy Mazzoli on Dark with Excessive Bright 16th May 2023
In the wake of the first full-length album of her orchestral music on BIS, the American composer talks about the writers and musicians who've inspired her work...
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - May 2023 15th May 2023
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by the final instalment of Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew's 'compelling' Gesualdo series on Harmonia Mundi...
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Recording of the Week,
Broken Branches from Karim Sulayman and Sean Shibe 12th May 2023
The Lebanese-American tenor and Scottish guitarist join forces for a multifaceted yet deeply personal recital, that ranges across cultural and geographical boundaries and explores the idea of diaspora in music.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 12th May 2023 12th May 2023
Legrenzi motets from Rinaldo Alessandrini, Nielsen from Edward Gardner & James Ehnes, Beethoven's complete piano concertos from Garrick Ohlsson & Donald Runnicles, and orchestral works & Lieder by Franz Schreker from Christoph Eschenbach (with soloists Chen Reiss & Matthias Goerne) in Berlin.
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Interview,
Tessa Lark on The Stradgrass Sessions 11th May 2023
The violinist talks about her new album, which sees her collaborate with an eclectic mix of musicians and explore everything from Ysaÿe's Solo Sonata No. 5 to Michael Cleveland's infectious fiddle-tunes.
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Obituary,
Menahem Pressler (1923-2023) 10th May 2023
The German-born Israeli-American pianist, who co-founded the enormously successful Beaux Arts Trio and remained its lynchpin for over half a century, has died aged 99.
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Obituary,
Grace Bumbry (1937-2023) 9th May 2023
The trailblazing American dramatic mezzo, who was the first Black singer to perform at the Bayreuth Festival, has died aged 86.
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Announcement,
Is Beethoven worth eight times Mahler? 8th May 2023
Both composers have left an indelible mark on the world of music. However, when it comes to music streaming, are they equally valuable?
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Favourites,
Music for the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III 6th May 2023
A selection of music for royal occasions, and recordings from the composers and artists featured at the King's Coronation - from Parry and Purcell to Weir and Williams.
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Recording of the Week,
Beethoven & Beyond from María Dueñas 5th May 2023
The 20-year-old Spanish violinist combines a sense of almost childlike wonder with absolute technical mastery on her debut recording of the Beethoven concerto with the Wiener Symphoniker & Manfred Honeck, supplemented with shorter pieces by composers who wrote cadenzas to the work.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 5th May 2023 5th May 2023
Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde from Piotr Beczala, Christian Gerhaher & Gerold Huber, Spontini's La vestale from Les Talens Lyriques & Christophe Rousset, Stanford's Requiem from Martyn Brabbins, and an eclectic East-meets-West recital from Karim Sulayman & Sean Shibe.
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Interview,
Jocelyn Freeman on The Poet's Echo 4th May 2023
The pianist discusses her album of works with a Pushkin connection (including a new version of Britten's eponymous song-cycle, Shostakovich's Cello Sonata and Prokofiev's Three Romances), recently released on Rubicon and also featuring soprano Gemma Summerfield, baritone Gareth Brynmor John & cellist Abi Hyde-Smith.
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Video Interview,
Matilda Lloyd on 'Casta Diva' 3rd May 2023
In an exclusive post-concert interview for Presto Music following her launch recital at London's Wigmore Hall, trumpeter Matilda Lloyd talks about her new album of opera-inspired variations for trumpet and ensemble, 'Casta Diva' - featuring arrangements of works by Bellini, Rossini, Donizetti, Viardot and more, and showcasing the instrument's more lyrical side.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - April 2023 2nd May 2023
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for April, with Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 from John Wilson & Sinfonia of London in first place...
