Latest News: Classical
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Recording of the Week,
Anime Immortali from Franco Fagioli 14th April 2023The Argentinian countertenor is at the top of his game in a programme exploring Mozart's writing for castrati, including the motet Exsultate, jubilate and arias from La finta giardiniera, Lucio Silla and La clemenza di Tito.
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Interview,
Franco Fagioli on Anime Immortali 14th April 2023The Argentinian countertenor discusses his new album of sacred and secular Mozart (out today on Pentatone) - and recounts how his love-affair with singing the composer's music was ignited when he was cast as First Boy in Die Zauberflöte aged 11...
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 14th April 2023 14th April 2023Mercadante's Il Proscritto from Carlo Rizzi & Opera Rara, a German Baroque Requiem from Vox Luminis & Lionel Meunier, an eclectic Marian-themed recital from Patricia Kopatchinskaja & Anna Prohaska, and Bruckner from François-Xavier Roth in Cologne.
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Interview,
Florian Deuter on Biber's sonatas "for altar and court" 13th April 2023The violinist talks about his recent album of ensemble music by Biber - twelve sonatas for various combinations of instruments, interleaved with twelve duos for trumpets, all coming from Biber's time in the service of the Salzburg court.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - April 2023 12th April 2023Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by Quatuor Ebène and Antoine Tamestit's 'new benchmark' recording of Mozart's string quintets on Erato...
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Interview,
Bracing Change - Helen Grime on contemporary string quartets 11th April 2023Scottish composer Helen Grime discusses her second string quartet, which features on the second volume of Bracing Change string commissions from NMC and the Wigmore Hall.
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Recording of the Week,
John Wilson conducts Rachmaninoff 7th April 2023The spotlight is squarely on the strings on this clear-eyed, almost Classical account of Rachmaninoff's 1908 symphony, with balance and restraint the order of the day until the final few minutes of the piece...
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 7th April 2023 7th April 2023Messiaen's Des canyons aux étoiles... from the Utah Symphony & Thierry Fischer, Schubert from Carolyn Sampson & Joseph Middleton, Byrd from Fretwork & Alamire, and a sacred album from Joseph Calleja.
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Favourites,
Music for Holy Week 6th April 2023A selection of recent recordings of music inspired by Holy Week - from early to contemporary, religious to humanist, and with a mix of choral, solo vocal, and instrumental works.
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Announcement,
Our Streaming Journey - Part 1 5th April 2023An update on our streaming service, and our plans for the next 6-12 months.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - March 2023 4th April 2023Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for March, with Puccini's Turandot from Antonio Pappano (starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Jonas Kaufmann & Ermonela Jaho) in first place...
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Presto Editor's Choices,
Presto Editor's Choices - March 2023 3rd April 2023Sleek but savage Stravinsky from the Orchestre de Paris & Klaus Mäkelä, Haydn red in tooth and claw from René Jacobs, and world premiere recordings of works for piano and orchestra by Maconchy, Lutyens & Wallen.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 35: Tom & Will (& Jimmy & Roddy) – Tudor Anniversaries with Fretwork and The King's Singers 2nd April 2023Patrick Dunachie of The King's Singers and Richard Boothby of Fretwork talk about the madrigals and instrumental music of two Tudor titans.
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Favourites,
Rachmaninoff at 150 1st April 2023A selection of some of the finest recent recordings of the Russian colossus, to mark his 150th anniversary.
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Recording of the Week,
Visages Baroques from new Deutsche Grammophon signing Raphaël Feuillâtre 31st March 2023The 26-year-old guitarist makes his debut for the yellow label with a dance-suite-inspired programme of Bach and French Baroque works.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 31st March 2023 31st March 2023Rachmaninoff from John Wilson & Sinfonia of London, Solti's Siegfried in newly-remastered glory, Berlioz from John Nelson & Joyce DiDonato, and a Pushkin-inspired recital from Gemma Summerfield, Gareth Brynmor-John, Abi Hyde-Smith and Jocelyn Freeman.
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Video Interview,
Tim Mead on Beauteous Softness 30th March 2023The countertenor discusses his new album of songs by Henry Purcell, John Blow, Pelham Humfrey and William Webb with La Nuova Musica & David Bates (released last week on Pentatone).
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - March 2023 29th March 2023Bernard Haitink's complete studio recordings with the Concertgebouworkest, an anthology shedding 'New Light on French Romantic Women Composers' from the Palazzetto Bru Zane, and the Belcea Quartet's collected recordings on Warner Classics.
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Obituary,
Christopher Gunning (1944-2023) 29th March 2023The English composer, whose output ranged from sweeping symphonies and concertos to award-winning music for a huge range of film and television productions, has died aged 78.
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Obituary,
James Bowman (1941-2023) 28th March 2023The trailblazing English countertenor, who created the role of the Voice of Apollo in Britten's Death in Venice and opened up a wealth of new possibilities for his voice-type, has died aged 81.