Latest News: Classical
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - March 2024 3rd April 2024
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for March, with Beatrice Rana's recording of Beethoven's 'Hammerklavier' Sonata & Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 on Warner Classics in first place...
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Interview,
Berginald Rash and Fiona Gryson on 'Dathanna' 2nd April 2024
The duo talk about their new album 'Dathanna: Hues & Shades', released in February on Orchid Classics and featuring works for clarinet and harp - both originals and arrangements.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - March 2024 31st March 2024This month's heavyweights include William Steinberg & the Pittsburgh Symphony's complete recordings on Command Classics, a centenary celebration of Sir Neville Marriner in Beethoven, and the final instalment of Peter Kofler's survey of Bach's organ works from St. Michael's Church in Munich.
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Recording of the Week,
Mozart and Strauss Lieder from Sabine Devieilhe & Mathieu Pordoy 29th March 2024
The French coloratura soprano and her new recital-partner draw all manner of illuminating parallels between the two composers in a recital which includes Mozart's Das Kinderspiel and Abendempfindung & Strauss's Mädchenblumen, Morgen! and Amor.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 29th March 2024 29th March 2024
Rachmaninoff for Two from Daniil Trifonov & Sergei Babayan, Bach violin concertos from Leonidas Kavakos & his Apollon Ensemble, Bartók from Thomas Dausgaard & the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Stainer's The Crucifixion from St Mary’s Cathedral Edinburgh.
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Interview,
Simon Johnson on the Easter Vigil at Westminster Cathedral 28th March 2024
The Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral talks about his new album on the Ad Fontes label, featuring music for the unique liturgy of the Easter Vigil.
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Favourites,
Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) 28th March 2024
A selection of some of the best recordings of music by the Anglo-Irish composer - known particularly for his sacred choral music but also a prodigious composer of chamber and orchestral works, songs, part-songs and more.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - April 2024 26th March 2024
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by a 'deeply impressive' account of Mahler's Symphony No. 6 from Sir Simon Rattle and the Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks on the orchestra's own label.
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Obituary,
Péter Eötvös (1944-2024) 25th March 2024
The Hungarian composer and conductor, who adapted compositional approaches pioneered by Ligeti, Stockhausen and Boulez and drew on an eclectic range of global music traditions, has died at the age of 80.
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Obituary,
Maurizio Pollini (1942-2024) 25th March 2024
The great Italian pianist, whose impeccable technique was allied to an equally formidable intellect, has died in Milan aged 82.
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Recording of the Week,
Paavo Järvi conducts Mendelssohn symphonies 22nd March 2024
The Estonian conductor and the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich present stylish, propulsive accounts of Mendelssohn's five symphonies, plus the incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 22nd March 2024 22nd March 2024
A recital of Romantic orchestral songs from Véronique Gens, the Münchner Rundfunkorchester & Hervé Niquet, Bach's Kunst der Fuge from Masaaki Suzuki, orchestral works by Dani Howard from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & Michael Seal, and Brahms song transcriptions for solo piano from Rudolf Buchbinder.
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Obituary,
Byron Janis (1928-2024) 20th March 2024
The American pianist and composer, renowned for his interpretations of Romantic repertoire and in particular of Chopin, has died.
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Interview,
Beatrice Rana on Chopin and Beethoven 20th March 2024
The pianist talks about her new recording of Chopin's 'Funeral March' sonata and Beethoven's Hammerklavier Op. 106.
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Box Set Deep-Dive,
Vienna Octet Old and New 19th March 2024
Our guest-contributor Rob Cowan explores two anthologies of chamber music which 'will bless your listening hours with countless joys'.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - March 2024 Choices 18th March 2024
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by Timothy Ridout's 'deft salute' to fellow viola-player Lionel Tertis on Harmonia Mundi.
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Recording of the Week,
Chopin and Beethoven from Beatrice Rana 15th March 2024
The Italian pianist presents an unusual pairing of sonatas - a sensitive, light performance of Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 complemented by a masterful and fearless Hammerklavier.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 15th March 2024 15th March 2024
Tchaikovsky from Alpesh Chauhan & the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven from Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos, Strauss & Mahler from Rafael Payare in Montreal, and a nocturnal recital from Elīna Garanča & friends.
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Recollections,
From The Lone Ranger to Rigoletto 14th March 2024In the fifth instalment of our Recollections series, Richard Inverne recounts how impersonating the masked hero to the strains of Rossini’s William Tell Overture as a toddler paved the way to falling in love with bel canto, Verdi, Puccini and more...
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - March 2024 13th March 2024
Chris introduces this month's Choices, headed by a live recording of Janáček's Katya Kabanova from Simon Rattle, the London Symphony Orchestra and a cast headed by American soprano Amanda Majeski as a Katya of 'harrowing immediacy'.
