Latest News: Classical
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Recording of the Week,
Bertrand Chamayou and Alexandre Kantorow 16th October 2020Two contrasting recitals from award-winning French pianists - one fuelled by melatonin, the other by adrenaline.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 16th October 2020 16th October 2020An eclectic debut recording from Egyptian soprano Fatma Said, Bruckner from Christian Thielemann, Beethoven from Midori, and five vivid orchestral works by Grammy-nominated composer Anna Clyne.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 6: Played in the USA with Rob Cowan 15th October 2020Rob Cowan returns to the show to discuss several box-sets by three European émigré artists who settled in America - pianist Andor Foldes, conductor Antal Doráti, and violinist Isaac Stern.
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Interview,
Anna Lapwood on All Things Are Quite Silent 14th October 2020The director of music at Pembroke College Cambridge talks about the debut album from the college's adult choir and recently-formed girls' choir, featuring an eclectic mix of sacred and secular repertoire.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - Awards Issue 2020 13th October 2020Chris introduces this month's Choices, headed by ‘compelling, supremely persuasive performances’ of Franz Schmidt’s symphonies from the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Paavo Järvi on Deutsche Grammophon.
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Interview,
Didier Martin on Alpha Classics 12th October 2020In the wake of their recent victory, the Artistic Director of Gramophone's Label of the Year talks to Katherine about Alpha's philosophy, the importance of building long-term relationships with artists, and some of the new signings around the corner for early 2021.
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Recording of the Week,
Giovanni Antonini conducts Haydn's Die Schöpfung 9th October 2020The Italian conductor makes a slight detour from his project to record all of Haydn's symphonies with an incisive, characterful account of the Creation oratorio.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 9th October 2020 9th October 2020Bach in lockdown from Anna Prohaska and friends, Mozart, Schubert and Liszt from Sophie Pacini, a French song recital with guitar from Laurent Naouri, and Passiontide music by Andreas Hammerschmidt from Vox Luminis.
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Interview,
Simon Trpčeski on Makedonissimo 8th October 2020The Macedonian pianist talks about his new album, which showcases the folk traditions of his roots in new arrangements for his quintet, composed by Pande Shahov.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - November 2020 Choices 7th October 2020Chris introduces this month's selection, with Hervé Niquet's recording of Lully's Armide (featuring a 'career-defining performance' from Véronique Gens in the title-role) at the top of the tree.
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Awards,
Gramophone Awards 2020 - Recording of the Year 6th October 2020The overall winner was revealed at an online ceremony this evening, along with other special prizes including Artist of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Interview,
Joseph Calleja and Dominic Fyfe on The Magic of Mantovani 5th October 2020The Maltese tenor and record-producer discuss bringing Mantovani's music back to life on a new album which sees Calleja 'duetting' with vintage recordings from the Universal Music archives.
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Recording of the Week,
Handel's Semele from John Eliot Gardiner 2nd October 2020John Eliot Gardiner revisits Handel's tempestuous tale of gods and mortals, with show-stopping performances from Louise Alder, Hugo Hymas and Lucile Richardot.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 2nd October 2020 2nd October 2020Donizetti from Diana Damrau and Sir Antonio Pappano, Eric Coates from John Wilson and the BBC Philharmonic, Haydn from the Doric Quartet, and Brahms, Bartók and Liszt from Alexandre Kantorow.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - September 2020 1st October 2020Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for September, with Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra's live recording of Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen and Sinfonietta in first place...
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Presto Editor's Choices,
Presto Editor's Choices - September 2020 30th September 2020Vivaldi with a twist from Patricia Kopatchinskaja, beautifully downsized Mahler from the late Reinbert de Leeuw, and a superbly atmospheric Peter Grimes from Bergen.
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Interview,
Parker Ramsay on Bach's Goldberg Variations 29th September 2020The harpist talks about his new album, on which he performs his own arrangement of Bach's Goldberg Variations.
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Interview,
Michael Collins on his dual career 28th September 2020In the wake of his new recording of Finzi and Vaughan Williams (launching a long-term relationship with BIS), the British clarinettist and conductor talks to Katherine about his 'gradual transition' into directing symphonic repertoire.
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Recording of the Week,
Ermonela Jaho's Anima Rara 25th September 2020The Albanian soprano's debut solo recording on Opera Rara pays tribute to Rosina Storchio, who created the role of Madama Butterfly and was also muse to Leoncavallo, Giordano and Mascagni.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 25th September 2020 25th September 2020New Beethoven recordings from Angela Hewitt and Daniel Lozakovich, Cramer from Howard Shelley and the London Mozart Players, Bach from Raphaël Pichon and Pygmalion, and a 150th anniversary celebration of Vítězslav Novák.