Featured today
Spotlight. Highly Prized — Gerald Fenech passionately recommends Anita Cerquetti singing Verdi. '... one of the greatest voices of the twentieth century ...'
Twenty-five years ago today
CD Spotlight — Magnificent and Aweful. Peter Dale considers Messiaen's impact on the ear (published 6 November 1999)
Twenty years ago today
Record box. Legato blues — David Johnstone plays assorted music for solo cello, reviewed by Patric Standford (published 6 November 2004)
Anniversaries
Antoine Busnois (1492); Heinrich Schütz (1672); Georg Anton Benda (1795); John Philip Sousa (1854); Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860); Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1893); Mykola Lysenko (1912); Maurice Bourgue (1939); James Bowman (1941); Daniele Gatti (1961); Edgard Varèse (1965); Hans Keller (1985); Anthony Scott (2000); Zoltán Kocsis (2016)
Today's background image
Derived from Scene 3 from Act IV (or Act V in the original version) of the 1884 Milan version of Verdi's Don Carlo at La Scala by Piedmontese artist Carlo Cornaglia (flourished 1854-99), engraved by Giuseppe Barberis (circa 1840-circa 1917)
Recent Articles
Spotlight. Most Welcome — Geoff Pearce listens to William Walton's complete songs. 'I was very impressed with the originality of this prgramme.'
Spotlight. Fascinating and Powerful — Gerald Fenech highly recommends Marc-André Hamelin's recent Hyperion recording of Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata. '... inspirational performances overflowing with arresting pianism.'
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney — Hard Time
Ensemble. Unusually Memorable — Ron Bierman was in the audience for Mendelssohn, Bruch and Tchaikovsky from Paul Huang and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antonio Méndez
Classical music news. November 2024 Newsletter — Our November 2024 PDF newsletter has just been published
Ensemble. Sheer Originality — Mike Wheeler is engrossed by Walton, Bliss and Holst from Guy Johnston, Andrew Manze and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
The Bird Has Flown — Peter King says farewell to his favourite BBC Radio 3 'Saturday Breakfast' host, Elizabeth Alker
Spotlight. Emotional Joy and Gladness — Gerald Fenech warmly recommends Christmas music from the Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. 'An enthralling compilation, flawlessly performed, that should prepare the listener for the celebrations of Christmastide, even at this early stage.'
Classical music news. Finland and the Finnish — International Opera Awards, Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Timo Mustakallio and Mirjam Helin Singing Competitions
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney — Joy!
Ensemble. A Varied and Fascinating Evening — Keith Bramich experiences music by Noriko Koide, Saint-Saëns, Prokofiev and Bartók from pianist Mao Fujita and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elim Chan, live at the Helsinki Music Centre in Finland
Spotlight. Strikingly Individual — Keith Bramich finds the music of Moses Pergament haunting, strange and sad. 'All the performances here are excellent.'
Ensemble. Utterly Gripping — Mike Wheeler is pleased to hear Sheku Kanneh-Mason, John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London performing music by Kenneth Hesketh, Shostakovich and Rachmaninov
Classical music news. Autumn in Finland — John Storgårds conducts a special concert in Lapland
Spotlight. An Interesting and Varied Release — Geoff Pearce recommends Hanni Liang's album of piano music by women composers. 'I was very impressed with the originality of this prgramme.'
Spotlight. A Compelling Issue — Gerald Fenech strongly recommends a new recording of music by Gustav Holst and his contemporaries. '... performances are as charming as they are abundantly sensitive.'
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney — Kids' Stuff
Classical music news - October 2024 Obituaries — Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Spotlight. Enjoyable and Colourful — Geoff Pearce discovers the music of Richard Stöhr. 'The orchestral playing by Sinfonia Varsovia and direction by Ian Hobson are excellent ...'
Ensemble. Compelling Performance — Mike Wheeler listens to Robert Schumann, Schubert and Chopin, played by Turkish pianist Can Çakmur
Ensemble. Thoughtfully Put-together — Mike Wheeler attends a music and poetry event and concludes that further similar events would be well-received
Classical music news. Paraorchestra — A Bristol-based orchestra is to perform at Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music in the UK and at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Spotlight. Quite a Challenge — Geoff Pearce enjoys Dobromir Tsenov's performances of L'ubomir Pipkov's piano music. 'Tsenov's commitment, stylish playing and clarity of execution are outstanding ...'
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney — Play it again, Tom
Ensemble. Not the Longest Ever Written — Ron Bierman listens to Mahler's 'Resurrection' Symphony and a new work by Thomas Larcher in San Diego's newly renovated Jacobs Music Center
Pettine — A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae
Classical music news. Obituary — Leif Segerstam (1944-2024)
Classical music news. New Releases for October 2024 and Later — Browse a selection of new recordings
Ensemble. Quite a Revelation — Mike Wheeler attends the first concert of Nottingham's new orchestral season, with John Storgårds conducting the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in music by Maurice Ravel, Camille Saint-Saëns and Igor Stravinsky
Classical music news - Mascagni a Cerignola — Announcing the world's first 'eye music' opera
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney — The Be All and End All
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