Featured today
CD Spotlight. Dramatic Potency and Marvellous Clarity — Gerald Fenech listens to piano music by German-born Danish composer Friedrich Kuhlau. 'Marie-Luise Bodendorff is an inspired and enthusiastic interpreter of this rare but lovely repertoire ...'
Twenty-one years ago today
CD Spotlight — Beauty and Pleasure, Time and Disillusion - Wilfrid Mellers examines Handel's Il Trionfo del Tempo e della Verita (published 18 May 2000)
Anniversaries
Georg Böhm (1733); Isaac Albéniz (1909); Gustav Mahler (1911); Boris Christoff (1914); Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (2012); John Poole (2020)
Today's background image
Derived from an illustration by an unknown author of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Marie's arrival in Copenhagen on 4 September 1790
Recent Articles
CD Spotlight. An Exemplary Partnership — Geoff Pearce is impressed by Mozart Violin Sonatas transcribed and played by oboist Olivier Stankiewicz, accompanied by Jonathan Ware. '... the performances here are astounding.'
Classical music news. Obituary — Ester Mägi (1922-2021)
CD Spotlight. A Unique Orchestral Mastery — Music by Walter Braunfels, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Gregor Bühl ... marshalls his forces with full-blooded conviction, and his orchestra responds brilliantly to Braunfels' luscious musical language ...'
CD Spotlight. A Master of Improvisation — Music by Roland Dyens played by Anna Mnich and recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'The guitarist is clean in her execution, sympathetic in her musical treatment and her harmonics are flawless.'
Ensemble. A Fitting Environmentalist Update — Adam J Sacks listens to Prokofiev in Hong Kong
Ensemble. A Quartet of Jubilation — Vocal music by Wagner and Richard Strauss, streamed from Germany and enjoyed by Maria Nockin
CD Spotlight. Modernity and Sweeping Power — Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony on period instruments impresses Gerald Fenech. '... Beethoven's intended instrumental balances and effects are brought alive once more in revelatory fashion.'
Ensemble. A Conductor's Opera — Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys a streamed/televised production of Verdi's 'Luisa Miller' from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
CD Spotlight. A True Rarity — Adolphe Adam's ballet 'La filleule des fées', heard by Gerald Fenech. '... brilliant orchestration, some knock-out tunes and an abundance of rhythmic energy.'
Ensemble. Parsifal's Jail — Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Richard Wagner's 'Parsifal', streamed from Vienna State Opera
CD Spotlight. The Perfect Musical Mixture — Gerald Fenech listens to music by Johann Rosenmüller. 'Gregor Meyer and his forces give disciplined yet highly laudable performances, and their commitment to the cause is spirited and vibrant.'
CD Spotlight. Violin Concertos with Oriental Flavors — Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to music by Nai-Chung Kuan and Joel Hoffman. '... a new musical experience ...'
CD Spotlight. Technical Brilliance — James Willshire plays piano music by Cecil Coles and Gustav Holst, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'James Willshire is renowned for his virtuosity and intelligence of his keyboard mastery, and all this is on display in this recital.'
CD Spotlight. Highly Characterful and Dynamic — Lucas Ball listens to Beethoven from Igor Levit and Xiaohan Wang. '... most of what this CD has to offer is top notch ...'
Ensemble. Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Re-opens — Giuseppe Pennisi was in a box for the opening night
Ensemble. Figaro via Laugh-in — Ron Bierman reviews San Diego Opera's parking-lot production of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'
Classical music news. Streaming, Downloads and CDs — Classical Music Daily's May 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast
CD Spotlight. A Journey of Unending Delights — Music by Paul Wranitzky impresses Gerald Fenech. 'The Neumeyer Consort's performances display a mastery of Boismortier's language that is just astonishing ...'
CD Spotlight. History of an Ancient Town — Music by Paul Hindemith, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'This excellent disc has strong performances by orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists.'
Ensemble. The Right Touch — Gaetano Donizetti's 'The Elixir of Love', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Rollicking Comedy — Maria Nockin reports from San Diego Opera's drive-in performances of Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville'
Classical music news. Obituary — Christa Ludwig (1928-2021)
CD Spotlight. A Prodigious Compositional Career — Gerald Fenech listens to music by French baroque composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. 'The Neumeyer Consort's performances display a mastery of Boismortier's language that is just astonishing ...'
Ensemble. Pelléas in the Waters — Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a new Italian production of Debussy's opera via TV
CD Spotlight. A Lovely Gesture — Stephen Francis Vasta listens to Latvian conductor Mariss Jansons' last concert. 'The home listener, even without visual evidence, can sense that all was not well.'
CD Spotlight. A Dazzling Career and a Dissolute Life — Two versions of Alessandro Stradella's serenata 'La Circe', reviewed by Gerald Fenech. 'Estevan Velardi executes this rare programme with exceptional insight and skill ...'
Classical music news - April 2021 Obituaries — Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
CD Spotlight. Exciting and Superbly Executed — Franz Schreker's opera 'Der ferne Klang', highly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Sebastian Weigle conducts this stirring but difficult work with wonderful intuition, bringing out all the luscious orchestral beauty with disarming clarity.'
A Thriller about a Score — Giuseppe Pennisi explores a new critical edition of Palestrina's 'Missa Papae Marcelli'
CD Spotlight. The Voice of Nature — John Dante Prevedini listens to music by contemporary Latvian composer Santa Ratniece. '... the intelligence of the earth itself ...'
CD Spotlight. Different Worlds — Haydn symphonies, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'György Vashegyi ... conducts these absolutely sparkling pieces with formidable authority and unbridled zeal ... and his players respond with some utterly warm performances, brimming with bouncy wit and humour yet equally incisive drive.'
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