Featured today
CD Spotlight. Extremely Rare — 'Mademoiselle de Belle-Isle' by Spyridon Samaras, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances are excellent ...'
Twenty years ago today
Record box — Trawling for treasure. Bill Newman seeks out Golden Age performers now reinstated on CD. Sviatoslav Richter on BBC Legends (published 20 June 2001)
Anniversaries
Carl Friedrich Abel (1787); Jacques Offenbach (1819); Ingrid Haebler (1929); Gustaf Allan Pettersson (1980)
Today's background image
Derived from an anonymous sixteenth century fresco from Meteora in Greece, combining the Four Living Creatures into one tetramorph
Recent Articles
CD Spotlight. A Strong Partnership — Riviera Lazeri and David Boldrini play Martinů Cello Sonatas, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... the performances on this disc are truly very admirable.'
Aix and Pains — Giuseppe Pennisi previews the 2021 edition of the Aix-en-Provence Festival
Ensemble. Black and White — Verdi's 'Il trovatore' from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Down with the Piano Lid — Mike Wheeler listens to Ivan Hovorun
CD Spotlight. Artistic Heritage — Music by Henry Purcell and John Taverner, unreservedly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... the singing and playing are consistently warm and passionate ...'
CD Spotlight. Transcendental Studies — The music of English composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji from an Italian perspective, by Giuseppe Pennisi. 'On the two CDs, Fredrik Ullén demonstrates enthusiasm for Sorabji as well as high technical skills.'
CD Spotlight. A Monumental Composition — Bruckner's first symphony transcribed for organ, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... towering performances ...'
Ensemble. Time to Become More Widely Known — Keith Bramich listens to orchestral and chamber music by Adrian Williams
Profile. Paul Zicheng Fu: A Life in Music — Gordon Andrew R investigates a Chinese-born composer who has settled in Canada
Ensemble. Three Days in Ravenna — Giuseppe Pennisi samples Northern Italy's high profile and wide-ranging arts festival
CD Spotlight. The Composer-Pianist Reimagined — John Dante Prevedini listens to music by contemporary Norwegian composer-pianist Andreas Ihlebæk. '... a rich expressiveness underneath the veil of subtlety and self-restraint.'
CD Spotlight. Intensely Personal and Complex — Gerald Fenech listens to Mahler's Seventh Symphony on a recording from a brand new label. 'Kirill Petrenko keeps the music flowing with grace and conviction ...'
CD Spotlight. A Bridge between Musical Cultures — Music by Lukas Ligeti, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi. 'If you like electronic music and African (even archaic) music, this CD is your perfect cup of tea.'
Classical music news. Obituary — Alexander Maykapar (1946-2021)
CD Spotlight. Truly Breathtaking Music — Willem Jeths' Requiem, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'Kelly God is phenomenal and James Gaffigan's direction of the very fine forces is inspired.'
CD Spotlight. Rachmaninov's 'Choral Symphony' — Stephen Francis Vasta is impressed by Dmitrij Kitajenko's recordings of Rachmaninov and Taneyev. '... a colourful, engaged reading ...'
CD Spotlight. An Invaluable Collection — Symphonies by Marcel Poot, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... generally the playing and sound is very good.'
Ensemble. Chaos Instead of Music? — Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Wagner and Shostakovich in a triumphant concert by Alejo Pérez and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma Orchestra
Classical music news. Defining Our Field — Classical Music Daily's June 2021 Newsletter is a panel discussion led by John Dante Prevedini, and has just been published as a video podcast
CD Spotlight. Truly Exciting — Music by Alexander von Zemlinsky and Franz Schreker, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Petrenko has this music in his blood, and the performances have a sweep and power that keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.'
CD Spotlight. Challenging Music — Erwin Schulhoff's only opera, 'Flammen', reviewed by Gerald Fenech. 'The performance is exhilarating and the recording sumptuous.'
CD Spotlight. A Kiss from the Queen — Johann Strauss II's only opera, 'Ritter Pásmán', heard by Gerald Fenech. '... vibrantly performed by the Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra and finely conducted by Alfred Walter.'
Classical music news. Petrichor Competition and Save Lev's Violin — The submission deadline for a new international music competition will pass in a few days' time, and money is being raised to restore a precious violin
Classical music news - May 2021 Obituaries — Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Ensemble. A Ukrainian Star in Rome — Oksana Lyniv makes her Rome debut, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Three Divas — Maria Nockin reviews a streamed recital from Versailles, given by Ailyn Pérez, Nadine Sierra, Isabel Leonard, Vlad Iftinca and Pablo Sáinz-Villegas
Defining Our Field — John Dante Prevedini asks what is 'classical music' to us, why are we involved and what can we learn from our differences?
CD Spotlight. Delightful and Colourful — Geoff Pearce recommends a new Chandos recording of music by Henri Dutilleux. 'This music will delight all who hear it ...'
CD Spotlight. Innermost Tenderness — Gerald Fenech listens to arias by Johann Joseph Fux. 'Maria Ladurner is an inspired and impassioned advocate of Fux's music, and her supreme performances have a thrilling realism that brings out all the contrasting timbres of this fragile yet gravitas-filled music.'
CD Spotlight. The Roaring Twenties — Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the first complete recording of Reynaldo Hahn's 'Ô mon bel inconnu'. '... a period-piece that, musically, can be very much enjoyed today ...'
CD Spotlight. Truly Revelatory — Music by English composer Cipriani Potter, highly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Howard Griffiths and his BBC National Orchestra of Wales players deliver electrifying performances full of rhythmic vitality and lyrical warmth ...'
MORE ARTICLES
SPONSORED: Vocal Glory - Massenet's Manon in HD from New York Metropolitan Opera, enjoyed by Maria Nockin.
