VIDEO INTERVIEW: Ona Jarmalavičiūtė talks to American choral conductor Donald Nally, director of The Crossing, in this fascinating, illustrated, one hour programme.
PROVOCATIVE THOUGHTS:
The late Patric Standford may have written these short pieces deliberately to provoke our feedback. If so, his success is reflected in the rich range of readers' comments appearing at the foot of most of the pages.
VIDEO PODCAST: Slava Ukraini! - recorded on 24 February 2022, the day the world woke up to the news that Vladimir Putin's Russian forces had invaded Ukraine. A fifty minute video which also features Caitríona O'Leary and Eric Fraad discussing their new film Island of Saints, and pays tribute to Joseph Horovitz, Malcolm Troup and Maria Nockin.
Ensemble. In Full Command - British harpist Lucy Nolan plays music by Marcel Tournier, Benjamin Britten, Sally Beamish, Paul Patterson, Tsvetlina Likova and Astor Piazzolla, heard by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Tantalising Appeal - Mike Wheeler listens to the strings of Sinfonia Viva
CD Spotlight. Every Album an Event in Itself - Gerald Fenech listens to soprano Júlia Várady's recordings for Orfeo International. '... in disc after disc one can revel in all the beauty of her characterization ...'
CD Spotlight. Great Entertainment - SOMM Recordings' second volume of film music, enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. 'Iain Sutherland and his Promenade players display no want of energy and each track is tackled with effervescence and enthusiasm, making the music sound even more exciting than it was thought to be.'
An Elitist Dance? - George Colerick writes about the tango
Classical music news. Obituary - Michael Gielen (1927-2019)
CD Spotlight. Innate Musicality - The Eight Seasons of Vivaldi and Piazzolla, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... Yury Revich is a superb soloist, a real virtuoso with tremendous imagination and a splendid use of his instrument.'
Ensemble. Unmistakably Italian - A fresh start for Gnecchi's 'Cassandra', by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. A Wonderful Rendition - Puccini's 'La Fanciulla del West' at the movies impresses Maria Nockin
The Past Cannot Be Changed - Oscar Strasnoy's 'Un Retour', recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Powerful Stuff - Howard Smith was at the last Vector Wellington Orchestra programme engineered by Christine Pearce
CD Spotlight. Simply Dazzling - Piazzolla and Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons', heard by Robert Hugill. '... I rather missed the sound of the bandoneon ...'
A Symbol of Peace - Howard Smith comments on Alberto Portugheis' recent publication
Ensemble. Profoundly Satisfying - 'Theodora' at the London Handel Festival, enjoyed by Robert Hugill
CD Spotlight. A Curate's Egg - Tangos and fantasies, explored by Howard Smith. '... good in parts.'
CD Spotlight. Infectiously joyful - Choral music from the South American folk tradition, appreciated by Malcolm Tattersall. '... one of those rare discs which nearly everyone will like.'
DVD Spotlight. Inexplicable passion - Astor Piazzolla in portrait, appreciated by David Wilkins. '... defying category but never defying mastery.'
Record box - From South America. Little-known piano music, with Basil Ramsey