LISTENING TO TCHAIKOVSKY: Béla Hartmann uses his knowledge of Eastern Europe to argue against the banning of all Russian culture following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
VIDEO PODCAST: Find out about composers from unusual places, including Gerard Schurmann, Giya Kancheli, Nazib Zhiganov and Nodar Gabunia, about singing in cars, and meet Jim Hutton from the RLPO and some of our regular contributors in this eighty-minute February 2021 video.
FROM ROME: Keep in touch with the Italian opera and classical music scene by reading Giuseppe Pennisi's regular reports.
The prizewinning German violinist Isabelle Faust was born in Esslingen in 1972, and began to study violin from the age of five. Her violin teachers were Christoph Poppen and Denes Zsigmondy. She founded a string quartet when she was eleven, and won the Paganini Competition in 1993. She has performed as guest soloist with many of the world's top orchestras and conductors.
She lives in Berlin, where she's professor of violin at the University of the Arts, and she plays the 1704 'Sleeping Beauty' Stradivarius violin. She records for harmonia mundi, often with her duet partner, pianist Alexander Melnikov.
CD Spotlight. A Fine Protagonist - Isabelle Faust plays Bartók violin concertos, recommended by Robert Anderson. 'The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding has accompanied with alert sensitivity ...'
CD Spotlight. Sensitively Aware - Piano concertos and a violin sonata, heard by Robert Anderson. 'The performances do full justice to Shostakovich's demands ...'
CD Spotlight. Supple Artistry - Isabelle Faust plays Berg and Beethoven, heard by Howard Smith. '... alive with dancing quicksilver and spring-heeled agility.'
Ensemble. A Music-lovers' Paradise - Kelly Ferjutz is in awe of some of the musicians at the 2007 West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Ensemble. Beautiful Playing - More chamber music from the south west of Ireland, enjoyed by Kelly Ferjutz