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Classical music news. February 2025 Newsletter - Our February 2025 PDF newsletter has just been published
Classical music news - Donatella Flick Conducting Competition - Young European conductors are invited to apply for the December 2025 competition in London
Classical music news - January 2025 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Ensemble. An Example To Us All - Roderic Dunnett's take on the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain's January 2025 tour
Classical music news. January 2025 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our January 2025 video newsletter - Music and the Visual World
Classical music news. Madeira Music Festival - Details of the March 2025 edition of a festival based in the North Atlantic
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney - Heaven and Hell
Spotlight. Together - Keith Bramich listens to Arnaud Fillion's 'Kune'. 'surprisingly accessible, varied, mostly traditional sounding and upbeat.'
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney - The blood-dimmed tide
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney - Towards the flame
Spotlight. Hope and Rebirth - Keith Bramich enjoys a piano recital by Ross Salvosa. '... expert, secure and fluid interpretations ...'
Classical music news. Burkard Schliessmann - SOMM Recordings announces the exclusive signing of German pianist Burkard Schliessmann
Classical music news. Punkt Kontrapunkt - A selection of forthcoming performances
Ensemble. Invigorating, Appetising and Beguiling - Roderic Dunnett discovers Giuseppe Gazzaniga's 'Alcina's Island' at Bampton Classical Opera
Classical music news. New Releases for August 2024 and Later - Browse a selection of new recordings
Classical music news. War Sonatas - A concert this weekend in Australia features the War Sonatas of Michael Kieran Harvey
Resounding Echoes by Robert McCarney - Imaginary Concert No 2
Spotlight. Denmark's Greatest Conductor? - Gerald Fenech delves into more volumes of Danacord's 'Thomas Jensen Legacy' series. 'Strongly recommended.'
Classical music news - Birmingham Classical Season - B:Music announces its 2024/25 Birmingham (UK) Classical Season at Symphony Hall
Classical music news. New Releases for April 2024 and Later - Browse a selection of new recordings
Ensemble. Dazzling Virtuosity - Mike Wheeler listens to Valentin Silvestrov, Rachmaninov, Manuel de Falla and Musorgsky from Russian pianist Victor Maslov
Classical music news. March 2024 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our March 2024 one hour video newsletter - Classical Music and Politics
Classical music news - Weight in the Fingertips - Ukrainian-American pianist Inna Faliks' recent book tells the story of her upbringing in a Soviet state and her path to becoming a concert pianist
Classical music news - February 2024 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Spotlight. Feverishly Exciting - Gerald Fenech ardently recommends Skrowaczewski's 2016 recording of Bruckner's Eighth Symphony. '... full of energy and emotional visionary splendour ...'
Spotlight. A Romantic Piano Master - Esdras Mugatik listens to Shura Cherkassky. '... a magical capacity to differentiate levels of sound ...'
Spotlight. Soul-searching Works - Gerald Fenech emphatically recommends orchestral music by Tchaikovsky. '... the singing is consistently exquisite, marvellously balanced and warmly intimate.'
Classical music news. New Releases for February 2024 and Later - Browse a selection of new recordings
Spotlight. Virtuosic Flair - Gerald Fenech recommends dance music played by Daniel Hope and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. 'Daniel Hope's fiddle-playing is just phenomenal ...'
Classical music news - Composers and Conductors - A selection of news items from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, the UK and elsewhere
Spotlight. A Very Original Compilation - Geoff Pearce appreciates Piotr Anderszewski's recordings of Janáček, Szymanowski and Bartók. '... dazzling technique ...'
Spotlight. Polish and Sensitivity - Stephen Francis Vasta listens to music for piano and orchestra by Anton Rubinstein. 'The performance is excellent ...'
Classical music news - December 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Spotlight. Warmth and Sonoric Exuberance - Gerald Fenech heartily recommends Tugan Sokhiev conducting brass arrangements of well-known overtures. '... exhilarating, spectacular, absorbing.'
Spotlight. Colourful and Exciting - Geoff Pearce listens to early orchestral music by Sergei Rachmaninov conducted by Leonard Slatkin. '... this reissue is most welcome ...'
Ensemble. Vertical and Horizontal Threads - Mike Wheeler listens to Sinfonia Viva's wind principals playing music by Maddy Aldis-Evans and Musorgsky
Ensemble. Exceptionally Vivid Playing - Mike Wheeler listens to a highly charged performance by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine
Classical music news. New Releases for November 2023 and Later - Browse a selection of new recordings
Classical music news - September 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Classical music news. September 2023 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Ensemble. Unexpected Pleasures - Ron Bierman was at the opening of La Jolla Music Society's Summerfest season
A Fresh, Different View - Roderic Dunnett previews Adrian Partington's 2023 Gloucester Three Choirs Festival
Classical music news. Appointments - New (and existing) jobs for members of the international classical music community
CD Spotlight. Heavy Going - Anton Rubinstein piano concertos Nos 3 and 5, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. 'Anna Shelest does what she can with the material - her big chords are resonant, and her sparkling arpeggios delightful ...'
Classical music news. May 2023 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
CD Spotlight. An Impressive Calling Card - Eight new North American works for solo cello and orchestra impress Paul Sarcich. 'Recording and orchestral playing are first rate, so the composers have been well served.'
Ensemble. A Curiously Unfamiliar Masterpiece - Malcolm Miller is impressed by Hana Mizuta-Spencer's performance of Ernest Bloch's Violin Concerto
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Randomness Run Riot
Classical music news - March 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Classical music news. March 2023 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Ensemble. 'Doktor Faust' returns to Florence - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Ferruccio Busoni's opera
Classical music news. February 2023 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Classical music news - January Newsletter and December Obituaries - Our January 2023 PDF newsletter has just been published, along with a summary of those the classical music world lost in December 2022
Ensemble. Breathtaking Energy and Commitment - Mike Wheeler listens to Filarmonica Braşov
Ensemble. 'Boris' at La Scala - Giuseppe Pennisi is impressed by the HD transmission from Milan of Modest Musorgsky's opera
Classical music news. December 2022 Newsletter - Our December 2022 PDF newsletter has just been published
Classical music news - November 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Ensemble. Present-day Concerns - Mike Wheeler listens to music by Valentin Silvestrov and Karl Jenkins
Classical music news. November 2022 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Classical music news - October 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Fragments of Utopia
Classical music news. October 2022 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
CD Spotlight. Secret Love Letters - Lisa Batiashvili plays Chausson, Debussy, Franck and Szymanowski, warmly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Batiashvili plays this programme with ultra-sensitive feeling and moving emotional ardour that penetrate right to the heart of this sublime music which reveals the inscrutable depths of the human soul.'
CD Spotlight. Outcast Composers - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to the Matangi Quartet. '... an excellent way to get acquainted with an important yet difficult period of Russian music.'
CD Spotlight. A Magnificent and Powerful Recording - Geoff Pearce listens to Augustin Hadelich. '... an impressive technique and tone ...'
Classical music news. August 2022 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Classical music news. August 2022 Newsletter - Our August 2022 PDF newsletter has just been published
CD Spotlight. Spirit of a Nation - Gerald Fenech is impressed by music of nineteenth century Polish composers Henryk Wieniawski, Ignacy Feliks Dobrzyński and Karol Kurpiński. '... both players and soloists surpass themselves with passionate renditions ...'
CD Spotlight. An Additional Significance and Poignancy - Gerald Fenech listens to César Franck orchestral music, recorded in Ukraine. 'Francisco Varela draws the very best from the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine, and performances are consistently fresh, alive and often compelling.'
CD Spotlight. Interesting and Quite Unique - Geoff Pearce commends this set of orchestral music by Ukrainian composer Boris Lyatoshynsky. 'There is some very impressive playing here by this magnificent orchestra.'
Classical music news. June 2022 New Releases - Browse a large selection of new recordings
Ensemble. Merging Scores with Care - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys the ballet 'Il Corsaro'
Ensemble. Stewards of Creation - Haydn's 'The Creation' marks Harry Christophers' final concert with Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, heard by John Dante Prevedini
Classical music news. May 2022 Newsletter - Our May 2022 PDF newsletter has just been published
Classical music news. Music Competitions - Here are details of various music competitions taking place during the coming months
Ensemble. Welcome Back, Puritani - Giuseppe Pennisi was in the audience, in Rome, for Bellini's last great masterpiece
Ensemble. An Interesting Contamination of Genres - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the first Italian performance of 'The Passion according to St Mark' by contemporary Polish composer Paweł Mykietyn
Classical music news. April 2022 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our April 2022 newsletter
Ensemble. Two Performances of 'Turandot' in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi attended one and saw the other on TV
Profile. Andriy Lehki - John Dante Prevedini interviews Ukrainian musicologist Andriy Lehki about his undelivered 24 February 2022 lecture, 'Minimalism - The Pathway to Success'
CD Spotlight. Uncloaking a Sonic Universe - John Dante Prevedini listens to Rebeca Omordia's album 'African Pianism'. '... a compact, balanced and vital gateway to the work of African composers in the Western classical tradition ...'
Classical music news - March 2022 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Ensemble. Simply Outstanding - Mike Wheeler is impressed by performances of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Myroslav Skoryk from Patricia Kopatchinskaya, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Classical music news. No Russian Music? - Should we ban Tchaikovsky because of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine?
Listening to Tchaikovsky - Béla Hartmann asks some searching questions about the pressure being placed on Russian artists following Putin's invasion of Ukraine
Classical music news. March 2022 Newsletter - Watch and listen to our March 2022 newsletter
Ensemble. Complete Assurance - Mike Wheeler listens to Mozart, Debussy and Prokofiev, played by Ke Ma
Ensemble. Nicely Contrasted - Mike Wheeler listens to Christmas music from Derby Bach Choir, Derventio Brass and Old Vicarage School Choir
Classical music news. Obituary - Igor Oistrakh (1931-2021)
Ensemble. When I'm Sixty-Four - Giuseppe Pennisi visits the Spoleto Festival
Ensemble. Down with the Piano Lid - Mike Wheeler listens to Ivan Hovorun
Ensemble. A Ukrainian Star in Rome - Oksana Lyniv makes her Rome debut, experienced by Giuseppe Pennisi
Classical music news. Upgrading to the Visual - Classical Music Daily's January 2021 Newsletter has just been published in a new video podcast format
Classical music news. Obituary - Ivry Gitlis (1922-2020)
Classical music news. Winner's Tour - Dmytro Choni gives recitals in Spain after winning the nineteenth Paloma O'Shea Santander International Piano Competition
CD Spotlight. Ostentatiously Evocative - Vadim Gluzman plays music by Pēteris Vasks, heard by Patrick Maxwell. 'The music on this impressive recording deserves much larger recognition ...'
Ensemble. Promised in Marriage - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro
CD Spotlight. Passionate Language - Violin Concertos by the late Myroslav Skoryk, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Andrej Bielow is an enthusiastic advocate of his compatriot's music, and his flowing virtuosity gives these works a glowing attire; also, concern to every phrase and nuance is consistently in focus. Sirenko and his Ukraine ensemble give unbridled support.'
Classical music news. Obituary - Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020)
Classical music news - June 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
CD Spotlight. Audacious Symphonic Language - Prokofiev's Symphonies Nos 3 and 6 played by the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Pietari Inkinen and his German ensemble are on top form and both symphonies receive compelling interpretations full of cohesive and dynamic playing.'
Classical music news. Obituary - Myroslav Skoryk (1938-2020)
Classical music news - March 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world lost last month
Classical music news. Stjepan Hauser - The Croatian cellist performs with orchestra at Egypt's Soma Bay in April 2020
Ensemble. A Clear Success - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to contemporary music in a baroque setting
Ensemble. Imaginative Freshness - Mike Wheeler listens to Beethoven, Mozart and Rachmaninov from Sasha Grynyuk
Ensemble. A Safety-first Programme - Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Dvorák from Alexander Gavrylyuk, Karl-Heinz Steffens and the Hallé Orchestra, heard by Mike Wheeler
CD Spotlight. Beautiful Writing - Music by Kara Karayev, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... I think this composer will become more widely known - he certainly deserves to be, if these two quite contrasting and original works are anything to go by.'
CD Spotlight. Powerfully Transcendent - Cantata for the Children of Terezin, recommended by the late Howard Smith. '... all the authority and seriousness a topic of this magnitude deserves.'
CD Spotlight. Inspirational and Reflective - Sacred music by Georgy Sviridov, praised by Geoff Pearce. '... beautiful, pure and never forced or showy.'
CD Spotlight. Virtuosic Gifts - Music by Mykola Lysenko, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... superb craftsmanship ...'
CD Spotlight. Bewildering Delight - Valentina Lisitsa plays Philip Glass, impressing Gerald Fenech. 'A must for all Glass enthusiasts ...'
Ensemble. Utterly Idiomatic - Roderic Dunnett listens to vocal and choral music in Kiev
CD Spotlight. War and Peace - Music by Karabits and Silvestrov, heard by Howard Smith. 'Another enterprising feather in Naxos' richly plumaged cap.'
CD Spotlight. Tonal Resources - Inesa Sinkevych plays Schubert, heard by Howard Smith. '... pleasingly enterprising.'
Ensemble. Informative and Exhilarating - Chamber and instrumental music from China and elsewhere, heard by Maria Nockin
CD Spotlight. Constant Discoveries - Catherine Gordeladze's Kapustin études and preludes delight Howard Smith. '... truly original works ...'
Perfection Itself - Michail Lifits at London's Wigmore Hall delights Bill Newman
Ensemble. Artistic Magic - Seraphic Fire's Rachmaninov Vespers, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen
CD Spotlight. Beautifully Considered - Music for violin and viola, heard by Howard Smith. 'Braun has a firm, bright, highly focused tone ...'
CD Spotlight. Elgar and Bax - A sepia album from World War I, heard by George Balcombe. '... intense emotion, beautifullly replicated ...'
CD Spotlight. Spellbinding Artistry - Jonathan Plowright plays Chopin, recommended by Howard Smith. '... positively hair-raising.'
CD Spotlight. Utmost Clarity - William Appling plays Joplin and Bach, heard by Howard Smith. '... consistently four square, honest, unpretentious ...'
CD Spotlight. A Spectral Atmosphere - Murray McLachlan plays music by Shostakovich and friends, recommended by Howard Smith. '... an outright triumph for the label and for McLachlan.'
Dual Personality? - In the 20th anniversary year of Bernstein's death, Giuseppe Pennisi writes about Italy's homage to Lenny
CD Spotlight. Such Clarity - Piano music by Prokofiev, heard by Robert Anderson. '... enviable simplicity and beauty of tone.'
Ensemble. High Energy Performance - A 'Salute to Vienna' concert, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen
CD Spotlight. Invigoratingly Natural - Van Beinum conducts Mahler, recommended by Howard Smith. '... a tad less frenetic ...'
CD Spotlight. Impeccable Technique - Beethoven's middle string quartets, heard by Robert Anderson. 'The outer movements induce some grinding of teeth.'
Thank You Mama - Bill Newman talks to pianist Igor Tchetuev
Ardent Charms - Bill Newman reviews two recitals by pianist Igor Tchetuev
Marvelously Gifted - Bill Newman listens to pianist Alexander Romanovsky
CD Spotlight. A Striking Urgency - Schnittke and Ginastera from the Choir of St Ignatius Loyola, reviewed by Howard Smith. 'Not quite what one might expect.'
An Unexpected Treasure - Jeanette Hanscome talks to author Helen Martens about her new book 'Felix Mendelssohn: Out of the Depths of His Heart'
Record Box. Unjustly Neglected - Violin concertos by Nikolay Roslavets impress Gerald Fenech
CD Spotlight. Striking Beauty - Rachmaninov's Vespers, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... marvellous tonal exactitude, pellucid control, superb diction ...'
Record Box. Orchestrated Boldly - Music by Hampson Sisler, reviewed by Patric Standford
CD Spotlight. Refreshingly Innovative - Music by John Beckwith, reviewed by Natalie Artemas-Polak. '... an important voice in Canadian music ...'
Ensemble. Radiant Lyricism - Victoria Grigorieva and Ekaterina Lebedeva play Beethoven and Ravel, reviewed by Malcolm Miller
Ensemble. Absurdly Melodramatic - Mike Wheeler catches up with a touring production of 'La Traviata'
A Pianistic Firecracker - A lunchtime recital by Tali Morgulis, enjoyed by Malcolm Troup
Ensemble. Expansively Romantic - Teatro Lirico d'Europa's 'La Traviata', reviewed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. pppp or ppppp? - Valentyn Silvestrov at the Pinothek der Moderne, Munich, reviewed by Sissy von Kotzebue
CD Spotlight. Touching Hearts - Yale Strom's 'Café Jew Zoo', reviewed by Ioana Osoianu. '... beautifully sung by Elizabeth Schwartz.'
Record box. A well-planned introduction - Orchestral music by Ukrainian composers, reviewed by Carson Cooman
Ensemble. Roulades of passion - Oleh Krysa and Tatiana Tchekina at London's Wigmore Hall, reviewed by Bill Newman
Ensemble. Contrasting pianists - by Bill Newman
CD Spotlight. Schnabel and Richter - Piano music by Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... as varied as the works themselves.'
Ensemble. Gypsy fire - Lawrence Budmen is impressed by Ukrainian violinist Vadim Gluzman
CD Spotlight. Instant impact - Khachaturian's Violin Concerto, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... above praise.'
CD Spotlight. Quite lovely - Samuel Barber's 'Vanessa', appreciated by David Wilkins. 'Andrea Matthews is a very powerful Erika ...'
A passionate campaign - Tamami Honma's Wigmore Hall solo recital début impresses Keith Bramich
CD Spotlight. To be a composer - Benjamin Lees' Symphony No 4, appreciated by Ron Bierman. '... Buswell's playing is consistently rich and beautiful.'
Ensemble. Spotlight in Miami - Gifted artists at the International Piano Festival, by Lawrence Budmen
A tough task - Keith Bramich ponders on the art of the conductor, and attends the 2002 Donatella Flick Conducting Competition
Unbreakable spirit - Galina Aleykina reports on a concert at the Ukraine National Opera House in memory of the events of September 11th
Beautifully together - Roderic Dunnett enjoys the Ukrainian State Opera Company of Odessa's 'La Traviata'
The passing of a legend - Nathan Perelman (1906-2002)
Record Box - The Russian Psyche - Sadness in song, with Basil Ramsey