Spotlight. Superb Performances - Amber Lin and Jeffrey Neil investigate Christine Moore Vassallo's journey through Spanish song. 'Christine Moore Vassallo and her ensemble were a delight to experience.'
Spotlight. Anything but Indifferent? - Keith Bramich listens to music by Jane Stanley. '... by turns beautiful, cheeky, dreamy, engaging, gentle, intimate, modern-sounding, poised, reflective, serious, spatial, swirling and thoughtful.'
Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Nothing Written in the Stars
Ensemble. Fine-tuning Still to be Done - Folk-songs collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams, heard by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Handel vs Bononcini - Mike Wheeler listens to the English Concert and soprano Anna Dennis at the Buxton Festival
Ensemble. The Magical Countertenor Voice - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Raffaele Pé
Ensemble. With Pope Francis' Blessing - The first performance of 'L'ultima estate - Memorie di un mondo che non c'è più' by Marcello Filotei, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Chinese Contemporary Music - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Xiaoyong Chen. 'The mixture of colours is very interesting.'
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. 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. 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 - Vienna Deadline - There are a few more days to apply for the 2021 Vienna International Music Competition
CD Spotlight. Absolutely Fantastic - Music by Schnittke for violin and piano, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'The performances are great all round, and this is a useful addition to anyone's collection.'
CD Spotlight. Saying Goodbye - Music in response to Debussy's early death, reviewed by Geoff Pearce. 'The performances are great all round, and this is a useful addition to anyone's collection.'
CD Spotlight. An Absolute Delight - Volume three of Charles Koechlin's 'Les Chants de Nectaire' impresses Geoff Pearce. '... Nicola Woodward's playing is sumptuous, insightful and virtuosic when it needs to be, without ever being flashy.'
CD Spotlight. Animals or Aliens? - Keith Bramich listens, unprepared, to instrumental and chamber music by Enno Poppe. 'These academic new music works are expertly played but won't appeal to everyone.'
CD Spotlight. Fine and Engaging Harpsichord Music - Gerald Fenech listens to works by Gottlieb Muffat and George Frideric Handel. 'Flóra Fábri's technique is solid as a rock, and her judgement of rubato and ornamentation is absolutely unblemished.'
CD Spotlight. A Real Adventure - Christmas in seventeenth century Mexico, conjured up by Siglo de Oro, Patrick Allies and friends, greatly impresses Keith Bramich. 'Siglo de Oro's performances here are superbly well-blended, joyously fresh and optimistic, seemingly flowing over and through the listener, sweeping them along in a stream of Mexican-tinged Renaissance splendour.'
CD Spotlight. An Atmosphere of Serene Beauty - Matthew Washington Kennedy's 'familiar favorites', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Hugely pleasant stuff, passionately executed and recorded.'
CD Spotlight. A Chronological Journey - A box set of Beethoven's keyboard compositions played by Cyprien Katsaris and enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... a clear biographical testament to one of the most influential composers of all time.'
CD Spotlight. Christmas Night - Seventeenth and eighteenth century Italian festive music, strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'This is a compilation full of craft and ingenuity ...'
CD Spotlight. Angels in Paris - Two sets of solo flute music by Charles Koechlin, recommended by Geoff Pearce. '... Nicola Woodward's flute playing in the two sets that I have heard is sumptuous and varied, and one could not wish for a finer performance.'
CD Spotlight. Liszt the Pilgrim - Michele Campanella's recording of Liszt's 'Années de pèlerinage', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... a virtuoso rendering with a very personal touch.'
CD Spotlight. A Philological Discovery - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to a Naxos boxed set of Monteverdi madrigals. 'I think it was successful and is worth listening to by those accustomed to different ways of performing Monteverdi.'
CD Spotlight. Love, Jealousy and Madness - Music inspired by Ariosto's poem 'Orlando Furioso', heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Filippo Mineccia sings with an exceptional timbre that is sensual and luminous, mixing virtuosity with sensitivity, while Pablo Garcia and his ensemble give sympathetic support with their insightful playing.'
Profile. Until Dawn - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė talks to Austrian composer, violinist and lecturer Thomas Wally
CD Spotlight. Truly Riveting Stuff - Gerald Fenech explores a harmonia mundi disc depicting folly in various forms. 'This music is without doubt Stephanie d'Oustrac's territory, and she once again rises to the occasion with some superlative singing full of heartfelt passion, feverish emotion and dramatic intensity.'
CD Spotlight. Changes of Mood - Geoff Pearce is impressed by Carl Nielsen's music for solo violin and for violin and piano. 'The performances are of a high standard, as one would expect, and violinist Hasse Borup and pianist Andrew Staupe play the music with great affection and attention to detail.'
CD Spotlight. In Tune with the Changing Times - Giuseppe Pennisi discovers the eighteenth century Neapolitan composer Girolamo Rossi. '... an important discovery.'
Ensemble. Innovative for the Time - Giuseppe Pennisi discovers Nicola Bonifacio Logroscino's Stabat Mater at the Ravello Festival
CD Spotlight. Translucent Performances - Gerald Fenech listens to music written for Louis XIII. '... a rich array of delicately chiselled miniatures full of fragile beauty and sweet-sounding textures.'
CD Spotlight. A Good Anthology - The story of Dido, Queen of Carthage, as seen by eight Baroque composers, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi. '... this is a book and two CDs to enjoy and to make an elegant gift.'
CD Spotlight. A Stupendous Disc - Roderic Dunnett listens to countertenor duets by Purcell and Blow. 'The music is sensationally beautiful and touching - and so are the performances.'
Ensemble. Airborne Twice - Giuseppe Pennisi attends a cello and piano recital unexpectedly
Ensemble. Baroque Oratorios in Rome - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to selections of music by Alessandro Scarlatti, Bernado Pasquini and George Frideric Handel
CD Spotlight. Stellar Performances - Handel Cantatas, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... music of the utmost beauty, full of emotional outpourings that cover the whole spectrum of the human condition ...'
CD Spotlight. An Outstanding Selection - Music by Christoph Graupner, strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Exquisitely beautiful music, superbly performed, sumptuously recorded and splendidly packaged.'
CD Spotlight. Telling Clarity - Telemann concertos impress Gerald Fenech. '... in the Berliners' hands Telemann's music sounds even more trailblazing than maybe the composer intended.'
CD Spotlight. Consummate Skill - William Christie's Les Arts Florissants, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... each piece comes to life with inimitable charm and grace.'
Ensemble. Spine-tingling - Mike Wheeler is impressed by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen on tour
CD Spotlight. A Winning Combination - Songs, ballads and rondos based on Haydn, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... unfailingly practiced in late eighteenth century performing style ...'