A selection of 'percussion music' articles

Spotlight. Complex and Interesting - Songs for tenor, violin, cello and percussion, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. '... the tenor, Brian Thorsett, has an admirable technique ...'

Spotlight. Evocative and Quite Compelling - On the basis of the two works heard here, Geoff Pearce believes that Emily Howard's music will stand the test of time. '... the assembled forces have done a splendid job in delivering a rather startling performance.'

Ensemble. Conjuring the Spirit of Bernstein - Adam J Sacks reports on two Boston Symphony Orchestra concerts at Tanglewood

Ensemble. Unexpected Pleasures - Ron Bierman was at the opening of La Jolla Music Society's Summerfest season

CD Spotlight. A Moravian in Vienna - Keith Bramich listens to Wranitzky sinfonias. '... sprightly and intelligently played readings ...'

CD Spotlight. The Space as an Instrument - John Dante Prevedini listens to the fine sonic details of music by the late Alvin Lucier

CD Spotlight. Saariaho's Last Gift - John Dante Prevedini is impressed by BIS Records' tribute to the Finnish composer

CD Spotlight. The Collective as Artist - John Dante Prevedini listens to new music from the Danish music collective Damkapellet

CD Spotlight. All Praise - Nielsen symphonies, enthusiastically recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Maybe the best set ever of Nielsen's symphonic cycle in immaculate sound quality and sumptuous presentation.'

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Turn that racket down!

Classical music news - American Invention - The New York Virtuoso Singers present a February 2023 concert of first performances

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

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - The Mouth of Hell

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Horses for Courses

CD Spotlight. Thoroughly Delightful - Geoff Pearce listens to chamber music by Poulenc. '... the performers are all very fine ...'

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 ...'

CD Spotlight. A Connection with Mahler - Music by Penderecki, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'The Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot, conducted by Wojciech Rajski, is magnificent.'

Classical music news - Notations - Oregon Symphony's latest digital series celebrates the connection between culture and music, spotlighting the diversity of Oregon's extraordinary musical landscape

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.'

CD Spotlight. Charming and Evocative - Geoff Pearce listens to music by Alexander Rahbari. 'The performances by all involved are very fine, and I hope that this will serve to open the ears, minds and heart to music that perhaps, without this fine composer, most of us would never get to hear.'

CD Spotlight. A Tango Like You've Never Heard Before - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to music by Kuljit Bhamra and Davide Giovannini. '... always colorful, never boring, even though at times overflowing with impressions.'

CD Spotlight. Symphonic Fantasias on Songs - Peter Breiner's 'Slovak Dances, Naughty and Sad', recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Elegant and full of warmth, these dances are imaginatively orchestrated and extremely well crafted, and the playing is wonderfully affective.'

CD Spotlight. A Vision of Ambivalence and Incoherence - Music by Kalevi Aho, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... it makes huge demands on the listener ...'

CD Spotlight. A Nostalgic Novelty - Paul English's 'Girl in Green', reviewed by Ona Jarmalavičiūtė. '... feels personal and human, bringing charged emotion.'

CD Spotlight. Full of Colours and Flavour - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to music from Sharon Isbin and the Pacifica Quartet. '... an original program and excellent rendering make very pleasant listening.'

CD Spotlight. The Host and the Guest - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to a celebration of Eastern and Western musical cultures. '... truly striking performances.'

CD Spotlight. Serious and Entertaining - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to choral music by William Mathias. '... each moment ... truly captivates and draws further.'

Ensemble. Exquisitely Beautiful - Music for percussion by Chou Wen-chung, Chinary Ung, Lei Liang, Michael Pisaro and Edgard Varèse, heard by Ron Bierman

Ensemble. Darmstadt is Dead - A performance of 'Hyperion' in Rome celebrates Bruno Maderna's centenary, and Giuseppe Pennisi is in the audience

Ensemble. As Fresh As Ever - Mike Wheeler takes stock of Benjamin Britten's 1948 cantata 'St Nicholas'

Ensemble. Blaringly Unusual - Maria Nockin listens to Pittance Chamber Music's opening concert

Lost Music for Lost Souls - Richard Meszto tells the story of the re-discovery of Allan Rae's music for 'Charles Manson AKA Jesus Christ', a play by Fabian Jennings

Ensemble. Mastery and Versatility - Giuseppe Pennisi attends three Tokyo Ballet performances in Rome

Ensemble. On the High and Open Sea - Giuseppe Pennisi samples Italy's 2019 Ravenna Summer Festival

Ensemble. All About Collaboration - Music by Steve Reich impresses Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Distractingly Unusual - Peter Navarro-Alonso's Goldbergs re-invented, heard by Keith Bramich. 'It's certainly clever, but I'm not sure what it gives us that we don't already have.'

CD Spotlight. Melting Ice - Music from glaciers by Matthew Burtner, recommended by Keith Bramich. '... a slightly romanticised account of the effects of climate change in the far north, which doesn't affect the pure beauty, and often sadness, of these vivid and intriguing natural sound recordings and ideas.'

CD Spotlight. Highly Unusual - Music by Toivo Tulev, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'The highlight of this recording is undoubtedly the 2013 Magnificat in which Tulev courageously departs from the text's traditional solemn setting and creates a sound world of immense originality by means of stratospherically high string writing and wild percussion solos.'

CD Spotlight. Double Meanings? - Seattle-based ensemble Torch, heard by Keith Bramich. '... the music sounds modern, jazzy, light and almost aleatoric-sounding.'

Ensemble. A Refreshing Novelty - Marimba duo G-Mizz, heard by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Inscrutable Stillness - Music by Peter Garland impresses Anett Fodor. 'It was the first - but I am sure not the last - time that I had listened to Garland's music and for 34 minutes time stood still while I was listening to it.'

DVD Spotlight. Hard to Chew - Music by Axel Borup-Jørgensen, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'This is music that needs to be listened to several times before one can start to comprehend the composer's inner thoughts ...'

CD Spotlight. No Reservations Here - The Meridian Arts Ensemble, heard by the late Howard Smith. '... an unusually broad span of inspired composition.'

CD Spotlight. Specially Reconstructed - Music for ancient giant horns, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... for those who wallow in the joys of past cultural mysteries and their unraveling, this issue is a must.'

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. Absolutely Superb - Choral music by Jan Jirásek, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'There are some absolutely ravishing vocal passages, and I can't say I have ever heard music quite like this before.'

CD Spotlight. A Treasure Trove - Music for Palaeolithic bone flutes fascinates Gerald Fenech. '... the oldest evidence of musical creation anywhere in the world.'

Ensemble. Dancing Vigour - Percussionists Owen Gunnell and Oliver Cox, appreciated by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Utmost Precision - Music by David Kechley impressed the late Howard Smith. 'Stimulating, unpretentious, singularly different.'

Ensemble. Haunting Effect - Spanish and Catalan music from Maria Camahort and friends, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. A Long Musical Summer - Giuseppe Pennisi attended the Chigiana International Festival in Siena

CD Spotlight. Immediate Appeal - Music by and inspired by Axel Borup-Jørgensen, recommended by Geoff Pearce. '... very descriptive, atmospheric music ...'

CD Spotlight. Gentle Playing - Juan Álamo's jazz for marimba, heard by Ron Bierman. '... beautiful, rich tones ...'

Ensemble. Extraordinary Artistic Freedom - The Francesco Siciliani Prize at Sagra Musicale Umbra, by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Convincing Work - Music for soprano and percussion orchestra, heard by Paul Sarcich. 'The percussion work on this album is of a very high standard ...'

CD Spotlight. Rewarding Listening - The McCormick Percussion Group, heard by Paul Sarcich. '... much to delight the ear.'

Ensemble. Joy and Sadness - A shock to the normally conservative audience at Rome's Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, reported by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Distinct Insights - Dejan Lazic plays Beethoven, heard by Howard Smith. '... a crisp, vernal, excellently deliniated performance ...'

Ensemble. The Wizard from Oz - David Arditti attends a celebration for the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Percy Grainger

Ensemble. A Splendid Performance - Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, heard by Gregory Moomjy

CD Spotlight. Poignant Sounds - String quartets by Peter Garland, heard by Patric Standford. '... remote and apparently disengaged ...'

Ensemble. Cultural Delights - Gerald Fenech visits Slovenia for Festival Maribor

Ensemble. Searing Eloquence - A centenary performance of Elgar's Violin Concerto, heard by Robert Anderson

Ensemble. Growing Up - Hans Werner Henze's 'Pollicino' thrills children and adults in Florence, by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Inventive Partnerships - Music by Justin Rubin, heard by Patric Standford. '... much attractive music ...'

Ensemble. Very Welcome - Robert Hugill experiences Stephen Oliver's 'Euridice'

CD Spotlight. A Brave Show - Choral music by Sibelius, heard by Robert Anderson. '... much here to surprise and fascinate ...'

CD Spotlight. An Interesting Experience - Music by Alice Ping Yee Ho, heard by Patric Standford. '... musically and technically impressive ...'

CD Spotlight. Marvelously Incisive - Rózsa and Korngold violin concertos, recommended by Howard Smith. '... breathtaking virtuosity from soloist and orchestra alike.'

CD Spotlight. A Vigorous Spirit - Music by Matthew Taylor, heard by Patric Standford. '... skill and personality in equal measures ...'

Profile. Finding the Right Voice - Maria Nockin talks to American composer Daniel Catán

Ensemble. Deft Stagecraft and Virtuosity - Bloch and Israeli Music, heard by Malcolm Miller

DVD Spotlight. A Glorious Time - Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen', recommended by Robert Anderson. '... tender expression and all requisite vim.'

Ensemble. Pushing Back the Boundaries - London Sinfonietta's 'British Experiments', reviewed by Chris Graham

Ensemble. In Complete Command - Britten's 'The Company of Heaven' and Renaissance Polyphony, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Soulful Intimacy - A concert by Yasmin Levy lingers in Malcolm Miller's memory

Ensemble. Unusual and Different - Tan Dun's 'The Banquet', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Thoughtful Output - Music by Thomas Hewitt Jones, heard by Patric Standford. '... attractive but questionably appropriate ...'

DVD Spotlight. Unfailing Energy - Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, welcomed by Patric Standford. 'The video reveals Solti's benign authority ...'

CD Spotlight. Great Poise - Petrenko conducts Shostakovich symphonies, recommended by Paul Sarcich. '... care and thoughtfulness ...'

Ensemble. A New Dimension - Giuseppe Pennisi reports that chamber opera is alive and well

Ensemble. Invigorating Performance - Sinfonia Viva plays Judith Weir, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Crystalline Lightness - A Symphony of the Americas concert, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

CD Spotlight. A Robust Heart - Washington Symphonic Brass, heard by Howard Smith. '... a programme deserving of sustained applause and huge admiration.'

CD Spotlight. A Stimulating Recital - Contemporary music for oboe and ensemble, heard by Patric Standford. '... a wide range of interest.'

Ensemble. Brisk Ebullience - Lawrence Budmen sends a second report from this summer's Tanglewood Festival

Ask Alice - The truth about bishops and priests, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

CD Spotlight. Chameleon Virtues - Barenboim conducts Gershwin, Bernstein, Ravel and Wagner, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... the oddest assortment of music.'

CD Spotlight. Sacrificing the 'unmodern' - Music by Julius Röntgen and Per Nørgård, heard by George Balcombe. 'How could any audience resist ... ?'

Ensemble. Especially Successful - Gillian Wills reports from the Australian Fesival of Chamber Music

Ensemble. Suite Brolga - Music of David Salisbury at the 2009 Australian Festival of Chamber Music, reported by Malcolm Tattersall

Ensemble. Compelling Performance - Members of Psappha at the Buxton Festival, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Thought-provoking - Music by Harle and Maxwell Davies, heard by Malcolm Miller

Ensemble. Exceptional Gifts - Lawrence Budmen reports from the 2009 Miami International Piano Festival

Ensemble. Terrifying Vitality - Khachaturian's 'Spartacus' at the Cairo Opera House impresses Robert Anderson

Ensemble. A Heavenly Blend - Joshua Habermann conducts the Master Chorale of South Florida, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

CD Spotlight. Consistently Refined - Debussy transcriptions, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... these alternatives are never less than striking ...'

CD Spotlight. Difficult to Classify - Performances by the Ethos Percussion Group, recommended by Ron Bierman. '... performing excellence ...'

Record Box. Superlative Playing - Music from the Glass Farm Ensemble impresses Malcolm Tattersall

Ensemble. Infectious Rhythms - Jim Lueers' 'Come to the Well', enjoyed by Kelly Ferjutz

Record Box. A Crowd Pleaser - Concertos and a symphony by Lee Actor, heard by Ron Bierman

CD Spotlight. A Resounding Hurrah - Corigliano sets Dylan, recommended by Howard Smith. 'Titanic, zealous stuff.'

Record Box. Fascinating and Rewarding - Works by Kosçak Yamada, heard by Patric Standford

Record Box. Well Produced - The structured improvisations of Alexandra Gardner, reviewed by Patric Standford

Record Box. A Fascinating Programme - Joseph Gramley plays music for percussion, reviewed by Patric Standford

Ensemble. Sunshine and Stars - The Australian Festival of Chamber Music 2006 continues, and Malcolm Tattersall sends a second report

Ensemble. The freedom of jazz - 'All Rise', by Wynton Marsalis, reviewed by Malcolm Miller

CD Spotlight. Warmly recommended - The music of Harold Farberman, reviewed by Carson Cooman. 'The performances, all directed by the composer, are strong and authoritative.'

Provocative thoughts, from Patric Standford - the piano