A selection of 'wind music' articles

Spotlight. Fresh and Interesting - Geoff Pearce listens to chamber music by British composer Kenneth V Jones. '... a valuable discovery.'

Classical music news. Behind the Scenes - A recent article alleges a bad working atmosphere and more at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Classical music news. Edo de Waart - The Dutch conductor retires at eighty-two

Classical music news - Wakkerstroom Music Festival - An annual classical music festival in South Africa begins later this month

Ensemble. Irresistibly Jolly - Mike Wheeler enjoys Sinfonia Viva's performance of Mozart's 'Gran Partita'

Spotlight. Quite Astonishing - Keith Bramich listens to the sound of Andean highland instruments used in new ways. '... surprisingly varied, unusual and different ...'

Spotlight. Colourful Orchestration and Melodic Nature - Geoff Pearce listens to three works by Richard Strauss. '... if you are fond of Richard Strauss's music, you will not be disappointed ...'

Ensemble. Vertical and Horizontal Threads - Mike Wheeler listens to Sinfonia Viva's wind principals playing music by Maddy Aldis-Evans and Musorgsky

Spotlight. Raising the Profile - Paul Sarcich listens to contemporary British music for woodwind orchestra. '... some new and interesting sounds ...'

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

CD Spotlight. Very Enjoyable - Geoff Pearce listens to the Tailleferre Ensemble. 'This is a lovely disc which will delight most listeners ...'

CD Spotlight. Plenty of Spanish Sunshine - Spanish music of a bygone era, reviewed by Paul Sarcich. '... poised playing and excellent interweaving of the various wind sounds.'

Classical music news. March 2023 Newsletter - Our March 2023 PDF newsletter has just been published, along with some extra classical music news and our February 2023 classical music obituaries

Ensemble. Schubert's Octet and the Spirit of Vienna - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from the final concert of a Schubert festival in Rome

CD Spotlight. Good Humour and Musical Gestures - Geoff Pearce listens to wind quintets by Bentzon. 'This is very enjoyable music and beautifully performed.'

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

CD Spotlight. Many Fine Moments - Geoff Pearce listens to Richard Strauss played by the Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble. '... a fine disc of works which are not recorded so often ...'

Ensemble. Fresh and Appealing - Mike Wheeler listens to the Françaix Wind Trio

Ensemble. Colourful and Inventive - A streamed performance of a wind arrangement of 'Pictures From an Exhibition' from Derby's Joseph Wright Gallery, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

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. On the March - Saint-Saëns wind music, enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... a truly glorious Saint-Saëns anthology wrapped in a different soundscape ...'

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. A Swiss Household Name - Music for guitar by Hans Haug and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... the enchanting playing of Marisa Minder is memorable throughout.'

CD Spotlight. Highly Effective - Gerald Fenech listens to miniatures by William Mathias. '... splendid and sweetly unaffected performances ...'

Ensemble. Relaxed and Exuberant - Mike Wheeler listens to Cavendish Winds playing Mozart, Danzi, Debussy, Arnold, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Bozza, Ligeti and Gershwin

CD Spotlight. Contrast and Energy - Modern wind chamber music, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'This is an enjoyable disc with quite a diversity of styles, performed by musicians of high calibre. I think most people who listen to these works will enjoy them.'

CD Spotlight. Interesting and Entertaining - Geoff Pearce listens to music by Paul Reale. '... a fantastic disc ...'

CD Spotlight. Great Performances - Music for oboe and cor anglais by Phil Salathé, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'This composer is technically assured, and has a unique perspective and voice.'

CD Spotlight. Scuttling Crabs - Music for vibraphone and wind quintet, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'There is some great vibraphone and bassoon work here ...'

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. Passion and Conviction - Music by Paul Reale, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... the musical material evolves as it goes ...'

CD Spotlight. A Real Melange - Music for wind quintet, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'The members of Ventus Machina enjoy this music, as is evident from their well-balanced and joyous playing.'

CD Spotlight. Strong Jazz Influences - Wind music by Frank Martin, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'The rhythmic precision is impressive, the solos are played confidently and the intonation and quality of timbre of all instruments is absolutely spot on.'

CD Spotlight. Absolutely Delightful - Woodwind music by Scott Pender, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'This is a fine, enjoyable disc, and the performers are all first class.'

CD Spotlight. Worthy of Brahms - Chamber music by Marteau and Zemlinsky, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. '... never boring, but full blooded and passionate. All the players have complex passages and are equal partners.'

CD Spotlight. Sheer Beauty - Dvorák serenades, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances by the Czech Nonet ... and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by Neville Marriner ... are exemplary, and all the colourful harmonies and exuberant rhythms are brought out with a virtuosity that is quite unmatchable.'

Ensemble. A Rare Treat - Mozart, Duncan Ward and Poulenc wind chamber music, enjoyed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. An Attractive Sound-world - Mike Wheeler listens to the Thorne Trio

CD Spotlight. Sheer Enjoyment - Don Gillis' music for wind quintet, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... always well-crafted, easy to listen to and often fun.'

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

CD Spotlight. Commendable - Poulenc for winds and piano, heard by Howard Smith. 'MSR's combination of Poulenc wind music is unlike any other.'

CD Spotlight. A Mixed Bag - Modern music for wind instruments, heard by Paul Sarcich. '... decent production values.'

Ensemble. A Riotous Production - Mark Anthony Turnage's 'Anna Nicole', reviewed by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. A Memorable Programme - Bach Cantatas at London's Royal Academy of Music, heard by Malcolm Miller

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

Ensemble. Crisp and Lively - Haydn's Creation, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Unique and Moving - Mahler's Fifth Symphony - a self-metamorphosis from grief to ecstatic energy, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Highly Effective - Bax, Chopin and Prokofiev from Artur Pizarro, Mark Elder and the Hallé Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. The Real Thing - Spanish music from the Hallé Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Fifty Years - Celebrating Lyrita's recordings of British music, by George Balcombe. '... a meticulous reproduction of orchestral sound ...'

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

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

Ensemble. Discoveries Ahead - Malcolm Miller samples 'The World of Jewish Music' in London

Ensemble. Imagination and Strength - Celebrating the Mendelssohn anniversary at Mannes College, reported by Anna L Franco

A Model of Clarity - A new score of Elgar's 'Mina', appraised by Robert Anderson

Ensemble. Brilliantly Festive - Mike Wheeler listens to the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra

Ensemble. Sing ye to the Lord - Roderic Dunnett was at the 2009 Hereford Three Choirs Festival

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

Ensemble. Another Treat - Martinu's 'Mirandolina' at Garsington Opera, by Roderic Dunnett

Ask Alice - Problems down at the ol' wind quintet, with classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh

Ensemble. Full of Vitality - Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Schubert from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler