A selection of 'Saint Petersburg' articles

Echoes of Oblivion by Robert McCarney - Fragments of Utopia

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. Star of the North - Gerald Fenech strongly recommends Meyerbeer's 'L'Étoile du Nord' on Naxos. 'Vladimir Jurowski conducts the piece with natural gusto and sparkling flair ...'

Ensemble. Merging Scores with Care - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys the ballet 'Il Corsaro'

CD Spotlight. Passion, Intensity and Verve - Gerald Fenech listens to Giordano's 'Siberia'. '... full of emotional warmth and heartfelt fidelity.'

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

Classical music news - October 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

CD Spotlight. Imperial Music - Giuseppe Pennisi enjoys a recital by Karina Gauvin. 'Here the listener can appreciate Karina Gauvin's superb phrasing and elegant coloratura.'

CD Spotlight. Magical Repertoire - Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Kashchei the Immortal', enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. 'Do not be taken aback; the sound quality is miraculous and I enjoyed listening to this historic venture with immense pleasure.'

Ensemble. The Dame Wears Black - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on Tchaikovsky's 'Pique Dame' in Naples

Classical music news. Obituary - Mariss Jansons (1943-2019)

Ensemble. Magnificent Symphonies - Beethoven, Shostakovich and Musorgsky from Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra impress Patrick Maxwell

Ensemble. A Roman Pietas - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Petrassi and Shostakovich in Rome

Ensemble. Extreme Staging - Giuseppe Pennisi reports from Palermo on the opening of Teatro Massimo's 2019 opera season

CD Spotlight. Purposeful Spirit - Music by Jeremy Beck, heard by the late Howard Smith. '... I cannot help but admire an unfamiliar creative talent displaying assured composition while simultaneously avoiding atonality, minimalism, aleatory follies, electronics, musique concrète or the murky waters of crossover-ism.'

Ensemble. A New Don Quixote - Giuseppe Pennisi describes the opening of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma's new ballet season, with a new version of Ludwig Minkus' work, creating a stylised and colorful fairytale world

CD Spotlight. Sparkling Brilliance - Gergiev conducts Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker', enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... he delivers the big moments with overwhelming power.'

CD Spotlight. Dynamic Vigour - Orchestral music by Alexander Glazunov, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... disciplined, philosophical and electric interpretations ...'

CD Spotlight. Ultimately Disappointing - Mravinsky conducts Tchaikovsky's Pathétique, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. '... the conductor seems unwilling to give himself over wholeheartedly to the music's affect.'

CD Spotlight. Beautiful Moments - Arthur Gottschalk's 'Requiem for the Living', heard by Ron Bierman. '... a solid performance of both orchestra and choir.'

CD Spotlight. Sheer Delight - Halida Dinova plays music for children, recommended by Howard Smith. '... palpable finesse.'

DVD Spotlight. Dedicated Teamwork - Prokofiev's The Fiery Angel, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... forceful and compelling ...'

CD Spotlight. Dramatic Attitudes - Tchaikovsky piano music, heard by Robert Anderson. 'I am grateful to Nadav Hertzka for much enchantment during this CD.'

Ensemble. Swift and Corrosive - Giuseppe Pennisi takes a sniff at Shostakovich's 'The Nose'

Ensemble. Charisma, Punch and Pull - Roderic Dunnett listens to Valery Gergiev conduct Szymanowski and promote the opening of Mariinsky2

He Played Every Single Note! - Alexei Volodin at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, reviewed by Bill Newman

CD Spotlight. Unaffected Restraint - Halida Dinova plays music that tells stories, heard by Howard Smith. '... a mesmerising interpreter ...'

CD Spotlight. A Towering Rage - Shostakovich's Symphony No 11, heard by Robert Anderson. '... total conviction.'

CD Spotlight. Witness to Atrocities - The poetry of Anna Akhmatova, heard by Howard Smith. '... a cause for unstinting applause and praise.'

Ensemble. Simple and Effective - A new production of Verdi's 'Nabucco' celebrates the 150th anniversary of Italy's Unification, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Varied Moods - The Icicle Creek Piano Trio, heard by Robert Anderson. '... admirably captured ...'

CD Spotlight. Lyrical Richness - Arensky Piano Trios, heard by Robert Anderson. 'The Rachmaninov Trio Moscow plays with obvious affection for the music and enviable skill.'

Ensemble. Full of Irony - Shostakovich's 'The Nose', reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Delicate Mastery - Orchestral music by Glazunov, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... dashingly done ...'

Ensemble. The Quality of Mercy - Verdi's 'La Forza del Destino', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

DVD Spotlight. The Heart of Opera - Giuseppe Verdi's 'La forza del destino', reviewed by Maria Nockin. '... a rhythmically alert, exciting performance ...'

Ensemble. A Difficult Cocktail - Rossini's 'Moïse et Pharaon', assessed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. What does this symphony mean? - Shostakovich's 'Leningrad', heard by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Electronics Prevails - 'Orphée' at the Roma-Europa Festival, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Spokesman for Soviet Society? - Colin Albin discusses Shostakovich and the state

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

Ensemble. Almost Cinematic - Shchedrin's 'Anna Karenina' and other premières at The Stars of the White Nights Festival, by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. High Expectations - Barenboim's 'Das Rheingold' at La Scala, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Ensemble. Hilariously Funny - Arizona Opera's 'The Barber of Seville', appreciated by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. A Sizzling Rendition - 'Carmen' from Phoenix Opera impresses Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Life-enhancing - Mike Wheeler listens to the Atrium Quartet

CD Spotlight. An Undisturbed Evenness - Choral music 'from a Russian cathedral', heard by Paul Sarcich. '... engineered to tranquillity ...'

CD Spotlight. Simply Dazzling - Piazzolla and Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons', heard by Robert Hugill. '... I rather missed the sound of the bandoneon ...'

Ensemble. A Passionate Attraction - The Cleveland Orchestra in Miami, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

DVD Spotlight. Perfectly Cast - The Sleeping Beauty, recommended by Howard Smith. '... utterly enchanting ...'

Ensemble. Podium Celebrity - Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra in Florida, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen

Record Box. Many Moods - Orchestral music by Glazunov, recommended by Robert Anderson

Record Box. Beautifully Played - Music by Igor Raykhelson, reviewed by Patric Standford

DVD Spotlight. Haunting Imagery - Tony Palmer tells the story of Shostakovich, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... a landmark among 20th century cinema documents.'

DVD Spotlight. A Memorable Experience - 'Fedora', reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'Giordano's wishes were admirably followed ...'

DVD Spotlight. A Virtuoso Performance - Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... irresistible appeal'

DVD Spotlight. Maximum Sensuality - Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet', reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... suggests Tristan and Isolde ...'

Ensemble. A Rare Treat - A New Jersey 'Magic Flute', reviewed by Maria Nockin

Ensemble. Artistic vision - Russian artists bring soul to Shostokovich, by Lawrence Budmen

Profile. Vladislav Kovalsky - Master musician and representative of the St Petersburg tradition, by Gordon Rumson

CD Spotlight. Powerful and playful - Fritz Reiner conducts Bartók, admired by Robert Anderson. '... agonised intensity of utmost eloquence.'

CD Spotlight. Life and strife - Fritz Reiner's Tchaikovsky, reviewed by Robert Anderson. '... Reiner's no-nonsense approach avoids any hint of emotional excess.'

Whirlwind of activity - Gordon Rumson recommends Charles Barber's book 'Lost in the Stars: The Forgotten Musical Life of Alexander Siloti'

Ensemble. Russian resonance - The first of a new series of Music at the Wallace Collection

The passing of a legend - Nathan Perelman (1906-2002)

Ensemble - St Petersburg Revelations. Malcolm Miller attends UK premières of recent Russian music in London