A selection of 'Prague' articles
Morawetz - A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae
Spotlight. Imagination, Humour and Depth - Gerald Fenech listens to oboe concertos by eighteenth century German composer Ludwig August Lebrun. 'Nancy Ambrose King's flawless technique allows the music to flow with a strong sense of drama ...'
Spotlight. Raising the Profile - Paul Sarcich listens to contemporary British music for woodwind orchestra. '... some new and interesting sounds ...'
Spotlight. A Gloriously Captivating Voice - Gerald Fenech listens to tenor Jonathan Tetelman singing Puccini. '... a must for all Puccini fans ...'
Ensemble. A Formidable Creation - Roderic Dunnett experiences the first performance of the opera 'Anna' by English composer David Matthews
Classical music news. Appointments - New (and existing) jobs for members of the international classical music community
CD Spotlight. A Trailblazer of Classical Expression - Anett Fodor encourages music enthusiasts to experience 'Il Boemo - The Czech'. '... a gateway, unveiling hidden treasures from a bygone era.'
CD Spotlight. Impassioned Advocacy - Music by Pasquale Anfossi, highly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... animated performances full of verve and spirit.'
CD Spotlight. A Marriage between Drama and Comedy - Gerald Fenech is impressed by recordings of five Mozart operas. '... I have never heard Mozart played with such finesse and beauty.'
CD Spotlight. Tremendously Attractive and Exciting - Gerald Fenech recommends this Hyperion recording of Czech harpsichord concertos. 'All praise to Mahan Esfahani and his Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra team for compiling this hugely attractive programme, which is in fact a voyage of discovery of twentieth century Czech music.'
Classical music news - March 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Ensemble. Full of Panache - Giuseppe Pennisi writes about a recent performance of 'Don Giovanni' in Rome
CD Spotlight. Lovely and Very Effective - Music from Central and Eastern Europe for cello and piano, recommended by Geoff Pearce. '... very gifted, skilful and inspired ...'
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.'
Classical music news - December 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Classical music news - November 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
CD Spotlight. Quietly Ambiguous - Stephen Francis Vasta feels vaguely let down by Mami Shikimori and the Wihan Quartet's performances of Fauré and Franck. '... wonderfully committed and incisive playing.'
Classical music news - October 2020 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Classical music news. Stjepan Hauser - The Croatian cellist performs with orchestra at Egypt's Soma Bay in April 2020
CD Spotlight. Judged to Perfection - Baroque oboe sonatas played by Xenia Löffler, strongly recommended by Geoff Pearce. '... played very pleasingly with great style and panache by all instruments concerned.'
Ensemble. Particularly Irresistible - Music by Smetana, Martinů and Dvořák from Laura van der Heijden, Pietari Inkinen and the Prague Symphony Orchestra impresses Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. Contemporary Resonances - Opera North's production of Martinů's 'Greek Passion', reviewed by Mike Wheeler
Profile. In Search of Musical Text - Ona Jarmalavičiūtė talks to Austrian-Czech composer Šimon Voseček
CD Spotlight. On Buoyant Form - Orchestral music by Andrew Downes, heard by Roderic Dunnett. '... varied, innovative, involving and absorbing.'
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.'
CD Spotlight. Moods and Textures - Dvorák's Slavonic Dances played by the Czech Philharmonic, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'There is balance and lightness here, not achieved by many other orchestras.'
CD Spotlight. An Absolute Delight - Svjatoslav Richter plays Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'Remind yourself that these are live recordings from 1954-60 and you will enjoy this disc.'
CD Spotlight. Electrifying Moments - Erwin Schulhoff for violin and piano, strongly recommended by Geoff Pearce. '... this music really suits these two performers like a glove ...'
CD Spotlight. Drama and Poetry - Schubert late string quartets, recommended by Howard Smith. '... as good as it gets.'
Ensemble. Saturday Delight - 'Don Giovanni' from New York Metropolitan Opera in HD, reviewed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. Special Musical Connections - Bill Newman attends a fundraising concert for the Raphael Sommer Foundation
DVD Spotlight. Wonderfully Resourceful - Rossini's 'Il Turco in Italia', reviewed by Robert Anderson. 'The orchestra under Antonello Allemandi seem to have relished the evening as much as I did.'
Ensemble. Christ Re-Crucified - Giuseppe Pennisi was at the Italian première of Bohuslav Martinu's Greek Passion
CD Spotlight. Many Levels - Chamber music by Mozart and Smetana, heard by Howard Smith. '... judged to perfection ...'
DVD Spotlight. Forthright Tempos - The Wihan Quartet plays Beethoven, heard by Howard Smith. '... little to truly set their work apart ...'
Profile. With Perfection in Mind - Bill Newman talks to all four members of the Wihan Quartet
CD Spotlight. Striking Originality - Piano music by Moscheles, Mendelssohn and Schumann, heard by Robert Anderson. '...Todd Crow deserves unstinted gratitude.'
CD Spotlight. Sterling Playing - Wendy Warner's interpretations of Popper and Piatigorsky, heard by Howard Smith. '... sovereign music-making deserving of the highest accolades.'
CD Spotlight. Beauty of Timbre - Vivica Genaux sings Vivaldi, heard by Maria Nockin. 'Genaux's diction is excellent ...'
Ensemble. A New Dimension - Giuseppe Pennisi reports that chamber opera is alive and well
Ensemble. Discoveries Ahead - Malcolm Miller samples 'The World of Jewish Music' in London
CD Spotlight. Utterly Absorbing - A sampler from Cedille Records, enjoyed by Howard Smith. '... top quality standards.'
CD Spotlight. Perfection of Ensemble - Beethoven's early string quartets, heard by Robert Anderson. '... no excuse for the near-supersonic velocity ...'
Ensemble. Unity of Conception - Malcolm Troup was at the BPSE Summer Festival in London
CD Spotlight. Towering Achievement - Beethoven's late string quartets impress Robert Anderson. '... full marks to these players ...'
Ensemble. Another Treat - Martinu's 'Mirandolina' at Garsington Opera, by Roderic Dunnett
Record Box. Full and Resonant - Violin concertos by Bohuslav Martinu, reviewed by Patric Standford
Ensemble. Meltingly Beautiful - Joshua Bell joins Vladimir Ashkenazy and the New World Symphony for music by Saint-Saëns and Mahler, reviewed by Lawrence Budmen
Record Box. Unique Timbres - A recording by The Brahms Trio Prague, reviewed by George Balcombe
CD Spotlight. Melodic Impact - Music by Spohr, Rolla and Kalliwoda, reviewed by Howard Smith. '... seasoned insights and faultless empathy.'
Lust in A Major - Marsha Cappy's tale takes place in Prague in 1905 ...
Record Box. Bright Performances - Music for strings by Josef Myslivecek, reviewed by Patric Standford
Ensemble. Distant Sound - LA Opera's 'Recovered Voices', reviewed by Maria Nockin
Ensemble. Power and Effervescence - Mozart's 'Don Giovanni', reviewed by Maria Nockin
Profile. The Hungarian Nightingale - A meeting with Gisela Doráti, better known as 'Gizi', by Bill Newman
Ensemble. Ingenuity and madness? - Malcolm Miller investigates Robert Voisey's '60x60' project
Ensemble. Great music making - Cheers for a riveting Canadian dance company at Jacob's Pillow and more music from Tanglewood, reported by Lawrence Budmen
CD Spotlight. Great sensitivity - Music for wind instruments by Karel Husa, recommended by Patric Standford. '... delightful discoveries, highly recommended.'
Record box. A beautiful luminosity - Mozart for organ and flute in Prague, reviewed by Malcolm Tattersall
A Prague wedding - An occasional addendum to last year's 'Captivating Moments', with Juliet Averay