VIDEO PODCAST: Find out about composers from unusual places, including Gerard Schurmann, Giya Kancheli, Nazib Zhiganov and Nodar Gabunia, about singing in cars, and meet Jim Hutton from the RLPO and some of our regular contributors.
VIDEO PODCAST: John Dante Prevedini leads a discussion about The Creative Spark, including contributions from Ryan Ash, Sean Neukom, Adrian Rumson, Stephen Francis Vasta, David Arditti, Halida Dinova and Andrew Arceci.
THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL: Roderic Dunnett previews the 2024 edition of the UK's oldest music festival, 27 July until 4 August.
Born at Zurndorf in Austria on 27 January 1926, the Jewish musician, writer and wit Fritz Spiegl was a distant relative of Gustav Mahler. He moved to the UK in 1939 to escape the Nazis, learning English amazingly quickly and thoroughly.
He became (via a career as Principal Flautist with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra) one of the UK's best-known all-round classical musicians - author, journalist, music publisher, broadcaster, conductor and organiser of April fools (and other) concerts with his Liverpool Music Group, and his interests didn't end with music - he was well-known as a wit and a commentator on language, and was an antiquarian, an antiques dealer, typographer, designer and a vintage car enthusiast.
Fritz Spiegl died on 23 March 2003, aged seventy-seven.
The Musician's Guide to Having an MRI - In an occasional series 'The Musician's Guides', Jennifer Paull offers a few tips for survival when confronted with being the square musical peg in a round musical hole
Reminiscent retrospectives - Fritzin' the Looking-Glass - On the second anniversary of Fritz Spiegl's death, Jennifer Paull looks into his witty reflection and recalls musical frustrations and fun with Fritz
Unforgettable Ifor - Jennifer Paull pays tribute to Ifor James (1931-2004)