Classical Music Daily — recent articles — page 2
CD Spotlight. An Enchanting, Levitating Musical Experience — Choral music by Arvo Pärt, sung by Vilnius Municipal Choir Jauna Muzika and reviewed by Ona Jarmalavičiūtė. '... performed beautifully.'
CD Spotlight. Continuous Excitement — Keyboard concertos by Franz Joseph Haydn, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Mélodie Zhao's interpretations are full of warmth and colour, and her phrasing, even in the quicker passages, is consistently arresting.'
CD Spotlight. Benjamin Britten and James Joyce — Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two sets of English folk and other songs. '... very good listening ...'
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. Exquisitely Written — Flute music for Louis XIV's Court, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'This is music full of gentle sensitivity and graceful intimacy, wonderfully performed and recorded, and a veritable treasure trove from the height of the French baroque era.'
CD Spotlight. Unearthing Lost Cornerstones — John Dante Prevedini listens to music by seventeenth century composer Balthasar Erben. '... the disk itself becomes a curatorial introduction to the composer's entire life and work. The Coviello label evidently understands the weight of this responsibility very well ...'
Ensemble. A Revolutionary 'Ernani' in Palermo — Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a production modified for TV and streaming
Ensemble. A Fast Rising Career — Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva's Met Stars recital with pianist Julien Quentin, experienced by Maria Nockin
Classical music news. Hang in there together — Classical Music Daily's March 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast
New Releases — Keith Bramich describes some changes this magazine is making to its reviewing process, and provides a snapshot of information provided by record labels, promoters and individual artists over the last month
CD Spotlight. The Dead in the Square — Allan Pettersson's Symphony No 12, strongly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Christian Lindberg gives a colossal interpretation of this difficult score, where everybody involved is wholly engrossed in Pettersson's unique creation.'
A Miracle in New York — Piano Lessons in the Time of Covid (pace, Gabriel García Márquez), by Gloria DeVidas Kirchheimer
CD Spotlight. Awesome Stuff — Gerald Fenech is impressed by Ilya Gringolts' performances of three violin concertos by Pietro Locatelli. 'Ilya Gringolts' playing is phenomenally spellbinding, and his scintillating virtuosity and flawless execution are absolute joys and wholly worthy of constant admiration.'
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.'
Classical music news - Steven Gerber — The English Symphony Orchestra presents a Steven Gerber portrait concert
Ensemble. Lolita in Jerusalem — Elena Stikhina in Teatro alla Scala's new production of 'Salome' by Richard Strauss impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Enigmatic yet Fascinating — Music by Rued Langgaard for violin and piano, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'The conclusion of a visionary cycle that is worthy of serious attention.'
Ensemble. Mixed Feelings — Giuseppe Pennisi reviews the new Opéra de Paris production of 'Aida'
CD Spotlight. The Para-Liturgical Art of Tchaikovsky — Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to the Latvian Radio Choir. '... the score's full range is captured sharply and sensitively, bringing out the true colors as well as the pure and attractive sound of choral liturgical music.'
CD Spotlight. In Grand Style — Ballet music by Tcherepnin, enjoyed by Geoff Pearce. 'The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Henry Shek, performs this music ... with all the passion and commitment such a score requires.'
CD Spotlight. On the March — Saint-Saëns wind music, enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... a truly glorious Saint-Saëns anthology wrapped in a different soundscape ...'
Classical music news. Peter Forbes — A recently retired medical doctor launches Forbes International Artist Management to help a new generation of classical musicians
Ensemble. A Human Tragedy — HD streaming of the opening night at the new Staatsoper Unter den Linden production in Berlin of Janáček's 'Jenůfa' impresses Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Fresh and Startlingly Immediate — Forgotten recordings from George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra, unreservedly recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... the music is dispatched with energetic vigour, which was the hallmark of all Szell's performances.'
CD Spotlight. Living in the Moment — Paul Sarcich explores the music of Pēteris Vasks. '... wonderfully luminous recordings of luminous music.'
Classical music news - February 2021 Obituaries — Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
Classical music news. Hans van Manen Variations — Dutch National Ballet livestreams six ballets from the Dutch master of dance, with musical accompaniment by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra
CD Spotlight. Engrossingly Moving — Works for clarinet and orchestra by Nielsen, Copland and MacMillan, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'A challenging programme, superbly presented and recorded.'
Ensemble. Appreciation of Nature — Maria Nockin reviews a 'Met Stars' online concert from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, featuring Anna Netrebko, Elena Maximova and Pavel Nebolsin
CD Spotlight. An Unforgettable Recital — Ona Jarmalavičiūtė listens to Evgeny Kissin's Chopin recital from the 1985 December Nights Music Festival. 'From the very beginning of his career at the top of his game, Evgeny Kissin presents a performance that is, simply put, wild.'
Ensemble. An Opera for Voices — Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Vincenzo Bellini's rarely-staged 'Il Pirata'
Ensemble. Fit for Streaming? — Giuseppe Pennisi investigates various current and recent opera productions
Classical music news. Ching-Lien Wu — The Chorus Master of Dutch National Opera has been appointed Chef des choeurs at Opéra National de Paris
CD Spotlight. Beyond Memorable — Hans Rosbaud conducts Gustav Mahler symphonies, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Rosbaud ... lays out the whole range of Mahler's passion with a fiery sense of musicality.'
Classical music news. Barlow Endowment — Applications are open for the Barlow Prize, Barlow General Commission and Barlow Latter-day Saints Commission
Ensemble. Bohème dated 1896 — Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Puccini, broadcast from Teatro Regio Torino in Italy
Classical music news. Singing in Cars? — Classical Music Daily's February 2021 Newsletter has just been published as a video podcast
Classical music news. New Conducting Competition — Only Stage Management Company in cooperation with Classics Management Budapest announces the first edition of the Only Stage International Conducting Competition
CD Spotlight. Astounding Work — A second volume of orchestral music by Austrian composer Hans Rott, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... performed with passion and understanding, and the quality of the recording matches this. Bravo.'
Classical music news. In Memoriam Krzysztof Penderecki — Polish Cultural Institute New York presents a worldwide programme honouring the life and legacy of the Polish composer
Ensemble. Twilight of Dreams — Giuseppe Pennisi experiences a pastiche for our times at the opening of Teatro Massimo di Palermo's 2021 season
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.'
Ensemble. Arduous and Contrasting Passion — Bellini's 'I Puritani' at Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, recommended by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Smooth High Notes and Powerful Drama — Piotr Beczała and Sondra Radvanovsky's Met Stars Live recital from Wuppertal, recommended by Maria Nockin
Profile. A Philological Discovery — Giuseppe Pennisi writes about the seventeenth century Italian architect and global musician Carlo Rainaldi
CD Spotlight. Metamorphosis of a Georgian Soul — John Dante Prevedini reviews essential recordings of the Giya Kancheli symphonies. '... a unique symphonic expression of the Georgian experience ...'
On Fischer-Dieskau's Schubert — Patrick Maxwell investigates the German baritone's legacy
CD Spotlight. A Superb Set — The complete symphonies of Heitor Villa-Lobos, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Octogenarian Brazilian conductor Isaac Karabtchevsky's performances are fine and show no lack of passion or vigour.'
Classical music news. Obituary — Elijah Moshinsky (1946-2021)
Classical music news. Jim Hutton — RLPO violinist celebrates forty years with the orchestra
CD Spotlight. Strauss from the Antipodes — Giuseppe Pennisi reviews rarely-heard François Couperin orchestral transcriptions by Richard Strauss. '... good rendering by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra under Jun Märkl ...'
CD Spotlight. An Absolutely Stunning Experience — Gerald Fenech is moved by organ transcriptions of symphonic music by Anton Bruckner. 'Memorable performances, high-tech sonics and informative annotations complete this superb and innovative first instalment that sets my imagination alight.'
Ensemble. Mariotti and The Ninth — Giuseppe Pennisi reviews Michele Mariotti's January 2021 Beethoven performance in Parma
CD Spotlight. Fresh and Imaginative — Gerald Fenech is impressed by John Rutter's sacred music, arranged by Luc Vertommen for brass band. 'Stirringly performed and conducted, this is music whose melodies and harmonies fit perfectly with the sound of a brass band ...'
CD Spotlight. Tristan, Isolde and God Almighty — Giuseppe Pennisi listens to Olivier Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony. 'On this rendering, British conductor Alexander Soddy handles very well the Nationaltheater Orchester of Mannheim, where he is general director of music, and the two soloists, Tamara Stefanovich at the piano and Thomas Bloch at the Ondes Martinot.'
CD Spotlight. Great Entertainment — SOMM Recordings' second volume of film music, enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. 'Iain Sutherland and his Promenade players display no want of energy and each track is tackled with effervescence and enthusiasm, making the music sound even more exciting than it was thought to be.'
Classical music news. Rattle to Munich — Simon Rattle is appointed Chief Conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and extends with the London Symphony Orchestra
Classical music news - Dreams of a New Day — Cedille Records announces new releases for 2021
Classical music news. Obituary — John Georgiadis (1939-2021)
CD Spotlight. The Sweetness of Life — Music by French baroque composer Michel-Richard de Lalande, heard by Giuseppe Pennisi. 'The instrumental ensemble, playing period instruments or a violin manufactured in 2011 but after period specifications, is excellent.'
Salzburg 2021 — Giuseppe Pennisi looks forward to the Salzburg Summer Festival which has Peace as its theme
CD Spotlight. An Individualistic Voice — Music by French composer Florent Schmitt, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'The orchestra and soloists are very fine, and the atmospheric nature of the music is beautifully captured.'
Classical music news - January 2021 Obituaries — Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month
CD Spotlight. Passionately Colourful Orchestration — Gerald Fenech listens to music by Catalan composer Joan Manén. 'Ana María Valderrama's rendition of the Concerto is technically superb, and there's a purity in her tone that you don't experience every day. Darrell Ang gives sympathetic support throughout.'
Ensemble. Melody and Mayhem — The English Symphony Orchestra's New Year's Eve offering, heard by Alice McVeigh
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