Featured Today

 CD Spotlight. Quite Haunting - American orchestral music impresses Geoff Pearce. '... impassioned and committed performances.'

Anniversaries: Éric Gaudibert; Ezra Laderman; Curt Sachs

Today's concerts: Francesco Cavalli: Hipermestra; East Sussex, UK; Psallite Women's Choir - Sing a Song of Joy; London, UK

Festivals, competitions and masterclasses: Aspen Music Festival and School (29 June-20 August); Colorado, US; International Festival of Choirs and Orchestras (28 June - 2 July); Budapest, HU; Chopin Festival (17 June-14 July); Paris, FR; Prague Summer Nights - Young Artists' Music Festival (12 June-10 July); Prague, CZ; 36th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition (29 June-6 July); Moscow, RU; Opera Holland Park summer opera season (1 June-29 July); London, UK; 43rd Mananan International Festival of Music and the Arts (19 June-1 July); Port Erin, IM; Summer Music Academy (27 June-12 July); Kiev, UA; Classical Movements - Kennedy centennial (27 June-4 July); Washington D.C., US

Recent Articles

Ensemble. Women's Voices - 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' at the Strauss Festival in Leipzig, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Classical music news - Songs and Visions of Joy; more ...

A Sure Hand - Beate Toyka plays Schubert's last piano sonata, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. A Bitter-sweet Lyric Comedy - 'Arabella' from Festival Strauss in Leipzig, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

Classical music news - Ludger Rémy (1949-2017); Jacques Charpentier (1933-2017); more ...

CD Spotlight. Superb Compositions - Chamber sonatas by Giovanni Stefano Carbonelli, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances abound in real vitality, rhythmic verve and dramatic engagement, and Carbonelli's genius is allowed to shine in all its exuberance.'

CD Spotlight. Colourful Palette - Villa-Lobos symphonies, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'The São Paulo players respond with joyous enthusiasm to the rhythmic vitality and ingenious orchestration of these scores ...'

Ensemble. Heavy Stage Direction and Sets - Rossini's 'Il viaggio a Reims' in Rome, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. Anything and Everything - Mainstreet Brass, enjoyed by the late Howard Smith. 'An exhilirating brass ensemble in a theatrical range of moods; you really can't go wrong.'

CD Spotlight. Uniquely Peculiar - French music for brass and piano, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Careful attention to the music's slightest details means the interpretive aspect is consistently special and charismatic.'

CD Spotlight. What treasures! - British music for flute and piano, enjoyed by the late Howard Smith. 'Smith and Rhodes present definitive, warmly recorded performances of this gorgeous, all-UK repertory, some of it apparently on disc for the first time.'

Classical music news - Trondheim Chamber Music; Clara Iannotta; more ...

Classical music news - Cossotto Competition; Philip Gossett (1932-2017); Paul Zukofsky (1932-2017); more ...

Ensemble. Rigoletto on the Beach - Verdi in Sardinia, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi

CD Spotlight. A Unique Cycle - Piano music by Nikolai Peyko, recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances are highly virtuosic and wholly committed, and both pianists know exactly how to convey the overriding shape with discernment and piquancy.'

CD Spotlight. Playful Counterpoint - Telemann in the French style, heard by the late Howard Smith. 'The distinguished musicians of the Hanoverian Ensemble display a characteristic eighteenth century affinity of expression that Telemann's urbane work requires.'

CD Spotlight. Another Gem - New music for choir and ancient instruments, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... this musical melting pot has some unexpected tastes, and surprising delights abound from beginning to end.'

CD Spotlight. Powerful Music - Symphonies by László Lajtha, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'The fine Pécs Symphony Orchestra responds well to the direction of Nicolás Pasquet.'

Classical music news - Malcolm Lipkin (1932-2017); John McCabe; Warner Music; more ...

CD Spotlight. Winds of Change - Edward Gardner conducts Elgar, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Edward Gardner gives revelatory accounts of both works, always keeping in check the emotional element, but when the occasion warrants, he lets the music sweep us off our feet.'

CD Spotlight. Hard to Beat - Clara Rodriguez plays Moisés Moleiro, heard by the late Howard Smith. '... dazzling, undemanding musical enjoyment ...'

CD Spotlight. Utter Conviction - Antonín Dvorák's 'The Spectre's Bride', welcomed by Gerald Fenech. 'Meister and his Vienna forces capture the eerie atmosphere of the story with chilling effect, and his consistent attention to detail allows the soloists free reign to bring out all the expressiveness of the characters.'

Ensemble. Admirably Clear - Elgar, Grieg and Walton from soloists, Nottingham Harmonic Choir, Rory Macdonald and the Hallé Orchestra, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Many Similarities - Orchestral music by George Antheil, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... the performances are committed and of high quality from all concerned, and the Chandos sound is sumptuous.'

Classical music news - Kathleen Ferrier; more ...

Classical music news - Jeffrey Tate (1943-2017); David Lewiston (1929-2017); Elisabeth Chojnacka (1939-2017); more ...

Ensemble. A Mirror of Time - Giuseppe Pennisi reports on a trendy concert series in Rome

DVD Spotlight. Exhilarating Mozart - 'La Finta Giardiniera' from Opéra de Lille, reviewed by Gerald Fenech. '... a humdinger of a version, passionately sung and acted and superbly conducted by Emmanuelle Haim.'

Classical music news - Jirí Belohlávek (1946-2017); Festivals and Summer Schools - June 2017 Newsletter (PDF, 1.5Mb); Barbara Smith Conrad (1937-2017); more ...

CD Spotlight. Flair and Musicianship - Short cello works by Bohuslav Martinu, heard by Paul Sarcich. '... small storms should be taken in small doses.'

CD Spotlight. A Versatile Composer - Music by Geoffrey Hanson, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'Performances are superb and everyone is a standout.'

CD Spotlight. Choral Masterpieces - Antonín Dvorák's Mass in D and Te Deum, warmly recommended by Gerald Fenech. 'Performances are first rate, and Antoni Wit and his forces respond with eloquence and characteristically immaculate singing ...'