Featured Today 
CD Spotlight. Bravo - Challenging music for violin and piano, recommended by Geoff Pearce. 'This recording is up there with the best of them.'
Anniversaries: Wilhelm Furtwängler; James Erb; Paavo Berglund; William Faulkes; Aase Nordmo Løvberg
Today's concerts: Sarah Chang Princeton residency; New Jersey, US; Mendelssohn: St Paul; New York, US; Kemal Gekic, piano and Iris van Eck, cello - Dvořák, Suk, Kodaly and Brahms; Florida, US; A New Year Matinee (Bushey Symphony - 40th Anniversary Season); Bushey, UK; Carducci Quartet - Graham Williams: String Quartet No 8 (first performance); London, UK
Festivals, competitions and masterclasses: Bermuda Festival (23 January - 8 March); Hamilton, BM
Recent Articles
Classical music news - Revolution of Forms; more ...
Classical music news - George Balcombe (1927-2015); more ...
Ensemble. Something More Fluid - Mike Wheeler listens to Stephen Johnson 'discovering music', and to the BBC Philharmonic and Juanjo Mena
CD Spotlight. White Mass - Andrei Korobeinikov plays Scriabin, heard by Howard Smith. '... vividly performed ...'
Ensemble. Werther's Dream World - Willy Decker's production of Massenet's opera finally reaches Rome, by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Operatic Riches - Arias by Handel, Bononcini and Ariosti, heard by Gerald Fenech. 'Lawrence Zazzo has a bright and clear timbre ...'
CD Spotlight. Something Transcendent - Music performed by A Far Cry, heard by Howard Smith. '... evidently capable hands ...'
CD Spotlight. Very Evocative - Piano music by Nils Vigeland, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... the pianistic skills of Jenny Q Chai are quite astounding ...'
Ensemble. Exciting Times - Duncan Ward makes his debut as Sinfonia Viva's principal conductor, experienced by Mike Wheeler
Ask Alice - Restricted view recommended for Verdi's 'Un ballo in maschera' at Covent Garden, by classical music agony aunt Alice McVeigh
Ensemble. A Stage Direction to Forget - Verdi's 'Un ballo in maschero' in Bologna, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Clear Rewards - Tien Hsieh plays Bach and Beethoven, and impresses Howard Smith. '... a distinctive robust architecture ...'
CD Spotlight. Vibrant Testimony - Music inspired by the Virgin Mary, recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... overflowing with a translucent beauty ...'
CD Spotlight. Fluent Inventiveness - Viola sonatas by Gál and Krenek, recommended by Howard Smith. '... remarkable high standards.'
Classical music news - Beethoven Odyssey; Annalisa Stroppa; more ...
CD Spotlight. Out of Tune - Susan Merdinger plays Schumann, heard by Andrew Schartmann. 'Her interpretation of "Reconnaissance" is especially beautiful.'
CD Spotlight. Dedicated Advocates - Robert Still's four string quartets, heard by Howard Smith. 'Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.'
Classical music news - Bob Gilmore (1961-2015); Michael Kennedy (1926-2014); Patrick Gowers (1936-2014); more ...
CD Spotlight. A Tough Nut - Richard Strauss orchestral music, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. '... Weigle has his moments.'
CD Spotlight. Home and Abroad - Piano music by Delius, Bax, Vaughan Williams and Bridge, heard by Howard Smith. 'Commanding resolute performances of music arisen from harrowing conflict.'
CD Spotlight. Not Often Fugal - Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn from the Petrof Trio, heard by Robert Anderson. '... the Tchaikovsky is a rarity, and the more welcome for that.'
CD Spotlight. Seldom Recorded - Violin Sonatas by Copland and Zeisl, heard by Howard Smith. '... Schiff has developed as fair and sweet an approximation of her Olympian mentor as one may reasonably expect.'
CD Spotlight. Real Enchantment - Pergolesi Chamber Cantatas, enjoyed by Robert Anderson. '... episodes of tender pensiveness ...'
CD Spotlight. A Rich Culture - Russian music from SWR Vokalensemble, appreciated by Howard Smith. '... a gift for those eager to hear voices in chorus ...'
CD Spotlight. Rhythmical Flair - David Wilde's Chopin impresses Robert Anderson. '... Wilde shows how it can be transformed in the hands of a master.'
Ensemble. Amersterdam: Lohengrin Lite - James Sohre reports on Pierre Audi's production for Netherlands Opera
Ensemble. Highly Successful - Roderic Dunnett looks back to Worcester's 2014 Three Choirs Festival, and forward to Hereford's Festival in July 2015
Classical music news - January 2015 Newsletter (PDF, 423kb); Claude Frank (1925-2014); Jerzy Semkow (1928-2014); Ray Steadman-Allen (1922-2014); Irene Dalis (1925-2014); Janis Martin (1939-2014); John Persen (1941-2014); Hans Wallat (1929-2014); Lydia Mordkovitch (1944-2014); José Feghali (1961-2014); Knut Nystedt (1915-2014); Manuel De Sica (1949-2014); Luis Herrera de la Fuente (1916-2014); Aleksey Nasedkin (1942-2014); more ...
CD Spotlight. The Genuine Article - Dvorák from the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, heard by Stephen Francis Vasta. '... I'm looking forward to hearing and seeing more of Gaffigan's work ...'
Great Ideas - Malcolm Miller reports on the 2014 BPSE Intercollegiate Competition, and winner Mihai Ritivoiu
Ensemble. True Passion - 'Traviata' on the lagoon, by Giuseppe Pennisi
Astounding Contributions - Larry Sitsky at Eighty, by Endre Anaru
Ensemble. A Bold Decision - 'Il Trovatore' in Naples, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
Ensemble. Unmistakably French - Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, reviewed by Giuseppe Pennisi
CD Spotlight. Northern Landscapes - Symphonies by Per Nørgård, recommended by Ron Bierman. 'It's hard to imagine a more ideal presentation ...'
CD Spotlight. Imaginative Programming - Zenia Löffler's Venetian concerti impress Geoff Pearce. 'This disc will not fail to please ...'
Ensemble. Fresh and Unusual - The Sitwell Singers at Christmas, enjoyed by Mike Wheeler
Ensemble. A Pleasant Change - Derby Choral Union's Christmas Concert, heard by Mike Wheeler
CD Spotlight. Comparatively Tame - Richard Blackford's Great Animal Orchestra, heard by Robert Anderson. 'I can recommend the CD only to the very young at heart.'
CD Spotlight. Widely Spread - Christmas music from Caius College Choir, recommended by Keith Bramich. '... high-quality singing with lovely rounded tone ...'
