Featured today
Spotlight. Vibrantly Recommended — Gerald Fenech listens to music by Enescu. '... these performances are as dynamically dazzling as they are irrepressibly exciting and incandescent.'
Twenty-five years ago today
CD Review — 'Then and Now' - Villon to Rabelais with Wilfrid Mellers (published 24 April 1999)
Twenty years ago today
Scrutiny — To begin a weekend of articles celebrating Wilfrid Mellers' ninetieth birthday, Gordon Rumson investigates Mellers' early writings, 1936-1949 (published 24 April 2004)
Anniversaries
Giovanni Battista Martini (1706); Jenő Huszka (1875); Violet Archer (1913); Seymour Bernstein (1927); Robin Bryans (1928); Bernard van Dieren (1936); Igor Raykhelson (1961); Augusta Read Thomas (1964); Erik Bergman (2006); Konstantin Orbelyan (2014); Jan Henrik Kayser (2016); Christa Ludwig (2021)
Today's background image
Derived from a pre-1999 photo by Adriana Şoaita and Viorel Anton of a Romanian country house
Recent Articles
Classical music news. Obituary — Andrew Davis (1944-2024)
Spotlight. Delightful and Skilfully Crafted — Geoff Pearce listens to oboe concertos by Hertel. 'Oboist Katarzyna Pilipiuk is superb. She produces a pleasing tone, is precise in her fingerwork and has marvellous intonation.'
Spotlight. Joyously Sparkling — Gerald Fenech listens to Sibylle Mahni play Mozart's horn concertos. 'There are recorded versions of these works aplenty, but this Prospero issue can certainly hold its ground with some of the best available at the moment.'
Tailleferre — A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae
Spotlight. Precious, Luminous Gems — Esdras Mugatik listens to music for accordion by British composer Ronald Stevenson (1928-2015). '... a magical capacity to differentiate levels of sound ...'
Spotlight. An Immediate Impact — Geoff Pearce listens to Pärt and Shostakovich. '... something very special indeed.'
Spotlight. Surprisingly Excellent — Gerald Fenech recommends music by Martucci. '... Martucci's music is so well crafted with an abundant spring of melody that one never tires of listening to it.'
Spotlight. Mysteriously Fascinating — Gerald Fenech wholeheartedly recommends orchestral music by Béla Bartók. 'The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra plays flawlessly throughout.'
Spotlight. A Real Find — Geoff Pearce urges you to listen to this recording of Tippett's 'A Child of Our Time'. '... something very special indeed.'
Classical music news. Behind the Scenes — A recent article alleges a bad working atmosphere and more at the New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Classical music news. Edo de Waart — The Dutch conductor retires at eighty-two
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. An Original Voice — Geoff Pearce listens to Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache conducting Franck and Debussy. '... something very special indeed.'
Ensemble. A Particular Delight — Mike Wheeler listens to the Aquinas Trio
Profile. To Vladivostok With Thanks — Memories of the Russian pianist and teacher Vadim Suchanov (1949-2024) from Béla Hartmann
Spotlight. Compelling Throughout — Gerald Fenech warmly recommends Karl Jenkins' 'The Armed Man'. '... the performance is one of the most moving I've heard in recent times ...'
Ensemble. A Remarkable Concentrated Stillness — Mike Wheeler reviews a restrained but purposeful account of J S Bach's St John Passion
Ensemble. An Evening of Vocal Distinction — Roderic Dunnett reports on Massenet's 'Cendrillon' from the UK's Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Classical music news. Obituary — Christopher T Montgomery (1931-2024)
Classical music news. Obituary — Ian Keith Harris (1935-2024)
Spotlight. Exquisitely Descriptive Music — Gerald Fenech warmly recommends harpsichord music by Pierre-Claude Foucquet. 'It's a joy for a lifetime.'
Classical music news. Del Mar-a-Lago Festival — Here are further details about the contemporary music festival mentioned in our April newsletter
Classical music news. April 2024 Newsletter — Our April 2024 PDF newsletter has just been published, featuring some music festivals around the world this year
Ensemble. Little Short of Miraculous — Mike Wheeler is impressed by Hanni Liang's pianism, but reports that some audience members were unhappy with her recital's lecture element
Ensemble. Radically New for Western Audiences — Adam J Sacks reports from the Hong Kong Arts Festival
Classical music news. New Releases for April 2024 and Later — Browse a selection of new recordings
Ensemble. A Generally Engaging Performance — Mike Wheeler listens to Elgar, Rachmaninov, Debussy and Dvořák in Derby Cathedral
Ensemble. Satisfyingly Impressive and Exciting — Ron Bierman listens to Musorgsky, Rachmaninov and Elgar in San Diego
Spotlight. Richness of Surprise — Gerald Fenech urges you to invest in this cycle of Haydn symphonies from Johannes Klumpp and the Heidelberger Sinfoniker. 'It's a joy for a lifetime.'
Zelman — A classical music word search puzzle by Allan Rae
Spotlight. Fling Wide the Gates — Keith Bramich listens to Delphian Records' new recording of John Stainer's 'The Crucifixion'. '... excellent and committed performance ...'
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