Latest stories
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Radu Lupu (1945-2022)
19th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
The Romanian pianist Radu Lupu, widely regarded as one of the most eloquent musicians of the late twentieth century, has died aged 76.
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Nicholas Angelich (1970-2022)
19th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
The American pianist, who was particularly noted for his powerful interpretations of Brahms's solo piano works and chamber music, has died aged 51.
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New Release Round-Up - 15th April 2022
15th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
Beethoven concertos from Kristian Bezuidenhout and Pablo Heras-Casado, Bach cello suites from Bruno Philippe, Tailleferre piano works from Nicolas Horvath, and American soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen's debut album of opera arias.
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Melanne Mueller on Avie Records
13th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
To mark Avie's twentieth birthday, the label's co-founder talks to Katherine about their commitment to 'giving something back to musicians', why the recording industry 'needs to be nimble', and long lunches with Julian Bream and Jon Lord...
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Franco-Italian recitals from Benjamin Bernheim and Pene Pati
8th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
Bernheim traces the history of Italian composers in Paris with his customary elegance and eloquence, whilst Pati's equally impressive debut on Warner reveals a voice of immense character and versatility.
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New Release Round-Up - 8th April 2022
8th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
Beethoven's Diabelli Variations from Mitsuko Uchida, Haydn and Schubert from Grigory Sokolov at Esterházy Palace, Mahler from Semyon Bychkov and the Czech Philharmonic, and works by Florence Price, Valerie Coleman and Jessie Montgomery from the New York Youth Symphony.
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Semyon Bychkov on Mahler
6th Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
In advance of the first instalment of his Mahler cycle with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra on Pentatone, the conductor reflects on 'a lifetime of exploring and loving this music' - and why he believes that 'all Czech people are born musicians'...
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New Release Round-Up - 1st April 2022
1st Apr 2022by Katherine Cooper
Handel's La Resurrezione from Harry Bicket and The English Concert, Strauss, Korngold and Schreker from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London, operatic rivalry from Véronique Gens and Sandrine Piau, and Schubert from Stephen Hough.
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Presto Editor's Choices - March 2022
31st Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
White-hot Rachmaninov from Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas, four vivid orchestral works by American composer James Lee III, some riveting new commissions from Manchester Camerata, and a macabre but mesmerising 'Celebration of Life in Death' from Anna Prohaska.
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John Williams's new violin concerto and other forthcoming highlights
29th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
Other stand-out releases for May and beyond include Brahms from the Pavel Haas Quartet and friends, a recital of Polish songs from Jakub Józef Orlinski and Michał Biel, and male soprano Samuel Mariño's debut album on Decca.
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Ian Bostridge on Tormento d'amore
28th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The English tenor discusses his recent album of arias from seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Italian operas, featuring music by composers including Cavalli, Vivaldi, Cesti, Stradella and Sartorio.
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New Release Round-Up - 25th March 2022
25th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
Fanny Hensel & Felix Mendelssohn from Chen Reiss, Stravinsky from Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra, Sibelius from Klaus Mäkelä and the Oslo Philharmonic, and the culmination of Le Compagnia del Madrigale's Gesualdo cycle.
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Fenella Humphreys on Caprices
24th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The violinist talks to Katherine about how her new album sprang in part from conquering childhood demons about Paganini, and how commissioning a host of composers to contribute to a new set of micro-variations on his Caprice No. 24 for the project 'brought some absolutely brilliant people into her life'.
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Ophélie Gaillard on A Night in London
22nd Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The French cellist talks to Katherine about her new album centring on three composer-cellists who made their mark on the English capital in the mid-eighteenth century: the Italians Nicola Porpora and Giovanni Battista Cirri, and the Scotsman James Oswald.
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New Release Round-Up - 18th March 2022
18th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
Bach's St Matthew Passion from Pygmalion and Raphaël Pichon, orchestral works by James Lee III, Jóhann Jóhannsson's Drone Mass, and a film version of Vivaldi's Stabat Mater from Jakub Józef Orliński.
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Nadine Sierra on Made for Opera
16th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The American soprano talks about her new album on Deutsche Grammophon (featuring snapshots of Verdi's Violetta, Donizetti's Lucia and Gounod's Juliette), how the #MeToo movement has played out in the opera world, and the women who've empowered her in her career.
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Pélleas et Mélisande from François-Xavier Roth and Les Siėcles
11th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
Period instruments provide revelations aplenty in Debussy's opera - and the central love-triangle is cast in an intriguing new light...
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New Release Round-Up - 11th March 2022
11th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
Rachmaninov from Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas, Beethoven from Boris Giltburg and Vasily Petrenko, two Knappertsbusch editions on Eloquence, and Jeanine Tesori & Tazewell Thompson's powerful new opera Blue.
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Chen Reiss on Fanny Hensel
8th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The Israeli soprano talks to Katherine about her new recording on Onyx showcasing Hensel's under-appreciated gifts as an orchestrator, and why she feels 'it’s about time that we give this composer the stage that she deserves'...
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Joyce DiDonato on EDEN
7th Mar 2022by Katherine Cooper
The American mezzo talks to Katherine about her new album on Erato, and answers some questions submitted by Presto readers along the way...