Latest stories
David Smith
David writes as an early music specialist for Presto Music and Early Music America, and sings with the English vocal groups Ex Cathedra and Armonico Consort and as a lay clerk at St Philip’s Cathedral, Birmingham, UK.
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Patrick Yim on Bamboo Grove
7th Sep 2026
The violinist talks about his recent album of violin works by Chen Yi and Zhou Long, combining Chinese and Western musical styles in innovative ways.
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Beethoven & the Italians from Enrico Onofri and the Münchener Kammerorchester
4th Sep 2026
Three gripping Beethoven symphonies, interspersed with works by some of the finest Italian opera composers of the period, combine into an illuminatingly-woven programme that reveals new facets of both styles.
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Beethoven & the Italians
Münchener Kammerorchester, Enrico Onofri
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New Release Round-Up - 21st August 2026
21st Aug 2026
Bruckner from Pablo Heras-Casado and Anima Eterna, orchestral works by Anthony Hopkins from Gustavo Dudamel and the Philharmonia Orchestra, a personal celebration of two great American composers from Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Joby Talbot's Sunstone performed by Conspirare under Craig Hella Johnson.
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Jill Gomez (1942-2026)
18th Aug 2026
The Trinidadian-British soprano, who created roles for Tippett, Alwyn, Musgrave and Adès, has died aged 83.
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Scenes from Finland with Rumon Gamba and the Oulu Sinfonia
14th Aug 2026
Rumon Gamba and his North Finnish musicians return, this time taking us on a whirlwind tour of some characterful and colourful music written by Finnish composers for stage and screen.
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Early Music Round-Up - Summer 2026
29th Jul 2026
English viol consort works from Private Musicke, rediscovered Spanish sonatas for viola from Pablo de Pedro Cano, an intimate French recital from gambist Caroline Nicolas, the final volume of Vivaldi bassoon concertos from Sergio Azzolini, and more.
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Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
22nd Jul 2026
The life and works of the great English composer Gerald Finzi - born in London but profoundly associated with the countryside of Southern England, and known for his nostalgia-tinged vocal and choral music.
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Presto Presents... Edward Picton-Turbervill and Michael Waldron
21st Jul 2026
The conductor and composer talk about Edward's music and influences, and his new album Eden, released recently on Orchid Classics and featuring some of his compositions concerned with nature and the environment.
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The Brass Band Story
14th Jul 2026
Trombonist and academic Trevor Herbert combines pleasure and business in a new deep-dive into the history of British brass banding.
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The Brass Band Story
Trevor Herbert; Yale University Press; Hardback
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Marc Sabbah on Bach for the viola
7th Jul 2026
The violist talks about his new album, featuring his own transcriptions of JS Bach's iconic six suites for solo cello, BWV 1007-1012.
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(Half of) Quatuor Zaïde on Reich and Dessner
25th Jun 2026
The quartet's two violinists discuss their new EP of contemporary compositions for string quartet, by Minimalist titan Steve Reich and his sometime pupil Bryce Dessner (perhaps better-known for his work with rock band the National).
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Reich · Dessner
Quatuor Zaïde
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Christopher Churcher on Moonrise
22nd Jun 2026
The composer talks about his new album of works performed by Somerville College Choir, recently released on Resonus Classics, and in particular his three Pride Motets.
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The Isidore Quartet on 'Adorations'
17th Jun 2026
The quartet's members discuss the works that comprise their debut album, and the influence of earlier generations of quartets on their own musicmaking.
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Adorations
Isidore String Quartet
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Maja Bogdanović on Anna Clyne and Osvaldo Golijov
16th Jun 2026
The cellist talks about 'Perfectly Free', her new album of concertante works by Clyne and Golijov.
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New Release Round-Up - 12th June 2026
12th Jun 2026
Bach from Mahan Esfahani and the Britten Sinfonia, Rachmaninoff from Karina Canellakis and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, a 70th birthday celebration with Sally Beamish, and a return to CPE Bach from Arte Dei Suonatori and Marcin Świątkiewicz.
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Taylor Scott Davis on his Requiem and more...
10th Jun 2026
The composer talks about his new album of works performed by VOCES8 and friends.
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Presto Presents... Helen Charlston and Sholto Kynoch
27th May 2026
In the latest episode of Presto Presents, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston and pianist Sholto Kynoch perform and discuss music from their new album A Poet's Love, inspired by Schumann's Dichterliebe.
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Nico Muhly's choral works from Magdalen College, Oxford
22nd May 2026
The trebles and adults of Magdalen College present a year's worth of anthems, motets and other sacred music written (mostly) for them by Nico Muhly.
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Early Music Round-Up - Spring 2026
21st May 2026
Soulfully penitent Couperin from Le Concert Spirituel and Hervé Niquet, Bach from Le Banquet Céleste with cellist Julien Barre, solo vocal favourites by Purcell, Handel and others from Jakub Józef Orliński and Michał Biel, Alon Sariel's third album of 'plucked Bach', and more.
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Anna Urpina on 'Le Chant des Muses'
18th May 2026
The violinist talks about her new album comprising works from highly successful, but subsequently neglected, female composers of the Baroque era.
