Latest News: Classical
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Video Interview,
Jakub Józef Orliński on Gluck's Orfeo 4th July 2024The Polish countertenor discusses recording 'one of the signature-roles' for his voice-type, how going to hell and back in two contrasting productions of the opera informed his interpretation in the studio, and why acting as co-artistic director on the recording taught him to 'read the room'...
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Interview,
Johannes Pramsohler and Philippe Grisvard on Berlin Harpsichord Concertos 3rd July 2024The director and harpsichordist of pioneering early music group Ensemble Diderot talk about their new album of works from the time of Frederick the Great.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - June 2024 2nd July 2024Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for June, with Sibelius and Prokofiev violin concertos from Janine Jansen and Klaus Mäkelä in Oslo in first place...
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Recording of the Week,
Meyerbeer's Le prophète from Mark Elder and the London Symphony Orchestra 2nd July 2024This weird and wonderful opera about a Flanders innkeeper who is radicalised into religious extremism really catches fire on a live recording from last year's Aix-en-Provence Festival, with the London Symphony Orchestra on barnstorming form and American tenor John Osborn at the top of his game in the demanding title-role.
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Interview,
Rory Macdonald on Our Gilded Veins 1st July 2024The conductor discusses his new album of contemporary orchestral works with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, released last month on Linn and featuring music by Anna Clyne, Sir James MacMillan, Martin Suckling & Jay Capperauld.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - June 2024 30th June 2024June heavyweights include a celebration of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at 80, Osmo Vänskä's complete set of Mahler symphonies with the Minnesota Orchestra, and anthologies dedicated to Josef Krips and Wolfgang Sawallisch.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 28th June 2024 28th June 2024Gaspard Le Roux from William Christie & Justin Taylor, Tudor keyboard music from Mishka Rushdie Momen, French opera overtures from the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra & Neeme Järvi, and Wagner's Parsifal from the 2023 Bayreuth Festival (conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado, with Andreas Schager in the title-role).
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Interview,
Golda Schultz on Mozart's Women 27th June 2024The South African soprano (who is currently singing Fiordiligi at Covent Garden) discusses her new Mozart album on Alpha Classics, why the three Da Ponte operas feel 'more relevant than ever' today, and the role which 'changed her as a person' - even though she never wants to sing it again...
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Composer Guides,
Bernard Herrmann 26th June 2024A selection of some of the best recordings of music by the American composer and conductor, best known for his impressive roster of enormously successful film scores.
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Awards,
Opus Klassik Awards 2024 25th June 2024Revealed in advance of October's ceremony at the Konzerthaus Berlin, the winners of this year's 'Deutscher Musikpreis' awards include Anna Prohaska, Isabelle Faust, Reginald Mobley and Klaus Mäkelä.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - July 2024 Choices 25th June 2024Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by a recording of The Dream of Gerontius 'that every Elgarian should have' from Paul McCreesh & Gabrieli on Signum, with Nicky Spence in the title-role.
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Recollections,
Horns, Handley and the Heavens - My Life In Music 24th June 2024Our Head of Digital David Smith introduces some of the recordings that have moulded his musical tastes - from Romantic orchestral heavyweights to early sacred music.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 51: Nunconventional - The Poor Clares of Arundel on their second album for Decca 24th June 2024Sisters Aelred and Graca of the Poor Clares talk about their recently-released album My Peace I Give You, and look back at the community's recorded debut Light For The World in 2020.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 50: A Close-Up Look – Heloïse Werner on her latest solo album 22nd June 2024The singer and composer talks about her second solo album on Delphian, with vocal works ranging from medieval to contemporary (including several of her own adventurous compositions).
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Recording of the Week,
English Song Recitals from Robin Tritschler and James Gilchrist 21st June 2024Tritschler joins forces with Malcolm Martineau, Sean Shibe and Philip Higham to pay tribute to Peter Pears on Signum, whilst Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook bring unaffected eloquence to a collection of songs by Roger Quilter on Chandos.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 21st June 2024 21st June 2024Mahler on period instruments from the Mahler Academy Orchestra and Philipp von Steinaecker, Schubert and Desyatnikov from Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy, rarely-heard Verdi from Freddie De Tommaso, and the final instalment of Mozart concertos from Robert Levin.
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Composer Guides,
Charles-François Gounod 20th June 2024A selection of some of the best recordings of music by the French Romantic composer, known for his operas, sacred music and songs.
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Announcement,
Fair Play on Presto Music streaming 20th June 2024Fair Play on Presto Music streaming ensures fair compensation for all artists and composers
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Video Interview,
Paul Agnew on Rameau's Platée from Garsington 19th June 2024During the final stretch of rehearsals for Louisa Muller's new production of Rameau's tragicomic opera (which opened to rave reviews at the end of May), we paid the conductor a visit at the Wormsley Estate to find out more about what makes this score such a weird and wonderful treat - and why we don't see more French Baroque opera on UK stages...
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Interview,
Robin Tritschler on Songs for Peter Pears 18th June 2024The Irish tenor discusses his tribute to Peter Pears (released last Friday on Signum Classics), which includes song-cycles by Lennox Berkeley, Geoffrey Bush, Arthur Oldham, and of course Pears's life-partner Benjamin Britten.