Latest News: Classical
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - March 2025 1st April 2025
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for March, headed by a box-set of Shostakovich's complete symphonies, concertos and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons on Deutsche Grammophon.
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Team Choices,
Presto Team Choices - March 2025 1st April 2025Staff favourites from March include a Boulez centenary tribute from Quatuor Diotima, a rich and varied collection of orchestral works by Master of the King's Music Errollyn Wallen, the world premiere recording of Steve Reich's Jacob's Ladder, and captivating Vivaldi from {oh!} Orkiestra and Belgian soprano Sophie Junker.
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Piano Music Round-up,
Piano Music Round-up - World Piano Day 2025 29th March 2025
It's day 88 of the year, which makes it World Piano Day 2025. As the world celebrates all things piano related, Matthew Ash launches his quarterly round-up of new piano releases, uncovering a diverse array of pianists, repertoire and pianos.
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Recording of the Week,
Shostakovich Concertos and Symphonies from Andris Nelsons 28th March 2025
For the fiftieth anniversary of Shostakovich's death, Deutsche Grammophon have gathered together all fifteen of the composer's symphonies performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their music director, alongside new recordings of all six concertos and the opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 28th March 2025 28th March 2025
Havergal Brian's Agamemnon from Martyn Brabbins and the Orchestra of English National Opera, Dvořák and Price from Marc-André Hamelin and the Takács Quartet, orchestral works by Errollyn Wallen, and Tosca from Daniel Harding in Rome.
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Box Set Deep-Dive,
Eugene Ormandy in Stereo 27th March 2025
Our guest-contributor Rob Cowan delves into a mammoth collection of Columbia Masterworks recordings which the Hungarian-born American conductor made in Philadelphia between the early 1960s and early 1980s.
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Interview,
Nobuyuki Tsujii on Beethoven 26th March 2025
Coinciding with the release of his Deutsche Grammophon debut album, and the reissue by DG of his earlier recordings, pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii spoke to Matthew Ash about his experiences, approaching Beethoven and learning new repertoire as a blind musician.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - April 2025 25th March 2025
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by a Tosca boasting 'the finest cast of the digital era' (namely Eleonora Buratto, Jonathan Tetelman and Ludovic Tézier) on Deutsche Grammophon.
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Interview,
Harry Christophers on 'Angel of Peace' 24th March 2025
The conductor talks about his new album of choral works, released to accompany The Sixteen's 2025 Choral Pilgrimage.
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Announcement,
Experience Presto Music on Audirvana 22nd March 2025
We are delighted to announce the integration of Presto Music into Audirvāna, providing music lovers with a seamless experience to enjoy Presto downloads and streaming in a single application all, delivered with the finest sound quality.
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Recording of the Week,
Verdi's original version of Simon Boccanegra from Sir Mark Elder and Opera Rara 21st March 2025
The 1857 incarnation of Verdi's political thriller is brought vividly to life, with outstanding playing from The Hallé and a terrific, committed young cast headed by Argentinian baritone Germán Enrique Alcántara (making his recording-debut in the title-role).
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 21st March 2025 21st March 2025
Bach concertos from Beatrice Rana and Amsterdam Sinfonietta, a celebration of the brass band tradition from trombonist Peter Moore and the Tredegar Band, Beethoven's 'Hammerklavier' Sonata from Nobuyuki Tsujii, and Shostakovich from Gianandrea Noseda and the London Symphony Orchestra.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - April 2025 Choices 20th March 2025
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by a 'powerful, inventive and irresistibly enjoyable' album melding Baroque and Bantu music from trailblazing South African cellist Abel Selaocoe on Warner Classics.
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Interview,
Jeneba Kanneh-Mason on Fantasie 19th March 2025
Pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason talks about making her debut solo album (released earlier this month on Sony Classical), her journey with Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2, the attractions of Scriabin's soundworld, and the music of Margaret Bonds.
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Interview,
Paavo Järvi on Mahler 17th March 2025
As he embarks upon a cycle of Mahler’s symphonies with the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich, Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi talks about his early exposure to the composer’s music listening at home to recordings with his father, and how Mahler’s own experience as a conductor helps inform interpreters of his music today.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
James Rhodes on MANíA 16th March 2025
James Rhodes talks to Matthew Ash about his new album MANíA (out now on Signum), in a wide-ranging conversation that reaches deep into a shared wonder at the power and beauty of music, as well as 4AM awakenings and coffee.
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Recording of the Week,
Ravel Fragments from Bertrand Chamayou 14th March 2025
Pianist Bertrand Chamayou presents a selection of homages to, and transcriptions of, Ravel's music to mark the composer's 150th birthday.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 14th March 2025 14th March 2025
Mahler from Paavo Järvi in Zürich, a recital of preludes from Jan Lisiecki, 'Organised Delirium' (built around Boulez) from Tamara Stefanovich, and the world premiere recording of Michael Tippett's final opera New Year from Martyn Brabbins et al.
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Obituary,
Sofia Gubaidulina 1931-2025 13th March 2025
The German-resident, Russian-born composer, who combined a profound Orthodox faith with an unrelenting musical modernism, has died aged 93.
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Interview,
Martyn Brabbins on Michael Tippett's New Year 12th March 2025
The conductor discusses the world premiere recording of Tippett's final opera, a 'space-aged fairytale' from 1989 which centres on a troubled child psychologist's transformative encounter with time-travellers from the future.
