Latest News: Classical
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - February 2023 1st March 2023
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for February, with John Wilson & Sinfonia of London's second volume of English music for strings on Chandos in first place...
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Interview,
Mary Bevan on Visions Illuminées 28th February 2023
The British soprano discusses her new album with 12 Ensemble, the Ruisi Quartet and Joseph Middleton on Signum, featuring works by composers including Britten, Chausson, Holmès, and Ravel & Debussy (via Robin Holloway).
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Interview,
Mark Bebbington on Vaughan Williams's 'Fantasia on the Old 104th' 27th February 2023
The pianist talks about his recent recording of a striking, category-defying work by Vaughan Williams that is very rarely heard - and shares his thoughts on some other rarely-explored sides of Vaughan Williams's music.
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Recording of the Week,
Nadia & Lili Boulanger - Les heures claires 24th February 2023
French pianist Anne de Fornel is joined by Lucile Richardot, Stéphane Degout and Raquel Camarinha for this spellbinding anthology of the two sisters' complete songs, including a number of world premiere recordings.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 24th February 2023 24th February 2023
Bartók from the WDR Sinfonieorchester and Cristian Măcelaru, Stravinsky from Les Siècles and Ensemble Aedes, Brahms from Ning Feng and Zee Zee, and Rachmaninoff from the Choir of King's College London.
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Interview,
Eric Lu on Schubert 23rd February 2023
The pianist talks about his recent album of Schubert sonatas, his empathy for the troubled composer, and his unique relationship with his music.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - February 2023 21st February 2023
A mammoth anthology marking what would have been Claudio Abbado's ninetieth birthday, plus the Fitzwilliam Quartet's complete recordings on Decca, a collection celebrating the varied career of pianist, conductor and Hollywood star José Iturbi, and lesser-spotted Offenbach from Opera Rara.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - February 2023 Choices 20th February 2023
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by an 'exquisite' recital on the themes of love and loss from Ruby Hughes & Huw Watkins on BIS, which takes its title from Watkins's new song-cycle Echo.
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Recording of the Week,
Biber's Rosary Sonatas from Amandine Beyer and Gli Incogniti 17th February 2023
Inspired by a dance project for the stage, Beyer and her fellow musicians rediscover the vitality of Biber's cycle of devotional sonatas.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 17th February 2023 17th February 2023
Verdi from Riccardo Chailly and the musicians of the Teatro alla Scala, a soul-searching song recital from Kitty Whately and Joseph Middleton, Schumann from Fabrizio Chiovetta, and courtly chamber music of the French Baroque from Philippe Jaroussky, Christina Pluhar and L'Arpeggiata.
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Interview,
Rory McCleery on Vicente Lusitano 16th February 2023
The Marian Consort's director talks about the ensemble's recent album of choral polyphony by Vicente Lusitano, the earliest-known classical composer of African ancestry.
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Interview,
Simon Callaghan on Reinecke 15th February 2023
The British pianist and academic talks about his latest contribution to Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, featuring three works by a German composer whose many illustrious students included Grieg, Albéniz and Janáček...
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - February 2023 14th February 2023
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by Toutes les nuits - a 'stunning, intelligently paced' album of nocturnal Renaissance songs from Romain Bockler, Bor Zuljan and Dulces Exuviae on Ricercar.
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Interview,
Véronique Gens on singing Poulenc's Elle 13th February 2023
The French soprano reflects on undertaking the biggest challenge of her career to date, and explains why La voix humaine is 'unique in the whole history of music'...
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Recording of the Week,
Voyage intime from Sandrine Piau and David Kadouch 10th February 2023
The French soprano and pianist are beguiling companions on this 'intimate journey' via songs by Schubert, Liszt, Wolf, Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger, Duparc and Debussy.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 10th February 2023 10th February 2023
Beethoven piano concertos from Boris Giltburg, Bach arrangements from Holland Baroque, Bonds sacred works from The Dessoff Choirs & Malcolm J Merriweather and an avian selection from La Rêveuse.
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Interview,
Julian Podger on the music of Dufay 9th February 2023
The director of Gothic Voices talks about the group's new album of choral works from Florentine collections, including two of Dufay's most famous motets - Nuper rosarum flores and O tres piteulx.
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Interview,
Beatrice Rana on Clara & Robert Schumann 8th February 2023
In the wake of her recording of the Schumanns' piano concertos with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Italian pianist reflects on the 'powerful, open and beautiful' relationship between the couple.
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Awards,
Grammy Winners 2023 6th February 2023
Chris introduces the winning classical albums from this year's ceremony, which took place last night in Los Angeles.
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Early Music Round-up,
Early Music Round-Up - February 2023 6th February 2023
Majestic works for brass and choir from InAlto and Lambert Colson, innovative Monteverdi madrigals from Concerto Italiano and Rinaldo Alessandrini, rediscovered Rameau from Alexis Kossenko and friends, a bumper crop of anniversary recordings of Byrd and Weelkes, and more.
