Latest News: Classical
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Obituary,
Libor Pešek (1933-2022) 24th October 2022The Czech conductor, who was an impassioned advocate for music by his lesser-known compatriots and held positions with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Czech Philharmonic, has died aged 89.
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Interview,
Midori Komachi on the violin works of Vaughan Williams 24th October 2022The violinist talks about her recent album of Vaughan Williams's music for violin and piano, with Simon Callaghan.
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Recording of the Week,
Hans Rott's Symphony in E major from Jakub Hrůša 21st October 2022The Czech conductor and his Bamberg orchestra offer a magnificent account of a work not heard until more than a century after it was written, by a composer described by Gustav Mahler as "the founder of the new symphony".
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 21st October 2022 21st October 2022An homage to Pauline Viardot from Marina Viotti and Christophe Rousset, Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov from Gianandrea Noseda, the soundtrack to Tár (starring Cate Blanchett as a brilliant but flawed star conductor), and a cinematic anthology from Alexandre Tharaud.
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Interview,
Jan Talich Jr on the art of quartet-playing 20th October 2022In the wake of their new recording of Dvořák's 'American' Quartet, the Czech violinist and conductor discusses the history of the quartet which his father founded in 1964 - and which he himself has led for the past twenty-five years.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - Awards Issue 2022 19th October 2022Chris introduces the latest selection, headed by Marc Minkowski's 'formidable re-evaluation' of Meyerbeer's influential but under-recorded supernatural opera Robert le Diable on Bru Zane, with John Osborn in the title-role.
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Presto CD,
New Sony titles on Presto CD 17th October 2022Legendary artists such as Jascha Heifetz, James Galway & Ben Heppner feature in the latest additions to our Presto CD catalogue.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 32: Music for Albion - Vaughan Williams with John Francis 16th October 2022John Francis from the Ralph Vaughan Williams Society joins Paul to guide him through the life and music of Ralph Vaughan Williams.
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Recording of the Week,
Rossini's Messa di Gloria from Antonio Pappano 14th October 2022The Cinderella of Rossini's sacred works goes to the ball in fine style, with stand-out performances from tenors Lawrence Brownlee and Michael Spyres, and some delectable obbligatos from the woodwind principals of Pappano's Roman orchestra.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 14th October 2022 14th October 2022Today's new releases include Hans Rott from Jakub Hruša, Ruth Gipps from Rumon Gamba and the BBC Philharmonic, Mahler from Semyon Bychkov, and Lully's Acis et Galatée from Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques.
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Interview,
Víkingur Ólafsson on From Afar 13th October 2022The Icelandic pianist recounts how meeting 'living legend' György Kurtág in Budapest last summer inspired his latest album - part 'fan-letter' to the composer himself and part musical autobiography...
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New Release Round-up,
Celebrating Vaughan Williams at 150 12th October 2022Highlights from this year's plethora of new releases marking the composer's 150th birthday include world premiere recordings of Pan's Anniversary and a number of folk-song settings, a thrilling On Wenlock Edge from Scottish tenor Nicky Spence, and symphonies from Sir Mark Elder and Martyn Brabbins.
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Video Interview,
Héloïse Luzzati on La Boîte à Pépites 11th October 2022The French cellist introduces her new label celebrating the legacies of women composers, which launched at the end of last month with a collection of vocal and chamber works by Charlotte Sohy (1887-1955).
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Interview,
Joby Burgess on A Percussionist's Songbook 10th October 2022The percussionist talks about his new album of solo commissions from contemporary composers, and about his lifelong relationship with the marimba.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 31: Mysticism, Modernism and Music - Scriabin with Marina Frolova-Walker 9th October 2022Paul is joined by Cambridge Russian music Professor Marina Frolova-Walker to discuss 150 years of Alexander Scriabin, from his beginnings as a frustrated virtuoso to his explorations in radical mysticism.
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Recording of the Week,
Telemann Fantasias from Alina Ibragimova 7th October 2022The violinist adds a fourth album of unaccompanied repertoire to her tally - following Bach, Ysaÿe and Paganini up with Telemann's twelve fantasias, written to be technically approachable yet musically satisfying.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 7th October 2022 7th October 2022A 'fan-letter' to György Kurtág from Víkingur Ólafsson, high-octane opera duets from Jonas Kaufmann and Ludovic Tézier, French bel canto arias from Lisette Oropesa, and Bach Orchestral Suites from John Butt and the Dunedin Consort.
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Interview,
Bruno de Sá on Roma Travestita 6th October 2022The Brazilian soprano discusses his debut album on Erato (exploring the period of operatic history when women were forbidden from performing on the Roman stage) and the process of 'finding his own path' as a high-voiced male singer...
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Interview,
Domingo Hindoyan on life in Liverpool 5th October 2022The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's new Chief Conductor talks about his debut recording of Debussy, Roussel and Dukas on Onyx, his relationship with his mentor Daniel Barenboim, and how being part of the original El Sistema in Venezuela has informed his approach to music education and community work.
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Awards,
Gramophone Awards 2022 - The Winners! 4th October 2022Chris reports back from tonight's ceremony in London, with full details of the overall winning recording, Artist of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and other special awards.