Latest News: Classical
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Coming Soon,
Joyce DiDonato's Winterreise and other forthcoming highlights 17th March 2021A novel take on Schubert's Winter Journey from the American mezzo and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, plus Schoenberg from Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Vaughan Williams from Antonio Pappano, and Péter Eötvös's new violin concerto from its dedicatee Isabelle Faust.
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Obituary,
James Levine (1943-2021) 17th March 2021The American conductor and pianist, who served as Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera for forty years before his career ended amid allegations of sexual abuse, has died aged 77.
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Interview,
Renaud Capuçon on Elgar 16th March 2021The French violinist talks to Katherine about recording the Violin Concerto and Sonata with Sir Simon Rattle, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Stephen Hough.
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Awards,
Grammy Winners 2021 15th March 2021Chris introduces the winning classical albums from this year's ceremony, which took place last night in Los Angeles.
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Recording of the Week,
French Piano Duets from Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne 12th March 2021In a true meeting of musical minds, the two superb pianists team up once again for a delectable programme of miniatures by Fauré, Poulenc, Stravinsky, Debussy and Ravel.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 12th March 2021 12th March 2021Ives symphonies from Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the world premiere recording of Ludomir Różycki's 1944 Violin Concerto, and Strauss, Berg and Zemlinsky from Sandrine Piau.
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Interview,
Julian Perkins on Stephen Dodgson 11th March 2021The conductor talks to Katherine about the world première recording of the 1979 chamber-opera Margaret Catchpole, which tells the story of a Suffolk servant-girl who was deported to Australia for stealing a horse in the late eighteenth century.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - March 2021 10th March 2021Chris introduces this month's Choices, headed by Hilary Hahn's 'Paris' album (featuring music by Chausson, Prokofiev and Rautavaara) on Deutsche Grammophon.
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Interview,
James Newby on I Wonder as I Wander 9th March 2021The young British baritone talks to Katherine about his career to date, and his debut recording of songs by Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler and Britten on BIS.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 13: Symphonic Titans - Bruckner & Mahler with Peter Quantrill 7th March 2021Bruckner and Mahler are the focus of this week's show, as Paul Thomas is joined by Gramophone writer Peter Quantrill to assess a couple of recent box-sets devoted to each composer.
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Recording of the Week,
Osmo Vänskä conducts Mahler's Tenth Symphony 5th March 2021The Minnesota Orchestra and their Music Director give a tumultuous, emotional account of Mahler's final, unfinished symphony, in the performing version by Deryck Cooke.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 5th March 2021 5th March 2021Elgar from Renaud Capuçon, French piano duets from Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne, a Parisian album from Hilary Hahn, and the world premiere recording of Chaya Czernowin’s opera Heart Chamber.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - February 2021 4th March 2021Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for February, with the fifth instalment of Andris Nelsons's Bruckner cycle from Leipzig on Deutsche Grammophon in first place...
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Interview,
Clare Hammond on Variations 3rd March 2021The pianist talks about her new album, that sees her draw together numerous different sets of variations from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
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Interview,
Johan Dalene on Nordic Rhapsody 2nd March 2021The Swedish violinist talks about his new album of music from Northern Europe, with pianist Christian Ihle Hadland.
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Presto Editor's Choices,
Presto Editor's Choices - February 2021 1st March 2021A breathtaking Liszt recital from Benjamin Grosvenor, three electrifying orchestral works by Raymond Yiu, and a highly enjoyable trip to the zoo with Ashley Riches and Joseph Middleton.
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Recording of the Week,
Biber's Requiem from Vox Luminis 26th February 2021Lionel Meunier's ensemble explore a time of religious and musical flux in Europe, with an album centred around Heinrich Biber's Requiem and less-heard works by his contemporaries.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 26th February 2021 26th February 2021Piazzolla from Lucienne Renaudin Vary, Bartók from Thomas Dausgaard, Brahms from Antoine Tamestit and Cédric Tiberghien, and French theatre music from Neeme Järvi.
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Interview,
Emmanuel Despax on Spira, Spera 25th February 2021The pianist talks about his new album of Bach transcriptions, inspired in part by his personal reaction to the Notre-Dame de Paris fire of 2019.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - March 2021 Choices 24th February 2021Chris introduces this month's selection, with a 'sexy, sparkling' account of John Eccles's Semele from the Academy of Ancient Music and Julian Perkins in pride of place.