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Latest News: Classical
Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - January 2020
3rd February 2020
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for January, with Stephen Hough's late Brahms on Hyperion in first place...
Presto Editor's Choices,
Presto Editor's Choices - January 2020
31st January 2020
An eloquent, gently moving debut from the young Swedish violinist Johan Dalene, French connections from John Wilson, and a terrific triptych of Ariannas from American mezzo Kate Lindsey.
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Agrippina starring Joyce DiDonato
31st January 2020
The American mezzo sings the title role of the scheming Roman matriarch in a starrily-cast recording of Handel's early opera with Il Pomo d'Oro, conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev.
New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 31st January 2020
31st January 2020
Strauss Lieder from Diana Damrau, Helmut Deutsch and the late Mariss Jansons, French orchestral works from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London, Prokofiev from Steven Osborne, and Beethoven from Kristian Bezuidenhout and Pablo Heras-Casado.
Interview,
John Wilson on the Sinfonia of London
30th January 2020
The British conductor talks to James about his new ensemble and their first two recording projects of music by Korngold plus a selection of French orchestral works.
Hi-Res Highlights,
Hi-Res Highlights - January 2020
29th January 2020
Transatlantic connections from the Cincinnati Symphony and their French musical director, Schtschedrin and Respighi from Mariss Jansons and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and an impressive debut album of Barber and Tchaikovsky from young Swedish violinist Johan Dalene.
Interview,
Reinoud Van Mechelen on Charpentier
28th January 2020
The Belgian tenor talks to David about his recent double-bill of Charpentier's settings of the Orpheus myth, with A Nocte Temporis and Vox Luminis.
Awards,
Grammy Winners 2020
27th January 2020
Chris introduces the winning classical albums from this year's ceremony, which took place last night in Los Angeles.
Obituary,
Franz Mazura (1924-2020)
25th January 2020
The Austrian bass-baritone, who was especially renowned for his Wagner roles and made his final appearance in Die Meistersinger only last April, has died aged 95.
Recording of the Week,
Liszt’s Dante Symphony plus a world-premiere recording from Kirill Karabits
24th January 2020
Kirill Karabits conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar in orchestral works by Liszt, including the world-premiere recording of the Künstlerfestzug zur Schillerfeier.
New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 24th January 2020
24th January 2020
Mary Bevan and Joseph Middleton explore Schubert, Haydn and Wolf’s ‘Divine Muses’, Swedish soprano Malin Byström makes her solo recording debut with Berg, Duparc and Rangström, and Kairos present three large-scale orchestral works by Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth.
Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - January 2020
23rd January 2020
January collections include Claudio Abbado’s complete recordings with the Wiener Philharmoniker for Deutsche Grammophon, a celebration of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s early years, and the first complete recording of Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji’s monumental Sequentia cyclica for solo piano.
Awards,
Recordings of the Year 2019 - Photo Gallery
22nd January 2020
A selection of our 2019 Recordings of the Year winners with their awards!
Awards,
International Classical Music Awards 2020
21st January 2020
The ICMA results were revealed this morning, with winners including recordings from Adám Fischer, Ian Bostridge and Thomas Adès, and the young Turkish pianist Can Çakmur.
Interview,
Xavier Sabata on Winterreise
20th January 2020
The Catalan countertenor talks to Katherine about taking 'a trip into the darkness of the mind' on his recording of Schubert's great song-cycle, released before Christmas on Berlin Classics.
Obituary,
Barry Tuckwell (1931-2020)
17th January 2020
The Australian horn player and conductor has died at the age of 88.
Recording of the Week,
Charpentier from Vox Luminis, A Nocte Temporis and Reinoud Van Mechelen
17th January 2020
The two Belgian early music ensembles pool their resources for two very different works depicting Orpheus's descent to the underworld, with Van Mechelen on outstanding form as the intrepid hero in each case.
New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 17th January 2020
17th January 2020
CPE Bach from oboist Xenia Löffler and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Mahler’s ‘Symphony of a Thousand‘ from Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the complete Beethoven piano sonatas from Fazil Say, and another Liszt rarity from Kirill Karabits and the Staatskapelle Weimar.
Awards,
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2020: Shortlist
16th January 2020
The nominations are just in and voting is open...
Coming Soon,
Benjamin Grosvenor's Chopin and other forthcoming highlights
15th January 2020
The young British pianist records the two concertos with Elim Chan and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, plus two Adès world premiere recordings and new releases from Adam Laloum, the Fitzwilliam Quartet, Isabelle Faust, and Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton.
