Latest News: Classical
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - March 2020 25th February 2020Chris introduces this month’s Choices, with Benjamin Grosvenor's accounts of the Chopin piano concertos with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Elim Chan leading the way as Recording of the Month.
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Recording of the Week,
Charles Hubert Parry's Judith from William Vann and the London Mozart Players 21st February 2020Parry’s 1888 oratorio on the Apocryphal tale of an avenging Jewish widow emerges as a worthy successor to Mendelssohn’s Elijah in this gripping world premiere recording with Sarah Fox, Kathryn Rudge and Toby Spence.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 21st February 2020 21st February 2020Chopin from Benjamin Grosvenor, Dvořák and Copland from Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra, Farrenc from Christoph König and the Solistes Européens Luxembourg, and a boxed set of Karajan recordings from Decca.
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Coming Soon,
Beethoven 2020 - forthcoming highlights 19th February 2020Anniversary tributes from artists including Maurizio Pollini, Rudolf Buchbinder, Teodor Currentzis, the Capuçon brothers.
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Obituary,
Hamish Milne (1939-2020) 18th February 2020The British pianist, who was particularly associated with the music of Nikolai Medtner, has died aged 80.
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Presto CD,
New titles added to Presto CD - February 2020 17th February 2020Including Riccardo Chailly conducting Orff's Carmina Burana, Dvořák's Piano Concerto from András Schiff and Shostakovich's Symphony No 14 from Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
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Interview,
Owen Rees on Josquin and his legacy 17th February 2020David talks to conductor and musicologist Owen Rees about his latest album with Contrapunctus, exploring the impact of Josquin on Spanish polyphony.
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Obituary,
Reinbert de Leeuw (1938-2020) 17th February 2020The Dutch pianist, conductor and composer has died aged 81.
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Interview,
Papagena - Hush! 15th February 2020David talks to members of the all-female vocal quintet about their new recording on Somm Recordings.
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Recording of the Week,
Paavo Järvi conducts orchestral works by Bartók 14th February 2020The NHK Symphony Orchestra and Paavo Järvi perform a trio of works by Bartók: Divertimento for String Orchestra, Dance Suite, and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 14th February 2020 14th February 2020Strauss from Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic, Sibelius from Santtu-Matias Rouvali and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Schumann, Poulenc and Zemlinsky from German soprano Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, and Hasse and Lady Gaga from Simone Kermes.
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Interview,
Paavo Järvi on the NHK Symphony Orchestra 13th February 2020Ahead of the release of their album of Bartók on Sony Classical tomorrow, the Japanese orchestra's Chief Conductor talks to Katherine about expanding their twentieth-century and contemporary repertoire and his plans for their future together.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - February 2020 Choices 12th February 2020Chris introduces this month's selection, including Bach from Angela Hewitt, Tchaikovsky from Peter Donohoe, and Strauss from Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
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Interview,
Kate Lindsey on Arianna 11th February 2020The American mezzo (currently starring as Nerone in Handel's Agrippina at the Metropolitan Opera) talks to Katherine about her new recording of cantatas by Alessandro Scarlatti, Handel and Haydn, released last month on Alpha.
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Obituary,
Nello Santi (1931-2020) 10th February 2020The Italian opera conductor, who was one of the finest Verdi and Puccini interpreters of the twentieth century, has died aged 88.
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Obituary,
Mirella Freni (1935-2020) 10th February 2020The Italian soprano, who was widely recognised as one of the finest Verdi and Puccini singers of the twentieth century, has died aged 84.
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Interview,
Ēriks Ešenvalds on There Will Come Soft Rains 8th February 2020Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds talks to David about his new album of choral works, recorded by the Choir of the West at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington.
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Recording of the Week,
Cherubini from Riccardo Chailly and Filarmonica della Scala 7th February 2020The Italian conductor and orchestra present nine world premiere recordings of occasional marches alongside energetic accounts of the Overture in G minor and Symphony.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 7th February 2020 7th February 2020The St Matthew Passion from Masaaki Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan, Sibelius from Sir Mark Elder and The Hallé, Mozart from Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov, and Elgar, Chausson and more from Daniel Hope and friends.
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Obituary,
Peter Serkin (1947-2020) 6th February 2020The American pianist, who was as renowned for his work with contemporary composers as for his period-instrument performances of Mozart and Beethoven, has died aged 72.