Latest News: Classical
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Interview,
Carole Cerasi on Couperin 4th July 2019The renowned harpsichordist and French Baroque specialist Carole Cerasi talks to David about her new complete recording of the harpsichord works of François Couperin.
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - June 2019 2nd July 2019Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for June, with Lise Davidsen's debut album of Wagner and Strauss on Decca in first place...
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Presto Editor's Choices,
Presto Editor's Choices - June 2019 1st July 2019Intensely dramatic Janáček from Nicky Spence, Julius Drake and friends, an operatic oratorio on The Fall of Man by Josef Mysliveček, and an intriguing debut album of chamber works from octogenarian composer Erika Fox.
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Announcement,
Alexandre Kantorow wins at the 16th International Tchaikovsky Competition 28th June 2019The 22-year-old Frenchman was announced as this year's victor in the piano category last night, following eloquent performances of Tchaikovsky's and Brahms's Second Concertos in his final round earlier this week.
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Recording of the Week,
Offenbach's La Périchole from Marc Minkowski 28th June 2019One of the composer’s great champions celebrates last week’s bicentenary in style with the first period-instrument recording of this 1868 opéra bouffe about a couple of down-at-heel street-performers who are coerced into a drunken sham marriage.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 28th June 2019 28th June 2019New releases include Grieg and Mendelssohn from Denis Kozhukhin, Haydn from Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Cramer from Howard Shelley, and Berlioz from Sir Andrew Davis.
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Interview,
Guy Johnston & Jonathan Clinch on the Howells Cello Concerto 27th June 2019David talks to cellist Guy Johnston and musicologist Jonathan Clinch about Howells's Cello Concerto - recently reconstructed by Clinch, recorded by Johnston and released on the King's College label.
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Hi-Res Highlights,
Hi-Res Highlights - June 2019 26th June 2019Includes Wagner from Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé, Mahler and Schumann from Renée Fleming, Tavener from Matthew Barley, and a hypnotic exploration of the Chaconne from Hugo Ticciati and O/MODƏRNT.
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Interview,
Fenella Humphreys on Max Richter 25th June 2019The British violinist talks to Katherine about her new recording of The Four Seasons Recomposed, out this Friday on Rubicon.
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Recording of the Week,
The Fellini Album - The Film Music of Nino Rota 21st June 2019Filarmonica della Scala and Riccardo Chailly enchant and delight in an album celebrating the legendary and prolific collaboration between director Federico Fellini and composer Nino Rota.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 21st June 2019 21st June 2019New recordings from Fabio Biondi, Vivica Genaux and Lawrence Zazzo, and Elizabeth Kenny, plus a Donizetti rarity and the complete remastered recordings of French violinist Ginette Neveu.
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Interview,
Johannes Pramsohler on early trio sonatas 20th June 2019The Paris-based violinist talks to David about his double-bill of new albums exploring the trio sonata in England and France, and the Italianate influences on its early evolution.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - July 2019 19th June 2019Chris introduces this month's selection, with the top spot going to Sébastien Daucé and Ensemble Correspondances's vivid accounts of Charpentier's Bible scenes.
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Coming Soon,
Cecilia Bartoli in L'Italiana in Algeri and other forthcoming highlights 18th June 2019The Roman mezzo returns to her Rossinian roots in her role-debut as the irrepressible ‘Italian Girl’ abroad Isabella in Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s contemporary staging, filmed at Salzburg last year.
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Interview,
Hugo Ticciati on Purcell From The Ground Up 17th June 2019The British-born violinist talks to David about his latest eclectic album with Ensemble O/Modernt, exploring a web of musical connections emanating from Purcell's chaconnes.
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Obituary,
Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019) 16th June 2019The Italian opera and film director, whose lavish, spectacular stagings remain in production in many of the world's major houses, has died aged 96.
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Recording of the Week,
Vox Luminis explore cantatas by the Bach family 14th June 2019David listens to the Belgian ensemble's latest album, tracing the evolution of the cantata through the older branches of the Bach family tree.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 14th June 2019 14th June 2019New recordings from Renée Fleming, Herbert Blomstedt, Matthew Barley and Pieter Wispelwey, plus DVDs/Blu-rays of two operatic rarities: Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane and Mercadante’s Didone abbandonata.
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Interview,
Matthew Barley on Tavener's The Protecting Veil 13th June 2019The boundary-crossing British cellist talks to David about his new recording of John Tavener's vast, sweeping concertante work for the cello.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - June 2019 12th June 2019A celebration of Brigitte Fassbaender at 80, Karajan’s Bruckner and Tchaikovsky re-mastered, Myaskovsky’s complete string quartets, and DVD collections from Glyndebourne and the Wiener Staatsoper.