Latest News: Classical, Decca (label)
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Recording of the Week,
World premiere recording of Hasse's opera, Siroe Re di Persia 3rd November 2014Katherine listens to the first ever recording of J A Hasse’s exotic opera, featuring vocal fireworks from Max Emanuel Cencic, Franco Fagioli and Julia Lezhneva.
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Recording of the Week,
Cecilia Bartoli sings music from 18th-century Russia 13th October 2014Chris listens to superstar mezzo Cecilia's latest disc, exploring music written for the court of St Petersburg in the Eighteenth Century.
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Recording of the Week,
Alison Balsom performs trumpet music inspired by Paris 8th September 2014Katherine listens to trumpeter Alison Balsom's new disc of works and arrangements with a jazzy, Parisian flavour.
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Interview,
Pumeza Matshikiza - Voice of Hope 4th September 2014Katherine talks to the soprano about her new disc of opera arias and songs from her native South Africa.
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Interview,
Benjamin Grosvenor - a postscript 13th August 2014Following on from Monday's newsletter, I caught up with Benjamin over email to find out more about his new disc Dances - and whether or not he has two left feet…
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Recording of the Week,
Benjamin Grosvenor - Dances 11th August 2014Young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor sets Katherine's toes tapping with his new disc, Dances.
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Recording of the Week,
Music to commemorate the First World War 28th July 2014Katherine listens to Anna Prohaska's Behind the Lines, a collection of songs spanning a wide historical period, but focusing primarily on the years of the First World War.
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Interview,
Daniel Behle on Gluck's tenors 2nd July 2014To mark the tercentenary of Gluck's birth today, Katherine talks to the German lyric tenor about his new disc exploring the composer's writing for high male voice.
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Interview,
Julia Lezhneva on Alleluia! 8th May 2014The phenomenal young Russian soprano talks to Katherine about her recent disc of motets by Vivaldi, Handel, Porpora and Mozart, and her plans for the future.
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Interview,
Alisa Weilerstein on Dvorak 6th May 2014The young American cellist tells us about her relationship with the Dvorak Concerto, which she's recently recorded for Decca Classics.
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Recording of the Week,
Decca Most Wanted Recitals 17th March 2014 -
Recording of the Week,
Cecilia Bartoli sings Bellini’s Norma 20th May 2013Giovanni Antonini recreates Bellini’s masterpiece as it would have been heard at its 1831 premiere, with period instruments, a light soprano Adalgisa, and a high mezzo in the formidable title-role – Bartoli, radiating neurotic intensity and raw pathos as the infanticidal Druid priestess.
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Recording of the Week,
Julia Lezhneva: Alleluia 1st April 2013The young Russian soprano makes her solo debut on Decca with cantatas by Handel, Mozart, Porpora and Vivaldi which showcase her scintillating coloratura, tonal clarity and warmth, and radiant middle register; Il Giardino Armonico and Giovanni Antonini accompany with panache.
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Recording of the Week,
Wagner from Jonas Kaufmann and others 11th February 2013Gergiev conducts an electrifying Walküre starring René Pape as Wotan, Nina Stemme as his rebel daughter, and Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Kampe as the Walsung Twins; Kaufmann’s solo album of opera scenes and the Wesendock-Lieder, meanwhile, is the best thing he’s ever done.
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Recording of the Week,
Elgar & Carter from Alisa Weilerstein 4th February 2013The American cellist worked closely with Carter (who died last year) whilst preparing his 2001 Cello Concerto, and brings a touching elegiac lyricism to the Japanese-influenced slow movement; her introverted and tender account of the Elgar is no less engaging.
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Recording of the Week,
Mission: Cecilia Bartoli 15th October 2012The intrepid Roman mezzo explores the music of Agostino Steffani - Italian composer, cleric, diplomat and spy – in a programme of blazing martial show-stoppers, coloratura pyrotechnics, long-breathed laments, and four delectable duets with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.
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Video Interview,
Max Emanuel Cencic on Handel's Alessandro 1st September 2012The Viennese countertenor talks to Katherine about recording the title-role in Handel's 1726 opera.
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Recording of the Week,
Rhapsody in Blue – Grosvenor and Kempf 6th August 2012Two former BBC Young Musician of the Year prize-winners record Gershwin’s best-known work – Kempf as part of an all-Gershwin programme, Grosvenor alongside Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2.
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Recording of the Week,
Two terrific Italian Renaissance reconstructions 18th June 2012A new Venetian Coronation from Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort, and a reconstruction of a typical Italian Vespers programme from circa 1612 from Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini.
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Recording of the Week,
Kathleen Ferrier 23rd April 2012On the centenary of Ferrier’s birth, Katherine pays to tribute to the great Lancashire contralto and explores her legacy on disc via two comprehensive commemorative sets from Decca and EMI, which includes folksongs, Bach and Mahler.