Latest News: Classical, Alpha (label)
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Recording of the Week,
Giovanni Antonini conducts Haydn's Die Schöpfung 9th October 2020The Italian conductor makes a slight detour from his project to record all of Haydn's symphonies with an incisive, characterful account of the Creation oratorio.
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Interview,
Sarah Willis on Mozart, Mambo and Cuba 13th July 2020Horn player Sarah Willis talks about her new cross-cultural album that explores connections between Mozart and the music of Cuba, and her initiative to support Cuban musicians.
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Recording of the Week,
Nuits from Véronique Gens and I Giardini 24th April 2020The French soprano explores the themes of night and dreams on this beguiling programme of mélodies from the Belle Époque, given here in atmospheric new arrangements for voice and piano quintet by Alexandre Dratwicki.
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Interview,
Damien Guillon on Stradella 8th April 2020The French conductor and countertenor talks to Katherine about recording the Italian composer's dramatic 1675 oratorio San Giovanni Battista with Le Banquet Céleste.
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Recording of the Week,
Three world premiere recordings of works by Erkki-Sven Tüür 13th March 2020Paavo Järvi conducts the Estonian Festival Orchestra in three works by his long-time friend and musical collaborator Erkki-Sven Tüür - the 'Mythos' symphony, 'Incantation of Tempest' and 'Sow the Wind...'
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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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Interview,
Reinoud Van Mechelen on Charpentier 28th January 2020The 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.
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Recording of the Week,
Charpentier from Vox Luminis, A Nocte Temporis and Reinoud Van Mechelen 17th January 2020The 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.
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Interview,
Julian Prégardien on Hans Zender's Winterreise 18th December 2018The German tenor talks to Katherine about recording Zender's 'composed interpretation' of Schubert's great song-cycle, out now on Alpha.
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Recording of the Week,
Buxtehude's Abendmusiken from Vox Luminis 22nd June 2018Two first-rate early music ensembles join forces to recreate the atmosphere of Buxtehude's legendary secular-sacred concert series in Lübeck.
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Recording of the Week,
Haydn's 'Lamentatione' from Giovanni Antonini 15th June 2018The Milanese conductor continues his mammoth survey of Haydn's complete symphonies with the 'Lamentatione' and 'Alleluia', performed by the Kammerorchester Basel.
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Recording of the Week,
Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Polina Leschenko perform music by Poulenc, Bartók, and Ravel 16th February 2018Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and pianist Polina Leschenko perform sonatas by Poulenc and Bartók alongside Ravel’s Tzigane.
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Recording of the Week,
Shostakovich from Paavo Järvi’s Estonian Festival Orchestra 19th January 2018Katherine is impressed by the bracing, visceral playing of the Estonian conductor's summer festival band, making their recording debut with two works by Shostakovich.
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Recording of the Week,
Christmas music from Le Concert Spirituel, the Sistine Chapel, and Merton College Oxford 1st December 2017Katherine enjoys a contemplative programme of Advent and Christmas motets from the Vatican choir (plus a very special guest!) and an incisive Messiah with a difference from Hervé Niquet.
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Recording of the Week,
Barbara Hannigan sings and conducts music by Berg, Berio, and Gershwin 22nd September 2017Katherine listens to the Canadian soprano's bold new disc Crazy Girl Crazy, centring on Berg's Lulu.
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Interview,
Barbara Hannigan on Crazy Girl Crazy 20th September 2017Katherine talks to the Canadian soprano about her bold new album juxtaposing Gershwin, Berg and Berio, in which she both sings and directs the Ludwig Orchestra.
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Recording of the Week,
Véronique Gens sings French Romantic arias 16th June 2017Katherine enjoys Véronique Gens's fascinating recital of French Romantic arias, all with a common theme of dreams and visions.
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Interview,
Kate Lindsey on Thousands of Miles 2nd June 2017The American mezzo talks to Katherine about her debut disc of Kurt Weill, Korngold, Zemlinsky and Alma Mahler, out now on Alpha.
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Recording of the Week,
Vocal Recitals from Sabine Devieilhe and Véronique Gens 20th November 2015Katherine enjoys a double helping of French soprano virtuosity.
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Recording of the Week,
Two recent re-discoveries light up Martinu year 25th May 2009The fiftieth anniversary of the Czech composer’s death is marked by a superb programme of excerpts from his opera Juliette (conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, with Magdalena Kožená in the title-role) and a collection of his chamber music from Ensemble Calliopée.