Latest News: Classical
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Favourites,
Gifts for... Baroque and Early Music fans 11th December 2023From new recordings by Pygmalion, Phantasm and the Tallis Scholars to histories of the Academy of Ancient Music and seventeenth-century opera, browse our selection of books and recordings for lovers of Renaissance and baroque music.
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Recording of the Week,
Christmas from Norway 8th December 2023The powerhouse Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen is on radiant, affecting form in a programme of Scandinavian carols, seasonal Lieder and a couple of Baroque chestnuts, with luxury support from the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under Christian Eggen.
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New Release Round-up,
Christmas New Releases 2023 8th December 2023Highlights from this year's crop of festive releases include recordings from horn-player Felix Klieser, Armonico Consort, the Choir of St John's College Cambridge, and Ensemble Correspondances.
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Awards,
Recordings of the Year 2023 - Our Top 10 7th December 2023The winners revealed - ten fantastic recordings which really stood out from the crowd for us over the past twelve months, plus the results of our six special category awards...
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Interview,
Carolyn Sampson reflects on her first hundred recordings 6th December 2023Ahead of her recital with Joseph Middleton at Wigmore Hall tonight, the soprano discusses her 100th album but I like to sing... - and reflects on some of the highlights of her recording career to date...
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - November 2023 5th December 2023Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for November, with Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé from Sinfonia of London & John Wilson (released on Chandos at the beginning of the month) in first place...
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Interview,
Rachel Podger and Chad Kelly on reimagining Bach's Goldberg Variations 4th December 2023The violinist and composer share their thoughts on adapting Bach's immortal set of keyboard variations for Baroque instrumental ensemble.
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Announcement,
Presto Music Hi-Res Streamer We are proud to announce the release of the Presto Music Hi-Res Music Streamer, a dedicated piece of hardware designed to work seamlessly with the Presto Music apps.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 45: Tudor Wild Child - Thomas Weelkes with Dr Katie Bank 2nd December 2023Music historian and 'choir geek extraordinaire' Dr Katie Bank sorts fact from fiction in a look at the life of notorious Tudor troublemaker Thomas Weelkes, who along with William Byrd sees the four hundredth anniversary of his death fall this year.
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Recording of the Week,
Bob Chilcott's Christmas Oratorio 1st December 2023Benjamin Nicholas and the choir of Merton College, Oxford perform Bob Chilcott's new Christmas Oratorio - filled with lyrical solo writing, beautiful choral numbers and sweeping congregational tunes.
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Interview,
Bob Chilcott on his Christmas Oratorio 1st December 2023The composer talks about his new choral work, setting a range of traditional texts to re-tell the Christmas story and just released by the choir of Merton College, Oxford on Delphian Records.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 1st December 2023 1st December 2023Mahler's Symphony No. 8 from Osmo Vänskä in Minnesota, Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge from Christophe Rousset, Granados from Javier Perianes, and Franz Schmidt's complete symphonies from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales & Jonathan Berman.
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Awards,
Recordings of the Year 2023 - Special Category Nominees 30th November 2023In advance of the final verdicts next Thursday evening, we reveal the shortlists for our six special awards - including Technical Achievement, Debut Solo Album, and two separate categories of world premiere recordings.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - November 2023 29th November 2023American countertenor Russell Oberlin's complete recordings on American Decca, the complete Monteverdi madrigals from Concerto Italiano & Rinaldo Alessandrini, and the late Lars Vogt's collected recordings on Warner Classics.
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Favourites,
Gifts for...Pianists and piano-lovers 28th November 2023From 2023's best new recordings and box sets to recent books and deluxe sheet music, we select our top gifts for pianists and pianophiles alike.
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - December 2023 Choices 27th November 2023Chris introduces next month's selection, headed by 'a timely showcase of an exceptionally talented composer' - namely a quartet of orchestral works by Dobrinka Tabakova, released on The Hallé's own label in October.
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Recording of the Week,
Delius's A Mass of Life from Sir Mark Elder and the Bergen Philharmonic 24th November 2023Elder's beautifully-judged approach to pacing and balance makes the strongest case possible for a score which he describes as 'Delius's magnum opus', aided by Roderick Williams on typically eloquent form in the huge central role of Zarathustra.
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Announcement,
Give Back Friday 2023 24th November 2023For four days we will be donating 5% of all the revenue we receive to three local charities whose aims are closely aligned with our own: Help Musicians, Leamington Music and Gabrieli Roar.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 24th November 2023 24th November 2023A new arrangement of Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin from Thomas Guthrie & Barokksolistene, Beethoven's Missa solemnis from Jordi Savall & Le Concert des Nations, a comprehensive version of Handel's Messiah from John Nelson & The English Concert, and Schumann from Isabelle Faust & friends.
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Awards,
Classical Recordings of the Year - Finalists 2023 23rd November 2023The first meeting of the Presto Awards committee is over, and it's time to reveal the 100 recordings which have most impressed our editorial team this year...