Latest News: Classical
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BBC Music Magazine Choices,
BBC Music Magazine - October 2024 Choices 17th September 2024
Chris introduces this month's choices, headed by 'undoubtedly one of the best recordings of Bruckner 7 in the digital era' - courtesy of Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on Reference Recordings.
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Box Set Deep-Dive,
Smetana's Complete Operas on Supraphon 16th September 2024
Our guest-contributor Rob Cowan explores Supraphon's complete edition of the Czech composer's eight finished operas plus the fragment Viola - made in Prague and Brno between 1960 and 1983, the recordings were reissued in July to mark the bicentenary of Smetana's birth.
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Recording of the Week,
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London 13th September 2024
Myriad details abound in this luxury recording of the duo's second hit musical, given in all its uncut glory with Don Walker's original orchestrations and a powerhouse central performance from Nathaniel Hackmann as the volatile carnival-barker Billy Bigelow.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 13th September 2024 13th September 2024
Puccini love-scenes from Jonas Kaufmann and six outstanding sopranos, Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 from Anima Eterna Brugge and Pablo Heras-Casado, a second volume of Beethoven from the Calidore Quartet, and Rameau's Les Boréades from György Vashegyi.
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Interview,
Antonio Pappano on the London Symphony Orchestra 11th September 2024
Ahead of the opening concert of his first season as Chief Conductor of the LSO at the Barbican tonight, Sir Antonio Pappano talks about his history with the orchestra as well as his future plans with them, including his commitment to English music and new commissions.
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Interview,
Carlos Simon on art and activism 10th September 2024
GRAMMY-nominated composer, activist and curator Carlos Simon has just released an album of orchestral works with the National Symphony Orchestra (where he's been Composer-in-Residence since 2021), and has a new commission being premiered at the 2024 Last Night of the Proms, on 14th September.
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Gramophone Choices,
Gramophone Editor's Choices - October 2024 9th September 2024
Chris introduces next month's selection, headed by 'Beethoven-playing of rare vividness and technical aplomb' from the Calidore Quartet on Signum.
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Recording of the Week,
Dvořák Symphonies from the Czech Philharmonic and Semyon Bychkov 6th September 2024
The Czech Philharmonic and their Chief Conductor present Dvořák’s final three symphonies, showing their stylistic mastery of this repertoire with performances that are full of warmth, grace, and class.
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Awards,
Gramophone Awards 2024 - The Finalists 6th September 2024
The three finalists in each of the eleven categories for this year's Awards (presented in partnership with Presto Music) were revealed this morning, with Jonathan Tetelman, Hilary Hahn, Yunchan Lim and Timothy Ridout among those in the running...
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 6th September 2024 6th September 2024
Orchestral works by Imogen Holst, the Elgar Violin Concerto from Vilde Frang, the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and Robin Ticciati, baritone Huw Montague Rendall's debut solo album, and Lars Vogt's final recordings.
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Presto Music Classical Podcast,
Episode 52: Twenty-Five Years of LSO Live 5th September 2024
To celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the London Symphony Orchestra's own label, Head of LSO Live Becky Lees, first violinist Maxine Kwok, and principal percussionist Neil Percy talk to James about how the label came to exist, the process of capturing live concerts for release, and their memories of some favourite recordings through the years.
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Awards,
International Opera Awards 2024 - The Shortlisted Recordings 3rd September 2024Golda Schultz, Aigul Akhmetshina and Michael Spyres are among the artists in the running for the solo recital category, whilst rarities by Louise Bertin, Rued Langgaard and Giacomo Meyerbeer go head-to-head in the complete recording stakes...
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Presto Chart,
The Presto Chart - August 2024 2nd September 2024
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for August, with Shostakovich's Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6 from the Oslo Philharmonic and Klaus Mäkelä in first place...
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Recording of the Week,
Sokolov plays Purcell and Mozart 30th August 2024
In his new live recital Grigory Sokolov brings his unmatched musicianship and command of the piano to the music of Purcell and Mozart, followed by encores which are far more than celebratory extras. This is music-making to be treasured and another indispensable addition to the catalogue.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 30th August 2024 30th August 2024
Dvořák from Nathalie Stutzmann in Atlanta, a French song recital from Benjamin Bernheim & Carrie-Ann Matheson, a contemporary orchestral mix-tape curated and conducted by Dalia Stasevska, and a voyage across the North Sea with the Danish String Quartet.
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Box Set Selections,
Boxed Set Selections - August 2024 29th August 2024This month's heavyweights include the complete recordings which Lang Lang made in the first decade of his career, Catherine Collard's collected recordings for Erato/EMI and Virgin Classics, an anthology celebrating Alfredo Campoli, and two sets marking the centenary of Georges Prêtre's birth.
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Interview,
James Heather on Pulse Music 28th August 2024Ahead of his performance at Presto Music tonight, the British composer-pianist talks to us about forging his own creative path, how a near-death experience affected his relationship with the piano, and his musical inspirations (ranging from Nirvana to Michael Nyman).
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Awards,
Gramophone Awards 2024 - The Shortlist 27th August 2024
The six contenders in each of the eleven categories for this year's Awards (presented in partnership with Presto Music) were revealed on Friday.
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Recording of the Week,
Smetana and Schubert from Trio Bohémo 23rd August 2024
The award-winning young Czech piano trio makes an assured, eloquent debut on Supraphon with Smetana's sole work in the genre and Schubert's late Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat.
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New Release Round-up,
New Release Round-Up - 23rd August 2024 23rd August 2024
American albums from Augustin Hadelich and Lara Downes, four symphonic works by Carlos Simon from the National Symphony Orchestra and Gianandrea Noseda, and Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin from Julian Prégardien and Kristian Bezuidenhout.
