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Jazz New Release Round-Up - 14th January 2021
14th Jan 2021by Joshua Lee
New vinyl from Keith Jarrett, a compilation of mid-2000s nu jazz from Brotherly, and an unearthed live recording from Dexter Gordon's time in Copenhagen.
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Ivan Ilić on L’art de varier
13th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The pianist talks to Katherine about the third volume of his acclaimed Antoine Reicha series on Chandos (released last Friday), which features just one work - an extraordinary set of 57 variations composed in 1802–03.
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Ironwood on Louise Farrenc
12th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The Australian period-instrument ensemble's cellist Daniel Yeadon and fortepianist Neal Peres Da Costa talk to Katherine about their recording of the French composer-pianist's Piano Quintet No. 1, released on ABC Classics last autumn.
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Gramophone Editor's Choices - January 2021
11th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Chris introduces this month's Choices, headed by Frank Peter Zimmermann's 'benchmark' recordings of the Martinů violin concertos with the Bamberger Symphoniker and Jakub Hruša on BIS.
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Alice Coltrane - Ptah, the El Daoud
11th Jan 2021by Joshua Lee
An early entry in Alice Coltrane's bandleading discography, Ptah, the El Daoud, sees the renowned harpist explore the spiritual sounds from her collaboration with her late husband. However, Alice remains a voice of her own.
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New Music Book Publications - 11th January 2021
11th Jan 2021by James Longstaffe
Biographies of Mozart and Chinese composer Chen Yi; essays on the organ works of Bach; a handbook illustrating the essential nature of singing through the millennia; philosophical discourse in relation to music in the Roman Empire; an analysis of the solfeggio tradition in the eighteenth century; the politics of opera from Monteverdi to Mozart; a collection of interviews with prominent oboists; and a critique of music and musicians in modern Turkey.
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Elmas Piano Concertos from Howard Shelley and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
8th Jan 2021by David Smith
David enjoys the latest instalment in Hyperion's inexhaustible series, featuring the earliest-known piano concertos by an Armenian composer.
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New Release Round-Up - 8th January 2021
8th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Machaut from the Orlando Consort, Reicha from Ivan Ilić, Weinberg from the Arcadia Quartet, and an engaging debut album from baritone James Newby.
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3M&Co - Start On
8th Jan 2021by Joshua Lee
The Italian jazz trio channel some early 70s fusion with a pinch of Jaco Pastorius into their modern, funky debut.
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Hélène Grimaud on The Messenger
7th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The French pianist talks to Katherine about her recording of works by Mozart and Valentin Silvestrov with Camerata Salzburg, released at the end of last year on Deutsche Grammophon.
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The Presto Chart - 2020
6th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Our 50 best-selling titles across all formats for the whole of last year, with Víkingur Ólafsson's spellbinding recital of Rameau and Debussy on Deutsche Grammophon leading the pack...
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Jazz Vinyl Round-Up - 6th January
6th Jan 2021by Joshua Lee
This week's latest additions to the Presto Jazz vinyl catalogue include nu-jazz versions of Sun Ra classics, a television score from Kamasi Washington, and a live set from veteran drummer Jeff Williams.
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BBC Music Magazine - January 2021 Choices
5th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
Katherine introduces this month's Choices, with Daniil Trifonov's Silver Age striking gold as Recording of the Month...
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The Presto Chart - December 2020
4th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for December, with Mark Simpson's Geysir and Mozart's Gran Partita on Orchid Classics in first place...
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2020 Jazz Goodbyes
4th Jan 2021by Matt Groom
A short tribute to remember some of the jazz musicians we lost in 2020.
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Eugene Wright (1923-2020)
4th Jan 2021by Joshua Lee
The last surviving member of the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet lineup, bassist Eugene Wright, has passed away aged 97.
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Verklärte Nacht from Edward Gardner and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
1st Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
Schoenberg's masterpiece is framed by works for voice and orchestra (also on the theme of 'transfigured night') by Franz Lehár, Oskar Fried, and Erich Korngold.
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Neal Davies on Vaughan Williams
31st Dec 2020by Katherine Cooper
The Welsh bass-baritone talks to Katherine about recording the Songs of Travel with Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé, in orchestrations by the composer and his assistant Roy Douglas.
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2020 Goodbyes
30th Dec 2020by Chris O'Reilly
A short video tribute remembering some of the musicians who died during 2020.
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Barbara Thompson at the BBC
30th Dec 2020by Matt Groom
A staggering 14 CD collection of saxophonist Barbara Thompson's music, recorded by the BBC over a 21 year period. With a biography due in 2021 this is an ideal introduction to this multi-faceted artist's oeuvre.