Latest stories

Jonas Kaufmann sings Wagner’s Parsifal

17th Feb 2014by Katherine Cooper

The German tenor gives the performance of his career as Wagner’s ‘Holy Fool’ in François Girard’s production from the Metropolitan Opera, with René Pape as Gurnemanz and Katarina Dalayman as Kundry.

CPE Bach Magnificat

10th Feb 2014by Chris O'Reilly

To mark the tercentenary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach’s fifth (and most prolific) child, Hans-Christoph Rademann directs the RIAS Kammerchor and Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin in a ‘punchy and agile’ account of his first large-scale choral work.

New Year's Concert 2014

3rd Feb 2014by Katherine Cooper

Daniel Barenboim conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker in the traditional New Year’s Day programme of waltzes, polkas and marches from the Strauss Family and friends.

20th-Century Wind Quintets from Les Vents Français

27th Jan 2014by James Longstaffe

Emmanuel Pahud and company are on ‘beautifully burnished’ form in a 2-CD album of music by Paul Taffanel, Ligeti, Milhaud, Ibert, Ravel, Jolivet, Zemlinsky and more.

Claudio Abbado, 1933-2014

20th Jan 2014by James Longstaffe

Russian Choral Music from Tenebrae

13th Jan 2014by Chris O'Reilly

Nigel Short directs his award-winning British vocal ensemble in a programme of ‘Russian Treasures’, including excerpts from Rachmaninov’s Vespers and little-known gems which are rarely performed outside Russia.

Beethoven Cello Sonatas from Isserlis and Levin

6th Jan 2014by Chris O'Reilly

Playing on period instruments, the cellist and fortepianist get the year off to a tremendous start with spellbinding accounts of the complete cello sonatas, variations, and a transcription of the horn sonata.

Presto Personal Favourites from 2013

23rd Dec 2013by Chris O'Reilly

Schubert from the Pavel Haas Quartet, Pierre-Louis Dietsch’s opera on The Flying Dutchman, two Turnage premieres, and masses by Cipriano de Rore.

The Tallis Scholars sing John Taverner's Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas

16th Dec 2013by David Smith

The British vocal ensemble mark their fortieth anniversary with ‘a full-blooded forty-five-minute epic that Phillips compares favourably to a Britten opera or an Elgar symphony’.

Christmas Carols from Bob Chilcott and others

9th Dec 2013by Katherine Cooper

Commotio bring their ‘clean, unfussy sound and pristine intonation’ to the former King’s Singer’s carols - plus Music for Advent from The Choir of Clare College Cambridge.

Christmas Oratorios from Bach, Berlioz, and Britten

2nd Dec 2013by Katherine Cooper

The Christmas Oratorio from Trinity College Cambridge, Saint Nicolas from Cambridge University Music Society (with Andrew Kennedy in the title-role), and L’Enfance du Christ from the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Robin Ticciati.

Poulenc from Patricia Petibon and Paavo Järvi

25th Nov 2013by Katherine Cooper

The fiftieth anniversary of the composer’s death is marked by outstanding performances of three of his sacred works: the Gloria, Stabat mater, and Litanies à la Vierge*.

Sir John Tavener, 1944-2013

18th Nov 2013by Katherine Cooper

Bach Cantatas from Masaaki Suzuki

11th Nov 2013by Chris O'Reilly

Begun in 1995, Bach Collegium Japan’s mighty survey of the complete sacred cantatas crosses the finishing-line with these affecting performances of Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele, Freue dich, erlöste Schar, and Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Works for Pedal Piano by Gounod

4th Nov 2013by James Longstaffe

For the 62nd volume of Hyperion’s The Romantic Piano Concerto series, Roberto Prosseda joins Howard Shelley and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana for the Concerto for pedal piano, Suite concertante and Fantaisie sur l’hymne national russe.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Mozart's The Magic Flute

21st Oct 2013by Katherine Cooper

Pavol Breslik and Kate Royal are the young lovers put to the test in Robert Carsen’s production from Baden-Baden, with Ana Durlovski as the Queen of the Night, and Dimitry Ivashchenko as Sarastro.

Brahms Symphonies from Chailly and Gergiev

14th Oct 2013by James Longstaffe

A complete cycle from the Gewandhausorchester on Decca impresses James with its ‘drive and determination’, whilst Gergiev offers ‘beefy, big-boned, muscular’ takes on Symphonies no. 1 & 2 with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Berlioz's Les Troyens from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

7th Oct 2013by Katherine Cooper

Sir David McVicar’s 2012 production packs some serious magic thanks to Es Devlin’s breathtaking sets and fiercely committed performances from Eva-Maria Westbroek, Bryan Hymel and Anna Caterina Antonacci in the three main roles.

Steven Isserlis plays Dvořák's Cello Concerto

30th Sep 2013by David Smith

The British cellist joins Daniel Harding and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra for the evergreen B minor concerto and its lesser-known predecessor from 1865, revised and orchestrated by German composer Günter Raphael.