Latest stories
-
BBC Music Magazine - Christmas 2024 Choices
3rd Dec 2024by Chris O'Reilly
Chris introduces this issue's choices, headed by a 'deliberate and fresh exploration' of the possibilities offered by trombone quartet from Slide Action on NMC Records - including music by Henry Purcell, Laura Jurd, Alex Paxton and Joanna Ward.
-
Jeremy Huw Williams and Wendy Hiscocks on the songs of Grace Williams
3rd Dec 2024by David Smith
The baritone and pianist talk about their new album showcasing the solo songs of Grace Williams, released recently on Naxos.
-
The Presto Chart - November 2024
2nd Dec 2024by Chris O'Reilly
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for November, headed by Steven Isserlis's Boccherini album with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on Hyperion...
-
Presto Team Choices - November 2024
30th Nov 2024
A recital of clarinet music by twelve female composers, songs and chamber works by Adèle Hugo (daughter of Victor), a pair of unusual concertos by Christopher Tyler Nickel, and a double-bill of Hungarian violin concertos from the LSO and its leader Roman Simovic.
-
Benjamin Appl comes home for Christmas
29th Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
The German baritone reunites with his boyhood choir in Regensburg for a classy, introspective seasonal offering featuring oratorio arias and Christmas songs from Germany, England, France and Sweden, stylishly accompanied by the Münchner Rundfunkorchester under Florian Helgath.
-
New Release Round-Up - 29th November 2024
29th Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
Orchestral works by Johann Friedrich Fasch from Tempesta di Mare, albums devoted to Tippett and Brett Dean from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and a new Christmas oratorio by British composer Edward Nesbit (setting poems by Henry Vaughan and text from the York Mystery Plays).
-
Give Back Friday 2024
28th Nov 2024by Chris O'Reilly
For four days we will be donating 5% of all the revenue we receive to three incredible charities that align with our passion for music and its power to transform lives: Making Music, London Youth Choirs and Orchestra of the Swan.
Announcement -
Recordings of the Year 2024 - Special Category Nominees
28th Nov 2024by Chris O'Reilly
In advance of the final verdicts next Thursday evening, we reveal the shortlists for our six special awards - including Archive Project, Debut Solo Album, and two separate categories of world premiere recordings.
-
Boxed Set Selections - November 2024
27th Nov 2024
November heavyweights include collections celebrating William Christie, John Williams, Paavo Järvi, Pieter Wispelwey and the Belcea Quartet.
-
Claire Booth on Pierrot Portraits
26th Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
Ahead of her Wigmore Hall recital this Friday, the intrepid soprano discusses her second recording-contribution to Schoenberg's 150th anniversary year - an album which sets his Pierrot lunaire alongside other works inspired by the commedia dell'arte figure.
-
Gramophone Editor's Choices - November 2024
25th Nov 2024by Chris O'Reilly
Chris introduces the latest selection, headed by a 'stunning collection' of all Ravel's works with piano from François-Xavier Poizat, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Simone Menezes on Aparté.
-
Alec Frank-Gemmill on Mozart's horn concertos
23rd Nov 2024by David Smith
The horn player discusses his new album, featuring Mozart's famous four horn concertos plus some other tantalising fragments and additions.
-
Hasse's Serpentes Ignei in Deserto from Thibault Noally and Les Accents
22nd Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
Philippe Jaroussky (as Moses) leads a cast which includes Julia Lezhneva, Jakub Józef Orliński and Bruno de Sá in Hasse's Old Testament oratorio, written for the girls of the Ospedale degli Incurabili in Venice when he was enjoying his first flush of fame as an opera-composer.
-
New Release Round-Up - 22nd November 2024
22nd Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
An eightieth-birthday album from William Christie and friends, Massenet's Hérodiade from Berlin with Clémentine Margaine in the title-role, orchestral works by Edward MacDowell from the BBC Philharmonic and John Wilson, and Brahms & Schumann from James Ehnes (on viola) & Andrew Armstrong.
-
Classical Recordings of the Year - Finalists 2024
21st Nov 2024by Chris O'Reilly
The 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...
-
Zoltán Daragó on Bach
20th Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
The young Hungarian countertenor introduces himself and his debut album of Bach cantata arias with Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques (released at the end of September on Aparté).
-
Gifts for...Pianists and piano-lovers
19th Nov 2024
From 2024's best new recordings and box sets to recent books on the instrument and its repertoire, we select our top gifts for pianists and pianophiles alike.
-
Gifts for... Baroque and Early Music fans
19th Nov 2024
From new recordings by The Tallis Scholars, Lucie Horsch and Lionel Meunier to impressive box-sets to fit under every tree, browse our selection of recordings for lovers of Renaissance and Baroque music.
-
Gifts for... Opera-Lovers
19th Nov 2024
In the first of our festive gift guides, we've selected some perfect presents for the opera-lover in your life, from the latest complete recordings and recital-albums to the best recent books about opera.
Featured product
Meyerbeer: Le Prophète
John Osborn (Jean de Leyde), Elizabeth DeShong (Fidès), Mané Galoyan (Berthe), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (Count Oberthal) London Symphony Orchestra, Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône, Lyon Opera Chorus, Sir Mark Elder
More products from this article -
Marina Rebeka on Norma
18th Nov 2024by Katherine Cooper
The Latvian soprano discusses recording the title-role in Bellini's masterpiece for her own label Prima Classic - using a new critical edition of the score by Roger Parker, which requires her to sing 'Casta diva' a tone higher than usual!