Latest stories
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New Release Round-Up - 5th February 2021
5th Feb 2021by Katherine Cooper
Weinberg from Gidon Kremer, Schnittke from Daniel Hope, Janáček from Lars Vogt, and Gesualdo from Les Arts Florissants.
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Shelf Discovery: Yehudi Menuhin
4th Feb 2021by Paul Thomas
Taking in his shifting perspectives on works by Bach, Beethoven and Mendelssohn, Paul considers the great violinist's remarkable triple legacy as performer, educator and peacemaker.
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The Presto Chart - January 2021
3rd Feb 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Our 25 best-selling titles across all formats for January, with John Wilson and Sinfonia of London's superb new recording of English music for string orchestra on Chandos in first place...
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Presto Editor's Choices - January 2021
2nd Feb 2021by Katherine Cooper
Spellbinding story-telling from Georgian pianist Nicolas Namoradze, an exciting Eccles world premiere from the Academy of Ancient Music, and hugely appealing chamber music by Swedish Romantic composer Helena Munktell.
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BBC Music Magazine - February 2021 Choices
1st Feb 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Chris introduces this month's selection, headed by a 'beautifully conceived' programme of medieval and contemporary choral music from Ars Nova Copenhagen and Paul Hillier on Naxos.
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John Wilson conducts English music for strings
29th Jan 2021by James Longstaffe
Sinfonia of London and conductor John Wilson present their latest stunning album of music for string orchestra by Britten, Bridge, Berkeley, and Bliss.
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New Release Round-Up - 29th January 2020
29th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
Rachmaninov from Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Winterreise from Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside, Bach from Piotr Anderszewski, and reflections on mortality from Stephen Hough.
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Dame Gillian Weir at 80
28th Jan 2021by David Smith
The internationally-renowned organist looks back on her career as she reaches her 80th birthday – discussing the organ's place as a solo instrument, her association with the music of Messiaen, Sir Malcolm Sargent and more.
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Episode 11: Tinkling the Ivories with Harriet Smith
27th Jan 2021by Paul Thomas
After a short break, the Presto Music Podcast is back, and for this first episode, Harriet Smith and Paul Thomas talk through some of their favourite pianists.
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Boxed Set Selections - January 2021
26th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
The complete Percy Grainger recordings on Chandos, an anthology of piano lessons from Christoph Eschenbach, and celebrations of Dame Gillian Weir and Hephzibah Menuhin.
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Gramophone Editor's Choices - February 2021
25th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Chris introduces this month's selection, with the first instalment of Yannick Nézet-Séguin's Rachmaninov series from Philadelphia on Deutsche Grammophon in pride of place.
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Behzod Abduraimov plays Debussy, Chopin and Mussorgsky
22nd Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The Uzbek pianist is beguiling in Children's Corner and the 24 Preludes Op. 28, and offers the virtual tour of one's dreams in Pictures at an Exhibition.
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New Release Round-Up - 22nd January 2021
22nd Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
Haydn from Il Giardino Armonico, Salieri from Les Talens Lyriques, Prokofiev from Nicholas Angelich, and Romberg from Chouchane Siranossian.
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François-Xavier Roth on Beethoven & Gossec
21st Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The French conductor talks to Katherine about his Presto Award-winning recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Gossec's Symphonie à 17 parties.
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International Classical Music Awards 2021
20th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
The ICMA results were revealed this morning, with winners including recordings from Beatrice Rana, Ermonela Jaho, Pablo Heras-Casado, and Chouchane Siranossian.
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Nicolas Hodges on Birtwistle and Beethoven
19th Jan 2021by David Smith
Reflecting on his recent release on Wergo, the pianist talks about Bagatelles, improvisation and his own relationship with Harrison Birtwistle.
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Osian Ellis (1928-2021)
18th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
The Welsh harpist, whose artistry inspired composers including Benjamin Britten, has died aged 92.
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Donizetti's Il Paria from Opera Rara
15th Jan 2021by Katherine Cooper
Sir Mark Elder conducts a scintillating account of Donizetti's 1829 opera about religious persecution in sixteenth-century India, starring Albina Shagimuratova, René Barbera, and Misha Kiria.
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New Release Round-Up - 15th January 2021
15th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Plaisirs illuminés from Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Camerata Bern, Behzod Abduraimov's debut recital on Alpha, Telemann from Holland Baroque, and Nathalie Stutzmann in baroque opera arias with Orfeo 55.
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Vinyl Round-Up - January 2021
14th Jan 2021by Chris O'Reilly
Highlights amongst recent and forthcoming vinyl releases include Itzhak Perlman's mid-1980s recordings of solo Bach, Anna Clyne's Mythologies, and Mariss Jansons's final concert from Carnegie Hall.