Classical Reviews
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Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt and Thalberg
28th Aug 2020
The Canadian pianist is on jaw-dropping form in a programme inspired by the 1837 'duel' between the two composer-virtuosos, which also includes the mighty collaborative Hexaméron - a set of variations on Bellini by composers including Chopin, Czerny and Pixis.
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Tallis, MacMillan and more from ORA Singers
21st Aug 2020
ORA Singers pair Tallis's mighty Spem in Alium with a newly-composed forty-part motet by James MacMillan, alongside a treasure-trove of choral works commissioned by Tudor nobility.
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John Williams conducts the Vienna Philharmonic
14th Aug 2020
Joined by violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, John Williams conducts excerpts from scores such as Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, War Horse, Hook, Jurassic Park, Jaws, The Witches of Eastwick, and more.
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Nicola Benedetti plays Elgar
7th Aug 2020
The Scottish-Italian violinist embraces the heart-on-sleeve qualities of a work which the composer ruefully described as 'awfully emotional', her passion and responsiveness matched by Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
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John Wilson and Sinfonia of London perform Respighi's Roman Trilogy
31st Jul 2020
For his third album with Sinfonia of London, John Wilson turns to Respighi's dazzling triptych of orchestral works depicting the city of Rome through the ages.
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Beethoven songs and folksongs from Ian Bostridge and Antonio Pappano
24th Jul 2020
The tenor and pianist are joined by violinist Vilde Frang and cellist Nicolas Altstaedt for selections from the Scottish and Irish folk-songs, following an exquisitely tender account of An die ferne Geliebte.
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Shostakovich from Kirill Karabits, Oleg Tsibulko and the Russian National Orchestra
17th Jul 2020
A new recording of Shostakovich's complex 'Babi Yar' symphony with bass Oleg Tsibulko gets to the heart of a work that's often seen as all politics and no emotion.
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Paul Lewis plays Beethoven's Bagatelles
10th Jul 2020
The British pianist's survey of Beethoven's complete output in the genre (plus the Fantasia Op. 77 and three opus-less Klavierstücke) radiates wit, warmth and wisdom.
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William Alwyn's Miss Julie from Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
3rd Jul 2020
Real-life husband-and-wife Anna Patalong and Benedict Nelson star in the English composer's 1977 opera, based on Strindberg's great naturalistic drama from 1888.
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Byrd and more from the Magdalena Consort and friends
26th Jun 2020
The Magdalena Consort, Fretwork and His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts join forces for a second volume of English verse-anthems presented in glorious instrumental Technicolor.
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Massenet's Cendrillon from Glyndebourne
19th Jun 2020
Danielle de Niese and Kate Lindsey bring real psychological depth to Cinderella and Prince Charming's relationship in Fiona Shaw's astute and sparkling production, with John Wilson supplying fairy-dust aplenty from the pit.
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Rimsky-Korsakov from Vasily Petrenko and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
12th Jun 2020
As on their recent series of Strauss tone poems, the Russian conductor and his Norwegian orchestra prove themselves master story-tellers on this trio of showpieces from the late 1880s.
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Barricades from Jean Rondeau and Thomas Dunford
5th Jun 2020
David enjoys the début recording of Jean Rondeau and Thomas Dunford's harpsichord-lute duo, featuring a selection of French Baroque treasures with vocal cameos from Marc Mauillon and Lea Desandre.
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Shostakovich from Alina Ibragimova
29th May 2020
The Russian-born violinist brings searing intensity and muscular tone to the two concertos, backed to the hilt by Vladimir Jurowski and the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia 'Evgeny Svetlanov'.
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Sean Shibe plays Bach Lute Suites
22nd May 2020
The award-winning young Scottish guitarist's third solo album on Delphian sees him turn to the music of JS Bach, with a highly varied triple-bill of suites for solo lute.
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Vincerò! Piotr Beczała sings Verismo
15th May 2020
The Polish tenor is at the top of his considerable game in arias by Puccini, Mascagni, Leoncavallo, Cilea and Giordano.
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Grigory Sokolov performs music by Beethoven, Brahms, & Mozart
8th May 2020
The Russian pianist presents a collection of sublime performances of music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart, recorded live at recitals across Europe in 2019.
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Howells from David Hill and the Bach Choir
1st May 2020
David Hill leads the Bach Choir and BBC Concert Orchestra in a masterful new recording of Howells's monumental Missa Sabrinensis - a rarely-heard masterpiece ripe for revival.
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Nuits from Véronique Gens and I Giardini
24th Apr 2020
The French soprano explores the themes of night and dreams on this beguiling programme of mélodies from the Belle Époque, given here in atmospheric new arrangements for voice and piano quintet by Alexandre Dratwicki.
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Nuits
Véronique Gens (soprano), I Giardini
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François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles perform Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition
17th Apr 2020
The French conductor and ensemble return to the music of Ravel, with his orchestration of Mussorgsky's piano suite alongside a dazzling performance of La Valse.
