Classical Reviews
-
Masaaki Suzuki completes his Bach cantata cycle
28th Sep 2018by David Smith
Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium bring their mighty Bach cycle to a close with a pairing of two 'Cantatas of Contentment'.
-
Scriabin's First and Fifth Symphonies from Vasily Petrenko
21st Sep 2018by Katherine Cooper
The Russian conductor and the Oslo Philharmonic are joined by pianist Kirill Gerstein for the final instalment of Scriabin's complete symphonies on LAWO.
-
Simon Rattle and the LSO dazzle in Leonard Bernstein's Wonderful Town
14th Sep 2018by James Longstaffe
Bernstein's 1953 musical receives a sparkling performance from the London Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle, with a cast led by Danielle de Niese, Alysha Umphress, and Nathan Gunn.
Featured product
Bernstein: Wonderful Town
Danielle de Niese (Eileen), Alysha Umphress (Ruth), Nathan Gunn (Bob Baker), Duncan Rock (Wreck), David Butt Philip (Lonigan), Ashley Riches (Guide/First Editor/Frank) London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Sir Simon Rattle
More products from this article -
Rossini's Semiramide from Mark Elder
7th Sep 2018by Katherine Cooper
Rossini's final Italian opera seria receives a taut, compelling reading on period instruments in an interpretation which plays up its baroque pedigree to great effect.
Featured product
Rossini: Semiramide
Albina Shagimuratova (Semiramide), Daniela Barcellona (Arsace), Mirco Palazzi (Assur), Barry Banks (Idreno), Gianluca Buratto (Oroe), Susana Gaspar (Azema), David Butt Philip (Mitrane), James Platt (L’ombra di Nino) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Opera Rara Chorus, Sir Mark Elder
-
Jiří Bělohlávek conducts Janáček
31st Aug 2018by Katherine Cooper
Late recordings of the Glagolitic Mass, Taras Bulba, the Sinfonietta and The Fiddler's Child bear witness to the Czech conductor's affinity for his countryman's music.
-
Bernstein Symphonies from Simon Rattle and Antonio Pappano
24th Aug 2018by Katherine Cooper
Pianist Krystian Zimerman brings understated affection and Classical clarity to The Age of Anxiety with Rattle, whilst Pappano and his Roman orchestra emphasise the dramatic qualities of all three symphonies.
-
Yo-Yo Ma records Bach's Cello Suites for the third and final time
17th Aug 2018by Katherine Cooper
The Chinese-American cellist returns to works which he describes as his 'constant musical companions' in interpretations of uncommon freshness and spontaneity.
-
Music by Haydn and Schoenberg from cellist Alisa Weilerstein
10th Aug 2018by James Longstaffe
James listens to energetic, vital accounts of Haydn's two cello concertos from Alisa Weilerstein, coupled with an expressively radiant performance of Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht.
-
Rachmaninov's Études-tableaux from Steven Osborne
3rd Aug 2018by Katherine Cooper
Katherine is mesmerised by the Scottish pianist’s introspective but evocative accounts of Rachmaninov’s two sets of ‘study-pictures’, out now on Hyperion.
-
Wagner's Die Meistersinger from Bayreuth, directed by Barrie Kosky
27th Jul 2018by Katherine Cooper
Katherine reviews the Australian director's complex but illuminating 2017 production, which places the composer himself at the heart of the action.
-
Vivaldi Double Concertos from Adrian Chandler and La Serenissima
20th Jul 2018by David Smith
Adrian Chandler and his acclaimed team of baroque instrumentalists present a sparkling selection of Vivaldi's unique double concerti.
-
Mozart's La clemenza di Tito from Yannick Nézet-Séguin
13th Jul 2018by Katherine Cooper
Marina Rebeka and Joyce DiDonato strike sparks off one another as Vitellia and Sesto in a terrific new recording of Mozart's final opera, with Rolando Villazón as the idealistic emperor against whom they conspire.
-
Shostakovich Symphonies 4 & 11 from Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra
6th Jul 2018by James Longstaffe
Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra offer highly characterful and stunningly-performed accounts of Shostakovich's Fourth and Eleventh Symphonies.
-
John Adams's Doctor Atomic, conducted by the composer
29th Jun 2018by James Longstaffe
John Adams conducts Gerald Finley and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the first audio recording of his 2005 opera, Doctor Atomic.
-
Buxtehude's Abendmusiken from Vox Luminis
22nd Jun 2018by David Smith
Two first-rate early music ensembles join forces to recreate the atmosphere of Buxtehude's legendary secular-sacred concert series in Lübeck.
-
Haydn's 'Lamentatione' from Giovanni Antonini
15th Jun 2018by Katherine Cooper
The Milanese conductor continues his mammoth survey of Haydn's complete symphonies with the 'Lamentatione' and 'Alleluia', performed by the Kammerorchester Basel.
-
Francesco Piemontesi performs piano music by Franz Liszt
8th Jun 2018by James Longstaffe
James listens to a turbulent account of the Première année in Liszt's piano cycle Années de pèlerinage from Swiss pianist Francesco Piemontesi.
-
Xiayin Wang performs piano concertos by Ginastera
1st Jun 2018by James Longstaffe
Chandos's survey of Ginastera's orchestral music concludes with the Piano Concerto No. 1 and other works performed by pianist Xiayin Wang and the BBC Philharmonic under Juanjo Mena.
-
Philippe Jaroussky sings Gluck's Orfeo
25th May 2018by Katherine Cooper
The French countertenor placates the Furies with singing of celestial purity on this world premiere recording of the 1774 Neapolitan version of Gluck's most popular opera.
-
String Quartets by Debussy and Ravel from the Jerusalem Quartet
18th May 2018by James Longstaffe
The Jerusalem Quartet offer masterfully controlled and impressively dynamic accounts of the String Quartets by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.