Classical Reviews
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A Mozart Requiem with a twist from Pygmalion and Raphaël Pichon
4th Oct 2024
The French conductor and his dynamic ensemble shed new light on the score (given here in Süssmayr's familiar completion) by weaving in material from Mozart's youth which foreshadows ideas later developed in the Mass - including an early 'Miserere' and music from 'Thamos, König in Ägypten'.
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Leonskaja celebrates the Second Viennese School
27th Sep 2024
Elisabeth Leonskaja's persuasive and engaging recital of piano works that are often misunderstood is an essential listen, whether mention of the Second Viennese School excites you or normally sends you running for the hills.
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Bruckner's Symphony No. 4 from Anima Eterna and Pablo Heras-Casado
20th Sep 2024
Bruckner’s ‘cathedrals in sound’ have often been described as overblown, but this recording of his most popular symphony, played here in its second version of 1878-1880, offers a convincing counterargument.
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Bruckner: Symphony No. 4
Anima Eterna, Pablo Heras-Casado
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Smetana's Complete Operas on Supraphon
16th Sep 2024
Our guest-contributor Rob Cowan explores Supraphon's complete edition of the Czech composer's eight finished operas plus the fragment Viola - made in Prague and Brno between 1960 and 1983, the recordings were reissued in July to mark the bicentenary of Smetana's birth.
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Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel from John Wilson and Sinfonia of London
13th Sep 2024
Myriad details abound in this luxury recording of the duo's second hit musical, given in all its uncut glory with Don Walker's original orchestrations and a powerhouse central performance from Nathaniel Hackmann as the volatile carnival-barker Billy Bigelow.
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Dvořák Symphonies from the Czech Philharmonic and Semyon Bychkov
6th Sep 2024
The Czech Philharmonic and their Chief Conductor present Dvořák’s final three symphonies, showing their stylistic mastery of this repertoire with performances that are full of warmth, grace, and class.
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Sokolov plays Purcell and Mozart
30th Aug 2024
In his new live recital Grigory Sokolov brings his unmatched musicianship and command of the piano to the music of Purcell and Mozart, followed by encores which are far more than celebratory extras. This is music-making to be treasured and another indispensable addition to the catalogue.
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Smetana and Schubert from Trio Bohémo
23rd Aug 2024
The award-winning young Czech piano trio makes an assured, eloquent debut on Supraphon with Smetana's sole work in the genre and Schubert's late Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat.
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Klaus Mäkelä conducts Shostakovich
16th Aug 2024
Klaus Mäkelä conducts the Oslo Philharmonic in fresh readings of three Shostakovich symphonies, demonstrating a level of insight into widely recorded music that makes this new release an indispensable addition to the catalogue.
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Carl Nielsen’s Brave New World
14th Aug 2024
Our guest-contributor Rob Cowan explores a new set of the complete symphonies from the Royal Danish Orchestra on Naxos, conducted by Thomas Søndergård, Alexander Vedernikov, Leonard Bernstein, Simon Rattle, Michael Boder, Paavo Berglund, Michael Schønwandt.
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Carl Nielsen: The Symphonies
The Royal Danish Orchestra, Michael Boder, Ruth Guldbæk (soprano), Niels Møller (tenor), John Kruse (clarinet), Royal Danish Orchestra, Thomas Søndergård, Alexander Vedernikov, Leonard Bernstein, Sir Simon Rattle, Paavo Berglund, Michael Schønwandt
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Isata Kanneh-Mason plays music by the Mendelssohns
9th Aug 2024
Both Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn are celebrated in glittering style on this new album from Isata Kanneh-Mason, also featuring the London Mozart Players directed by Jonathan Bloxham.
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Joana Mallwitz conducts music by Kurt Weill
2nd Aug 2024
For her debut album on Deutsche Grammophon, Joana Mallwitz conducts the Konzerthausorchester Berlin in characterful performances of the composer's two symphonies, alongside a vivid account of his satirical stage work, The Seven Deadly Sins.
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Aigul Akhmetshina's debut album on Decca
26th Jul 2024
The Bashkortostan-born mezzo turns in finely-characterised snapshots of Carmen, Rosina, Cenerentola, Charlotte and Romeo, with a multi-hued voice that glows from top to bottom and atmospheric support from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on top form under Daniele Rustioni.
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The Past & I: 100 Years of Thomas Hardy
19th Jul 2024
Two substantial elegies for Hardy and his first wife Emma by up-and-coming composer Arthur Keegan bookend this mesmerising recital from mezzo Lotte Betts-Dean, guitarist James Girling and the Ligeti Quartet, which also includes Keegan's arrangements of Hardy settings by Imogen Holst, Benjamin Britten and others.
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Eric Coates from John Wilson and the BBC Philharmonic
12th Jul 2024
Replete with memorable melodies and piquant orchestral detail, this delightful series of Coates's orchestral works continues today with a fourth instalment including a zany symphonic fantasy on Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the dance-inspired Four Centuries Suite.
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Mishka Rushdie Momen - Reformation
5th Jul 2024
Mishka Rushdie Momen makes a highly enjoyable Hyperion debut, playing Renaissance keyboard music on a modern Steinway grand piano, with subtlety of tone and phrasing that brings new perspective to the music of Byrd, Sweelinck, Gibbons and Bull.
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Meyerbeer's Le prophète from Mark Elder and the London Symphony Orchestra
2nd Jul 2024
This weird and wonderful opera about a Flanders innkeeper who is radicalised into religious extremism really catches fire on a live recording from last year's Aix-en-Provence Festival, with the London Symphony Orchestra on barnstorming form and American tenor John Osborn at the top of his game in the demanding title-role.
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English Song Recitals from Robin Tritschler and James Gilchrist
21st Jun 2024
Tritschler joins forces with Malcolm Martineau, Sean Shibe and Philip Higham to pay tribute to Peter Pears on Signum, whilst Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook bring unaffected eloquence to a collection of songs by Roger Quilter on Chandos.
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Magdalena Kožená performs orchestral songs by Martinů, Dvořák, and Hans Krása
14th Jun 2024
The Czech mezzo presents an enchanting selection of songs in which she demonstrates her impressive range of tone colours, with sumptuous support from the Czech Philharmonic and Simon Rattle.
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Sibelius and Prokofiev Violin Concertos from Janine Jansen & Klaus Mäkelä
7th Jun 2024
Engaging from the very first notes, these powerful new recordings of much-loved repertoire make for a great introduction if you don’t know these works - and an inspiring new perspective if you do.
