BEST OF THE REST: The classical CDs we missed in 2022

THE GUARDIAN / Andrew Clements It took Maurizio Pollini more than 30 years to complete his recordings of the Beethoven piano sonatas for Deutsche Grammophon. The first instalment of that series, which appeared in 1977, was devoted to the last five sonatas, including magisterial performances of the two paired on this new release, which was […]

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FRANZ LISZT: News

isa’s Piazza dei Miracoli, also known as the Piazza del Duomo, contains the Cathedral, the Baptistry, the Campanile (aka the Leaning Tower) – and the Camposanto Monumentale. Among its murals is an impressive fresco entitled Il trionfo della Morte: ‘The Triumph of Death’. Once attributed to Orcagna, nowadays to Buonamico Buffalmacco or, by some scholars, […]

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HANDEL: He conquers London

Richard Wigmore marks the 300th anniversary of Handel’s era-defining move to London in 1712 Never short of confidence or savoir faire, the young Handel seems to have set out to become the supreme musical cosmopolitan. After a thorough grounding in the contrapuntal tradition of his native Saxony, he honed his command of form and fluid, […]

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PHILIP GLASS: Symphony No.9 reviewed by Stephen Mejia

“I have no real foundation on which to discuss the merits or shortcomings of symphonic music—I’m too busy contemplating Drake, Mike Posner, and Nicki Minaj—but I have heard that the Ninth is considered “the cursed” symphony.  I think it begins with Beethoven, who died after completing his Ninth. Mahler, I’ve read, was so disturbed by […]

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The Menuhin Century (80CD+11DVD+Book Box Set)

As a musician, as a man of ideals, and as a citizen of the world, Yehudi Menuhin made an extraordinary mark on his era. The Menuhin Century, a unique project to be released on 1 April, marks the 100th anniversary of his birth on 22 April 1916. Comprising a total of 80 CDs across five themed […]

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ANTON BRUCKNER: Sex, death and dissonance: his strange, obsessive world

  Tom Service writes ….. There’s no doubt Anton Bruckner was an oddball, a man with an unhealthy interest in dead bodies and teenage girls. But the composer’s obsessions and terrors also gave us some astonishing music. A credulous yokel who propositioned girls half his age. A death-obsessed ghoul who kept a photo of his mother’s […]

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Top 15 Liszt recordings

A beginner’s guide to the music of one of the great composer-pianists Selecting a list of just 15 outstanding recordings of Franz Liszt’s music that everyone will agree with is impossible, but for those who are just embarking on a journey through Liszt’s sound world, these 15 selections represent 15 perfect starting points. And for […]

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BEETHOVEN: How did symphonies changed the world

Riccardo Chailly talks to Philip Clark about how Beethoven’s symphonies have influenced generations of composers https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/how-beethoven%E2%80%99s-symphonies-changed-the-world?utm_content=How%20Beethoven%27s%20symphonies%20changed%20the%20world&utm_campaign=Gramophone%20Newsletter%20-%2014MAR17%20%28Subs%29&utm_source=Gramophone&utm_medium=adestra_email&utm_term=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gramophone.co.uk%2Ffeature%2Fhow-beethoven%25E2%2580%2599s-symphonies-changed-the-world

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PODCAST OF THE DAY: Schubert

Ian Skelly introduces a selection of great concert performances from around Europe with a focus on Romania, including a performance of Schubert’s last symphony from the 2022 George Enescu Festival, and the BBC Concert Orchestra playing Enescu’s first Romanian Rhapsody. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001h5ch Including: Bela Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances Sz56Pétri Kumela (guitar)Cecilia Zilliacus (violin) Joseph Haydn: Piano […]

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KARAJAN: News

A classic Gramophone article, by HC Robbins Landon, March 1964 Herbert von Karajan in 1969 (Reinhard Friedrich / Archiv Berliner Philharmoniker) SCENE I. A warm summer’s day in Salzburg. The square in front of the Festspielhaus is the scene of subdued activity; from within come sounds of rehearsing. Chorus members are lounging about, waiting for […]

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MAHLER: Podcast

Edward Seckerson discusses the greatest performers and recordings of the composer’s works This week’s Gramophone Podcast is a special longer edition focusing on the music of Mahler. It coincides with the publication of the latest in our series of our souvenir publications drawing together our century-long coverage of major composers, ‘Gramophone Presents Mahler’. For this […]

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PODCAST: Our pick of the day – Bach and Stravinsky

Ryan Wigglesworth conducts the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers in a carefully curated concert of music by Stravinsky and Bach. Live from City Halls Glasgow. Presented by Kate Molleson Bach/Stravinsky: Chorale Variations ‘Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her’Bach: Komm, Jesu, kommStravinsky: Symphony of Psalms 8.30 Interval, Kate introduces recent recordings which […]

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GRAMOPHONE: The best new classical albums this week (January 20, 2023)

GRAMOPHONE: New recordings of Bruckner’s Symphony No 7, Mozart’s Violin Concertos Nos 3-5 and more Paavo Järvi has already recorded Bruckner’s Symphony No 7 with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra for Sony/RCA, an album reviewed by Rob Cowan in September 2009, who wrote: ‘Järvi offers an extremely beautiful performance, responsively played and, most crucially, sensitive […]

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BRAHMS: The Symphonies (3 cd)

  We are told: The Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons are pleased to release their latest recordings on BSO Classics–a three-disc set of the four Brahms symphonies, recorded live during concert performances at Symphony Hall in November 2016, engineered by the same in-house team that produced the BSO’s Grammy-winning Shostakovich recordings under Maestro Nelsons […]

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STREAMING: Is It Really Paying Off? By Paul Wilson |

When Napster, arguably one of the earliest streaming services and ultimately illegal one, first started, I wondered if anyone ever thought streaming would become the dominant way to listen to music? Non-audiophiles have been streaming for quite a long while. In the audiophile world, streamed music at a minimum of CD quality, as well as […]

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JUDGE FOR YOURSELF: Pavarotti versus Corelli: who’s really king of the high Cs in Il Trovatore?

From the archives Tim Wong writes: I grew up listening to a recording of Verdi’s Il Trovatore my father bought. It’s the Franco Corelli version with Thomas Schippers conducting. I was instantly captivated by his heroic style and especially how he threw himself into the aria Di quella pira. In an extremely silly plot, it’s […]

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MOZART: Symphony No 41, ‘Jupiter’: 10 Great Recordings (with Rob Cowan and James Jolly)

GRAMOPHONE Rob Cowan and James Jolly discuss their favourite recordings of Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’ Symphony and choose a modern recommendation for the piece Welcome to Episode Two in our series featuring Rob Cowan and James Jolly as they explore and compare recordings of great works. Episode One featured Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, but for Episode Two James […]

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PODCAST: One of our picks of the day

GRAMOPHONE: Adam Walker on French music for flute This week’s podcast sees acclaimed flautist Adam Walker join Gramophone Editor Martin Cullingford to talk about his two new albums of French music, both released on Chandos Records. The first, ‘French Works for Flute’, sees him joined by pianist James Baillieu in music by Franck, Widor, Saint‑Saëns […]

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