Classical Explorer

Carl Nielsen’s music to The Mother: A Play in a Prologue and Seven Scenes by Helge Rode was recorded in full for the first time here. Some excerpts have found their way in into record […]

There are kazilliions of Goldbergs out there. Here’s one with a difference: an arrangement by Tomáš Ille (born 1971) for French horn (Radek Baborák), violin (Dalibor Karvay), marimba (Andrei Pushkarev) and bass clarinet (Petr Velášek). […]

Macbeth, Op. 23 (1886-8) Richard Strauss’ first tone-poem, is not heard much. Norman del Mar devoted much space to it in his fine Strauss books, though, and that piqued my interest many, many years ago […]

Happy “birth”- day to Wigmore Hall (inasmuch as bricks and mortar are birthed). On the hall’s actual 125th anniversary, it was Lise Davidsen and the equally astonishing collaborative pianist James Baillieu who did the honours: […]

The Tears and Fire of the Muses, Claudio Monteverdi Revolution Hespèrion XXI; Soloists of La Capella Reial de Catalunya. Wigore Hall, 1pm, 26.05.2026 Samuel Scheidt Pavan dolorosa, SSWV 41; Courant dolorosa, SSWV 47. Monteverdi Lamento […]

Asmik Grigorian and Lukas Geniušas at Wigmore Hall The Wigmore Hall’s 125th Anniversary Festival is shaping up well: in one day, the venue offered Jordi Savall at lunchtime and Asmik Grigorian in the evening, both […]

When is a sonata for four not a sonata for four? in the Baroque, of course, where Trio Sonatas are similarly à 4 (cos continuo). Here is a sequence of Sonate a quattro, brilliantly performed […]