Giovanni Sgambati (1841-1914), a favourite student of Liszt, was admired by Wagner: that’s quite a CV. Here we have two works: the large-scale Piano Concerto in G minoring the Sinfonia festiva. Sgambati is probably best […]
We met Mishka Rushdie Momen at the Sheffield Chamber Music Festival via her recital Romantic Piano. Here on her recording of variation sets on SOMM, she confirms her clear talent. The booklet notes are some […]
Billed as “Classical Music’s answer to K-Pop,” Yuncham Lin offers a debut recording of distinction. He won the Cliburn Competition in 2022 (at 18, the youngest ever winner); on July 29 he will make his […]
What a fascinating disc this is! Ravel and de Falla’s music is sumptuous; but far more than just that, and Alexandre Tharaud’s release from 2023 offers a major contender in this repertoire. Tharaud and his […]
There is something very special about John Nelson. His work at Strasbourg has regularly transformed that orchestra into a world-class ensemble; his Berlioz recordings are as important as Sir Colin Davis’, and yet they have […]
This is Classical Explorer‘s first Franck Symphony (D-Minor, M. 48) but it is certainly not our first Franck: we looked at piano music on Hänssler, organ music on BIS, heard Lucas Debargue’s piano transcription of […]
Affectionately dedicated to his friend and mentor Ruth Nye, this brilliant, significant release from Emmanuel Despax reveals performances of the highest integrity. As Despax himself puts it: I never perceived Liszt’s compositions as mere showmanship; […]
As Giuseppe Sinopoli’s DG recording with the Staatskapelle Dresden seems to no longer be universally available (although you can find, currently, a cheap copy at Amazon here), this new performance now takes centre stage. We […]
Williams, Ortiz, Dvořák María Dueñas (violin); Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra / Gustavo Dudamel (conductor). Barbican Hall, 02.06.2024 John WIlliams Olympic Fanfare and Theme (1984) Gabriela Ortiz Altar de cuerda (LA Phil commission; UK premiere, 2021) Dvořák Symphony No. […]
Messiaen Vingt régards de l’enfant Jésus (1944) Nicolas Hodges (piano). Wigmore Hall, 31.05.2024 The last time I heard Messiaen’s vast Jesus-oriented canvas was at Milton Court in 2016 (review), Pierre-Laurent Aimard was the pianist, a […]
