Opera

Cav & Pag at Dutch National Opera; plus, the "other" Bohème

Oversized trousers, a dead chicken and broom-as-phallus ... it's got it all

Orchestral

Sir Adrian Boult: A Musical Legacy

A salutary reminder of the greatness of this most English of conductors

Early Music

Spiritato: The Taste of This Nation

Reviving, ever-appealing music, expertly performed

Beethoven

The return of Currentzis: Beethoven Seventh

There are very few discs that, when they arrive, cause one to drop everything, head to the player and listen straight away. This is one such disc. Regular readers may remember that, some nine months ago,  Classical Explorer began its journeyings with Currentzis' Beethoven Fifth. Currentzis is probably the only

Orchestral

The Curious World of C. P. E. Bach

Johann Sebastian had a lot of children - a lot. Most of them unsurprisingly composed to a greater or lesser degree: we think of Johann Christian Bach (J. C. Bach, 1735-82), the so-called "London Bach" most readily perhaps, for, his gallant, supremely well shaped music, itself a rich vein to

Haydn

More sheer joy: the Chiaroscuro Quartet completes Haydn's Op. 76

This disc glows with life!

Choral

Arvo Part: Miserere

A timely reminder of the importance of the Arvo Pärt's music

Vocal

Chère Nuit: French Songs from Louise Alder and Joseph Middleton

Louise Alder herself describes this programme as "wildly varied"; she has also said that she hopes that the album paints "pictures of a French evening, of mystery, intrigue, discovery, seduction, love, and blissful night"

Beethoven

A tale of "two" operas: when is a Fidelio not a Fidelio?

So, when is a Fidelio not a Fidelio?: an updated post

Bach

Bach from Philippe Herreweghe

Magnificently recorded in Waalse Church, Amsterdam, this is unmissable ...

20th Century

Robert Simpson's Fifth and Sixth Symphonies

Robert Simpson's symphonies have long had a small but die-hard following who, rightly, believed in their greatness ...

French

Belle Époque: French Music for Wind

A selection of delicious French music from the so-called "Belle Époque" ...

Opera

A Devilish Pact: Gounod's Faust from the Royal Opera

A performance and staging that never fails to stimulate

Opera

Mascagni's Iris: a verismo gem

It is impossible not to be pulled into Mascagni's world ...

Manic Miner (Key) Grieg

What connects Grieg and Iannis Xenakis with the beginnings of the UK computer games industry? The ZX Spectrum was Britain’s first popular colour home computer. Launched by Sir Clive Sinclair in 1982 for an affordable £125, it quickly became a huge hit and went on to sell over 5

Vocal

Lise Davidsen stuns on Decca

A major soprano returns:

Piano

Spira, Spera: Bach transcriptions

A disc of great imagination, performed with both power and beauty

18th Century Discoveries: John Abraham Fisher's Symphonies

Bright, shining, gallant music in sterling performances: a disc designed to bring joy

Orchestral

George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra: The Forgotten Recordings

This is a major release of historical recordings that at once reminds us of the stature of George Szell and his superb Cleveland Orchestra while also filling out our picture of their collaboration. The monolingual booklet comprises an extended essay by Lani Spahr on Szell himself. We hear how Szell

Orchestral

Rachmaninov Symphony No. 1: two new rivals

You wait for ages, then two turn up at once ...

Mahler

Mahler's Unfinished: The Tenth Symphony

This Mahler 10 puts the Minnesota Orchestra up there as one ofthe World's great orchestras

Vocal

The Miller's Daughter: Andrè Schuen in Schubert

Previously on Classical Explorer, we looked at a fabulous Schubert recital by Klaudia Tandl and Niall Kinsella, who were joined by Gabriele Jacoby in Schubert's Women. Here, though, we begin our exploration of the song-cycles: Die schöne Müllerin, Winterreise and Schwanengesang, occasioned by the release on Deutsche Grammophon of a

Opera

Es gibt ein Reich: Ariadne auf Naxos in Vienna

An act of pure joy as well as compositional virtuosity, Richard Strauss' opera Ariadne auf Naxos almost guarantees enjoyment

Violin

Paris: Hilary Hahn plays Chausson, Prokofiev & Rautavaara

The choice of music is exquisite; the result, fully satisfying ...

Orchestral

Encountering Bruckner's Sixth Symphony

Bruckner's score holds great treasures if we only give it a chance ...