Opera A handful of Salieri operas Salieri opera, I hear you say? He of Amadeus fame? I'm not really one for populist links, but that film did bring to the public's awareness the name of Antonio
Orchestral Timelapse: Orchestra of the Swan Based in Stratford-upon-Avon and founded in 2005, the Orchestra of the Swan has an adventurous approach to programming and the dissemination of its music. When I heard the ensemble in
Orchestral More than an Iron Foundry: the music of Alexander Mosolov If you were expecting gritty dissonances with this disc, you'll be disappointed: it is full of fascination and, yes, joy
Piano The many sides of Sabine Weyer The Luxembourgan pianist Sabine Weyer's most recent disc, Mysteries, has just been released on the Ars Produktion label. It's at once a celebration of the music of Nikolai Miaskovsky -
Chamber Weinberg String Quartets When one sees "Volume One" on a cover and it's of a series as vital as this one, there is much cause for celebration
Donizetti Opera Rara and Donizetti: Il Paria An international release through Warner Classics, this Donizetti Il Paria on the Opera Rara label was recorded in the studio - BBC Maida Vale, June 1-6, 2019 - prior to
Chamber Wind, Sand & Stars: The Orchestra of the Swan Digital Concert A wonderful hour of music and storytelling
Strings Plaisirs illuminés: Camerata Bern delivers a sensational programme Fans of the music of Bartók who wonder what to listen to next need look no further than fellow Hungarian Sándor Veress' Musica concertante per 12 archi (Concertante music for
Choral Vox Clara: Late Medieval Chant Although in one sense a Christmas disc (many of the texts sing about related subjects), it would be churlish to exclude this lovely disc on the basis we're now in
Piano A composer like no other: Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji Mythologising about composers in general is rife: think Wagner, Beethoven; or Mozart with his Freemasonry and the alleged rivalry with Salieri. Few composers hold such a fascination as Sorabji (1892-1988)
I Wonder as I Wander ... James Newby Folksong and legend plays a huge part in this new recital by baritone James Newby and pianist Joseph Middleton, inspired by the idea of the "otherwhere": of the distanced beloved
Opera Hymns of Love: tenor Dmytro Popov's recital disc Making a splash at London's Covent Garden as Rodofo Bohème in 2013, Dnytro Popov enjoys an international career. Notably, he was solo tenor in Teodor Currentzis' Verdi Requiem performances around
Italian Baroque Manfredini: Twelve Concertos, Op. 3 Once in a while a composer comes along who you just have to ask why don't we hear more of him? Francesco Manfredini is one such
Choral Bruckner Latin Motets from Latvia Experience the brevity and the utter devotion of Bruckner's choral music
Opera Tchaikovsky Queen of Spades A salutary reminder of the greatness of Tchaikovsky's operatic works
French Baroque Rameau: Les Boréades from Versailles More Baroque wonderment from Château de Versailles Spectacles
Choral Parry's Songs of Farewell from Westminster As we say goodbye to 2020, it seems only right to bring in the Songs of Farewell by Hubert Parry in this wonderful release from the Choir of Westminster Abbey
City Life: The music of Steve Reich This is a terrific introduction to the music of the minimalist composer Steve Reich. Previously on Classical Explorer, we encountered the Labèque sisters in the music of fellow minimalist Philip
Violin Martinů and Bartók from BIS A wonderful disc. The repertoire choices could hardly be bettered ...
Chamber Entente Musicale Whatever is happening elsewhere, Anglo-French relations are just fine on this disc, with Delius, Cyril Scott, Ireland and Bax rubbing shoulders perfectly affably with Debussy and Ravel. Music from the
Christmas Puer natus est ... The Choir of Buckfast Abbey One of the most beautifully produced of Christmas discs to have come Classical Explorer's way this year, this is a disc full of surprises. Buckfast Abbey founded their own record
Christmas A Winter's Night: Christmas music for Choir and Organ Released back in August 2020, when snow and the suchlike were the last things on anyone's mind, this Signum release brings together the time-honoured combo of choir, brass and organ.
Italian Baroque Per la notte di Natale: Italian Christmas Concertos The period instrument Danish group Concerto Copenhagen has appeared on a variety of labels; they offer impeccably polished, beautiful performances of the most famous of instrumental Christmas music here under
Baroque Telemann Christmas Cantatas If you're looking for an alternative to the expected Christmas playlist, this might well be what you're looking for
