Reviews
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Michael J Puri | Ravel the Decadent: Memory, Sublimation and Desire
In the introduction to his study of Ravel’s music in the context of French decadence, Michael Puri suggests that ‘seriousRead More -
Oxford Dictionary of Music, Sixth Edition | Ed. Michael & Joyce Kennedy and Tim Rutherford-Johnson
Sorry, but an Olympic analogy for the ever-developing Oxford Dictionary of Music steals into the mind. That great pioneer ofRead More -
Stephen Hastings | The Björling Sound: A Recorded Legacy
Here is a labour of love indeed to rescue the Swedish tenor Jussi Björling from the longer, more brightly illuminatedRead More -
Puccini: Suor Angelica; Preludio sinfonico
Concert performances of operas can fail to make an impact, lacking the dramatic intensity a successful stage performance brings. HereRead More -
Wolf: Italian Liederbook
Captured at the peak of their prime in a warm, clear BBC recording, Baker and Shirley-Quirk manage both to captureRead More -
Per Nørgård: Will-o'-the-Wisps in Town; Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking
One of the most consistently inventive and individual voices today, Nørgård responded to a Hans Cristian Anderson bicentennial commission withRead More -
Suk: A Summer's Tale; Prague
Two intensely lyrical, beautifully orchestrated symphonic poems brought vividly to life by Bělohlávek and the orchestra whose reins he relinquishesRead More -
Joseph Horowitz: Moral Fire
Today they are all but forgotten, yet Henry Higginson, Henry Krehbiel and Laura Langford were three American figures of astoundingRead More -
Raymond Head: Gustav Holst and India
One thing Donald Rumsfeld didn’t refer to in his infamous circumlocutions was ‘unknown knowns’ (I had to check, though). GustavRead More -
Stephen Sondheim: Look, I Made a Hat
If nothing else, the second volume of Stephen Sondheim’s collected lyrics – collating material from the three decades to 2011 – confirmsRead More -
Tchaikovsky: Concerto no 1 & solo works by Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Liszt
Last year’s Tchaikovsky Competition prize winner brings a satisfying mix of panache and sensitivity to this much-recorded concerto, with exhilaratingRead More -
Britten: On This Island; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; Canticle I
Having committed a fine Winter Words to disc, Gilchrist and Tilbrook turn their attention to earlier Britten with equal success. GilchristRead More -
Schoenberg: Complete Songs
A truly enlightening survey of Schoenberg’s entire Lieder output. Better-known cycles (especially Konrad Jarnot’s classy take on The Book of theRead More -
Clifford Curzon Edition: complete recordings
Clifford Curzon (piano); conductors inc Szell, Solti, Kertesz, Britten Decca 4784389 (23 CDs plus DVD) An essential tribute toRead More -
Festival: Misiones de Chiquitos Festival, Bolivia
There is an extensive network of early music groups around South America. The continent’s ensembles specialise in work from theRead More -
National Theatre: Staging War Horse Exhibition
If you’re in London, walking on the South Bank, perhaps looking for a free theatre activity to indulge in, why not popRead More -
Shakespeare: staging the world – exhibition review
Star Rating **** A great connection between context and text. For KS5+ students or for teachers looking to explore theRead More -
Festival: London Handel Festival
In a momentous year of international sport and culture for its host city, the 35th London Handel Festival was aRead More -
PERFORM 2012: The round-up
PERFORM 2012 took place on 9–11 March at London’s Kensington Olympia. It is the sister event to MOVE IT, a danceRead More -
Scenes from an Execution – Review
Scenes from an Execution – Rose Bruford College Spring Season This production of Howard Barker’s play, Scenes from an Execution, isRead More
