Updates from the world's leading classical music label
Raymond Bisha introduces the first instalment of the Naxos series of flute concertos by François Devienne, the 18th-century composer-performer who laid the foundations of the French school of flute playing. Performed and directed by fellow Frenchman Patrick Gallois, these two illustrious musicians hold hands across the centuries in a celebration of the true French spirit Read More …
Remember, remember, the fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot. Bonfires feature in a number of different traditions around the world, but perhaps the largest celebrations are held in Britain every 5 November. On this day, the above rhyme is traditionally Read More …
This month’s release in the Naxos Canadian Classics series focuses on the string chamber music of Jacques Hétu (1938–2010). The theme of past and present links composer and performers, as Raymond Bisha surveys Hétu’s works dating from the 1960s (when the original Orford String Quartet was formed) to music written a few years before his Read More …
One of the side discussions during the Scottish independence referendum held last month focused on what that country’s national anthem might be, should the majority vote to separate from the United Kingdom. Following the outcome of the referendum, the question became redundant. It got me thinking, however, about the anthems of three European nations in Read More …
In this week’s podcast, Raymond Bisha explores works by the Italian musical adventurer Gian Francesco Malipiero, the fascinating 20th-century composer who trod his own prolific path, often defying tradition with his idiosyncratic flair. View album details of Gian Francesco Malipiero’s Fantasie di ogni giorno / Passacaglie / Concerti at naxos.com Catalogue No.: 8.573291
Many instruments evolved over centuries, their names changing in tandem with their timbre. The lute became the guitar, the viol progressed to the violin and the sackbut got transformed into the trombone. Just occasionally, however, an inventor introduces a brand new kid onto the block and, naturally enough, gives it the family name. The most Read More …
Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra bring their brilliant cycle of the Shostakovich symphonies to a stupendous conclusion with the release of the Thirteenth Symphony, Babi Yar. It’s a work the Russian conductor has inhabited since his teenage years, when he first recorded it as a member of the male chorus. In conversation Read More …
“Why should the devil have all the best tunes?” … or something along those lines. The exact quotation and its source have long been the subject of speculation. But the devil certainly has attracted the attention of many fine composers who have etched him (or maybe her) into the musical annals as vividly as visual Read More …
Most music is referred to as ‘absolute music’. It simply comprises notes that combine to weave melodic charm. Most Haydn symphonies serve as an example. At the other end of the composing spectrum lie artefacts—physical objects other than conventional instruments—that are used solely for the compositional process. Here, the craftsman’s art becomes the starting and Read More …
Most people know about the curse of the ninth, but if you don’t, here’s a quick explanation. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Choral (8.550181) laid down a few benchmarks. Its influence was felt most recently, perhaps, during the dawn of the age of the compact disc. Consideration had to be given to how many minutes of music Read More …