Forza Azzurri!
Adrian Chandler and La Serenissima are becoming experts at exploring the byways of the Italian baroque and this disc is a delightful example of their series…
Claudio Arrau – The Complete Warner Classics Recordings
“How great that you heard the Brahms at the FTH last week,” Sir Adrian Boult wrote to me on 12 December 1973. “It was such a great experience for all of us – I think he is the greatest of all pianists.” We were talking Claudio Arrau and the performance of Brahms Boult had conducted at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester…
Berlioz
This is definitely worth having for Ridout’s Harold and a performance that captures the symphonic grandeur of Berlioz’ Byronic adventure…
Rossini – Messa di Gloria
The hardest thing for people with preconceptions to accept about Rossini’s Mass is how jolly it is. But why not? There is no reason why glorification should be a solemn business…
A Tribute to Pauline Viardot
Aria selections are not my favourite form of CD release but this one has much merit…
Enescu
I first encountered Daria Parkhomenko at the 2018 Enescu piano competition, which she deservedly won, and was immediately impressed by her musicality as well as her solid technique…