Articles

16879 1
Jessye Norman (15 September 1945-30 September 2019) – An appreciation
The world of music, and not just classical music, has been stunned by the untimely passing of Jessye Norman, one of the outstanding vocalists and artists of her generation. The…
16726 1
Leonard Slatkin is 75 today – First of September 2019 – Birthday Greetings (Bottle of Wine) from Achenbach to Zukerman via DSO, Muti, Ohlsson & Rouse follow…
In alphabetical order, by surname… “A very happy 75th birthday to Leonard Slatkin, whose perceptive gifts, selfless dedication and sheer professionalism continue to inspire and astound. His wide-ranging repertoire and…
16728 1
Conductor Willem Mengelberg, by Frits Zwart [book review]
Conductor Willem Mengelberg 1871-1951 Acclaimed and AccusedFrits Zwart ISBN 9789462986053 Amsterdam University Press You might think that an undertaking – one subject, two books (as sent for review), and both…
16622 1
Arturo Toscanini conducts Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies & Missa solemnis – Pristine Audio’s revelatory transcriptions of Studio 8H & Carnegie Hall concerts, 1939-1940
Some twelve years ago I reviewed a Music & Arts box featuring Arturo Toscanini’s celebrated 1939 cycle of Beethoven’s Symphonies – all bar the ‘Choral’ recorded at Studio 8H –…
16605 1
English Haydn Festival 2019
Wednesday 5 June-Saturday 9 June, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England For a quarter of a century the English Haydn Festival has used the deconsecrated St Leonard’s Church in Bridgnorth as the principal…
16581 1
Feature Review: Two days at Aldeburgh Festival 2019
Three concerts in two days provided a brief glimpse of this year’s Aldeburgh Festival and a welcome chance to catch up with one of its artists-in-residence, Thomas Larcher. On Monday…
16527 1
Feature Review: Three days at Swaledale Festival 2019 – Music, Arts & Walking in the Yorkshire Dales [May 25-June 8]
Swaledale plays host to one of England’s most northerly festivals. Turn left off the A1 near Richmond and the villages of Grinton, Gunnerside and Reeth (there’s even a Crackpot) appear…
16481 1
Final of inaugural China International Music Competition – Piano – Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, 20 May 2019 [live webcast on amadeus.tv via YouTube]
With Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in the final, an unprecedented amount of prize money on the table – US$150,000 to the winner – and, endeavouring to refute charges…
16460 1
Doris Day – 3 April 1922-13 May 2019 – an appreciation
One of America’s great movie actresses and singers, Doris Day has died from pneumonia at the age of ninety-seven. Born Doris Ann Kappelhoff in Cincinnati, Ohio, to music teacher William…
16435 1
Metropolitan Opera Live HD Broadcasts 2018-19: Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites [Showing on May 11]
The Classical Source once again brings you a handy guide to all ten of the Metropolitan Opera productions included in this season’s international broadcast series. #10: Dialogues des Carmélites Who…