A listener's guide for the opera-curious includes a little history, a little trash-talk and some gorgeous singing.
The eclectic composer joins members of the ACME ensemble for some of his most affecting music, which moves the audience to tears.
When it comes to the Underground Railroad, everyone knows Harriet Tubman. But a new oratorio sheds light on a different, key figure named William Still.
Watch the celebrated opera star deconstruct old Italian love songs with her signature flair, backed by a crack jazz ensemble.
The irrepressible harpist proves that the instrument can be as tempestuous as a tango, as complex as a Bach fugue and sing as serenely as a church choir.
NPR Music staffers Marissa Lorusso and Tom Huizenga give out superlatives for the best moments in music this past year, including a single breath of operatic singing and an epic guitar solo.
A new album commemorates the Centenary Service of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge.
A new book explores the relation between a few key figures in American classical music and U.S. foreign policy in the 20th century.
Raymond Bisha introduces this new release from the Grand Piano label. It’s the opening volume in what is to be the first complete series of recordings of Nino Rota’s works for solo piano, performed by Eleanor Hodgkinson. Nino Rota embraced neo-Classical, neo-Romantic and even neo-Baroque affiliations. His music prized melodic directness and communicative generosity, so Read More ...
WQXR radio host Terrance McKnight introduces the world premiere recording of an oratorio by composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell. It’s a deeply moving tribute to the men and women of the Underground Railroad and to one heroic man in particular, railroad conductor William Still (1821-1902), a chronicler of the inspiring stories of its Read More ...
You’ll find it hard to resist joining in with the magical performances of popular Christmas repertoire on the latest release from the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Chamber Orchestra. From eternal classics to cracking new carols, this is an irresistible seasonal spread presented in a tempting tasting menu by your host Raymond Bisha. View album details Read More ...
Raymond Bisha summons the seasonal spirit with a comprehensive 5-CD collection of music for Christmas on the Capriccio label. He makes his selection from the release’s one hundred classical Christmas titles, many featuring world-renowned choirs and orchestras from musical centres located throughout Europe, and notably Germany, including Dresden, Cologne, Vienna, Leipzig, Berlin and Regensburg. From Read More ...
This latest release in Naxos’ ongoing series The Music of Brazil features chamber works and concertos by Heitor Villa-Lobos, one of Brazil’s best known and most prolific composers. He wrote more than two thousand pieces and was a major figure in the development of classical music in Brazil. Raymond Bisha introduces a colourful programme that Read More ...
Beethoven certainly has the wind in his sails with this tremendous release of music for wind ensemble, a genre that formed a regular part of entertainment in the composer’s day. Included on the recording, for example, is his Sextet for winds in E flat major that was well received by a critic at the time Read More ...
If playlists had been available in the 18th century, Magna Sequentia II would undoubtedly have enjoyed an enthusiastic reception, with its varied track list embodying a theme of music by association. In her second of three Magna Sequentias, pianist Sonia Rubinsky leads with J. S. Bach’s Overture in the French Style and follows by building Read More ...
The internationally respected artists on this release are well known to Naxos followers: pianist Boris Giltburg (whose recordings of Beethoven, Liszt, Schumann and Rachmaninov have been universally acclaimed); and conductor Vasily Petrenko (whose edition of the complete Shostakovich symphonies has been recognised as a historic recording milestone). They come together now in Beethoven’s first two Read More ...
Raymond Bisha introduces a new recording of music by Austrian composer Hanns Eisler who, in his late years, concentrated increasingly on adapting his film scores for the concert hall. He also began his Leipzig Symphony during this period, but it was left unfinished at the time of his death. Thilo Medek, a young composer at Read More ...
This podcast introduces Vol. 2 in our ground-breaking The Music of Brazil series, a five-year project to record around 100 mostly orchestral works by 19th and 20th-century Brazilian composers, many in world premiere recordings. Released in February, Vol. 1 (8.574067) featured works by Alberto Nepomuceno. Gramophone declared it “urgently recommended”. We follow up with chamber Read More ...
Listening Guide With Lew Smoley Extremeum Judicium Part 1 Prelude Introitus And Kyrie Magna Dies Prope Est Dies Vindicate Dies Irae Victa A Superum Vi, Tacet Porcella Tuba Mirum In Pulverem Nunc Omnes Prostrati Rex Tremendae Assurgit Tandem Deus Recordare Procul A Domini, Sede, Procul A Coeli Clarissima Luce Confutatis Et Angelus Pacis Apparet Lacrymosa […]
With Lew Smoley
Listening Guide With Lew Smoley and Howard Nevison Wotan V. Alberich Friedrich Schorr, Wotan; Eduard Habich, Alberich, René Maison, Loge hans Hotter, Wotan, Gustav Beidlinger, Alberich, Ludwig Suthaus, Loge George London, Wotan, Gustav Neidlinger, Alberich, Herbert Schachtschneider, Loge Alberich’s Curse Eduard Habich Gustav Neidlinger Zoltan Kelemen Erda Karin Branzell Maria Von Isolvay Helen Raab Donner […]
Listening Guide With Lew Smoley and Howard Nevison Alberich’s Arrogance Eduard Habich, Karl Laufkötter, Mime Lawrence Davidson, Leslie Chabay, Mime Gustav Neidlinger, Paul Küen, Mime Kelemen, Wohlfahrt, Loge Mime’s Complaint Karl Laufkötter, Fredrich Schorr, Wotan, René Maison, Loge Paul Kuen, Hermann Uhde, Wotan, Erich Witte, Loge Erwin Wohlfahrt, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Wotan, Gerhard Stolze, Loge Alberich’s […]
Listening Guide With Lew Smoley and Howard Nevison Rhinemaidens Olga Schramm-Tschörner, Anni Konetzni, Emmy Neiendorf Doris Doe, Stella Andreva, Irra Petina Erna Berger, Lucine Amara, Hertha Glaz Dorothea Siebert, Claudia Hoffmann, Sona Cervena Helen Donath, Edda Moser, Anna Reynolds Alberich’s Theft Eduard Habich, Doris Doe, Stella Andreva and Irra Petina Gustav Neidlinger Otakar Kraus Zoltan […]
Welcome to the Choral Stream Download, a handpicked, free, downloadable piece of choral music available every week for subscribers to the Choral Stream newsletter. This week, get a free MP3 of Claudio Monteverdi - Tutte le bocche belle.
This week on the Daily Download, we're featuring Beethoven Adagios in honor of his 250th birthday year. Get a free MP3 of Ludwig van Beethoven - Septet: II. Adagio cantabile. And don't forget to sign up for the Daily Download newsletter to get a bonus download of Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture' - and so you never miss a free classical track!
Experience the lighter side of classical music with our curated, 3-hour playlist of Pops works, part 3.
Experience the lighter side of classical music with our curated, 3-hour playlist of Pops works, part 2.
This week on the Daily Download, we're featuring Beethoven Adagios in honor of his 250th birthday year. Get a free MP3 of Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 2: II. Adagio. And don't forget to sign up for the Daily Download newsletter to get a bonus download of Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture' - and so you never miss a free classical track!
Enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to A Fabulous Tattersall Valentines Dinner, featuring a curated course dinner, plus a pair of distillery tour tickets and a Tattersall Distilling t-shirt, hat, or glass! Valued at over $300, enter by 11:59 p.m. Feb. 9.
Experience the lighter side of classical music with our curated, 3-hour playlist of Pops works, part 1.