Insula Orchestra's season opener boasts magnificent Farrenc and Beethoven

Beethoven/Farrenc Lucas Debargue (piano); Insula Orchestra / Laurence Equilbey. La Seine Musicale, Paris, 29.09.2022 Louise Farrenc  Overture No. 1 in E minor, Op. 23 (1834) Beethoven         Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op. 19 (1801) Farrenc               Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 35 (1845) Insula Orchestra began

Mendelssohn

Repost: Meet the Mendelsohns on Chandos: Fanny & Felix

A brilliant, life-enhancing disc that introduces substantive music, brilliantly recorded

18th century

Mozart's Czech Mates: The Mozartists at the Wigmore Hall

A superb concert: educational, certainly, but viscerally exciting too. Here’s to the next 25 years of The Mozartists!

News Item: A Tribute to the Life & Reign of Elizabeth II

A Tribute to the Life and Reign of Elizabeth II A Garland for the Queen The Sixteen & Harry Christophers Tower of London Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula 11 October 2022, 7.00pm Streamed live by Classic FM Tallis, Byrd, Weelkes, Morley Britten, Tippett, Bennett Vaughan Williams, Stanford

Choral

Gaude Virgo!: Cappella Pratensis (2)

A stunning recording launching a valuable project

Opera

A new production of Verdi's Aida at the Royal Opera House

There is a lot to celebrate here, vocally and instrumentally. The production itself will have to percolate ...

Farrenc

Repost: The Symphonies of Louise Farrenc

Rarely can Farrenc's music have spoken with so much power and so much eloquence; rarely can her genius have shone through so brightly

Britten

Britten Solo Vocal Works: Les Illuminations, Serenade, Nocturne

A simply beautiful disc on all fronts

Xenakis

Berlin Festival (4): Berlin Radio SO / Jurowski in Xenakis, Bartók and Mahler

The Xenakis and the Bartók, certainly, will live long in the memory

Marenzio

Luca Marenzio: Primo Libro di Madrigali

All devotees of the madrigal should hasten forth to purchase!

Ethnic

Berlin Festival (3): Korean Ritual in Berlin

A fascinating, stirring occasion

Contemporary

Berlin Festival (2): Berlioz, Adès, Barry

Stimulating fare from Adès, Kuusisto and the Berliner Philharmoniker

Piano

Visions: Tamara Stefanovich and Pierre-Laurent Aimard

A terrific disc. Unmissable

20th Century

Berlin Festival (1): Ensemblekollektiv Berlin / Enno Poppe

Musikfest Berlin 2022 is in full flow ... A phenomenal concert

Baroque

Rapsodia Italiana: Stylus Phantasticus in Early Baroque

A truly illuminating experience, both beautiful and educational - all in stunning performances

Mozart

Mozart Violin Concertos, Volume 2

A simply superb disc

Haydn

Haydn Theresienmesse & Symphony 103, Harry Christophers

A stunning disc. Whether you buy it for the symphony with mass as bonus, or vice versa, there is no going wrong here. Superb

Interview

Maxim Vengerov in interview: 40+ years on stage

An interview with one of the greats: Maxim Vengerov

Opera

Mozart's Flûte enchantée: Hervé Niquet and a French flute

Unless you count Hoffmeister’s Magic Flute (which one shouldn’t, obviously) this is Classical Explorer’s second post on Mozart's masterwork, his opera Die Zauberflöte: previously, we had a look at David McVicar’s production at Covent Garden. A recent performance of Zauberflöte under Christophe Rousset at

Live Performance

The Berliner Philharmoniker in London: Mahler, Schnittke, Bruckner

Two Proms, one absolutely unforgettable ...

Mahler

Mahler's Das Lied revisited

This more than deserves to be heard - it shines a light into the very core of Mahler's score

Beethoven

Dem Erzherzog gewidmet: A noble Archduke in Gsteig

Chamber music in the gorgeous setting of Gsteig, Switzerland

Dowland

Lessons: John Dowland and the lute

One of the finest Early Music discs we have covered so far on Classical Explorer - a real treasure

Mahler

Mahler's Fourth Symphony revealed anew

François-Xavier Roth’s sterling restoration work with Les Sièces continues with Mahler

Patricia Kopatchinskaja in Gstaad: What's Next, Vivaldi?

Gstaad Menuhin Festival: Vivaldis Tod in Wien: Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin); Il Giardino Armonico / Giovanni Antoninni. Saanen Church, Saanenland, Switzerland, 26.08.2022 Vivaldi    Concerto for Strings in G minor, RV 157 Enescu    Impressions d’enfance, Op. 28 Vivaldi    Violin Concerto in C, RV 191 Sciarrino   Capriccio for Solo Violin No.