WILLIAM SMETHERGELL: Six Overtures Op. 2

WILLIAM SMETHERGELL: Six Overtures Op. 2

Dec 22, 2025 | CD reviews

Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester PforzheimDouglas Bostock conductor CPO 555 541-2 In his very full notes on the music contained in this recording, Jürgen Schaarwächter makes the point that almost all Haydn’s contemporaries in Britain have largely been forgotten. Haydn...
Birthdays and anniversaries in 2026

Birthdays and anniversaries in 2026

Dec 22, 2025 | News

In addition to Malcolm Binns (see separate article) there are several British musicians celebrating milestone birthdays in 2026 including: John Tomlinson (80th birthday) Edward Higginbottom (80th birthday) Michael Finnissy (80th birthday) Nigel Kennedy (70th birthday)...
COLIN RILEY: Along the Line

COLIN RILEY: Along the Line

Dec 22, 2025 | CD reviews

Pegasus Chamber ChoirGabriella Swallow celloGloria Rappo harp Squeaky Kate Music CRCD14 Colin Riley is Reader in Composition at Brunel University. His music draws on a range of elements including new technologies, improvisation, song-writing and large-scale classical...
GEOFFREY ÁLVAREZ: Symphonies and Sundries

GEOFFREY ÁLVAREZ: Symphonies and Sundries

Dec 22, 2025 | CD reviews

Tom Winpenny organ Willowhayne Records WHR101 (2 CDs) Geoffrey Álvarez was a pupil of Giles Swayne and Paul Patterson at the Royal Academy of Music. He later did postgraduate work at York University with David Blake and Richard Orton, and obtained a D.Phil. His works...
Happy 90th birthday Malcolm Binns

Happy 90th birthday Malcolm Binns

Dec 22, 2025 | News

This month we send birthday greetings to a noted authority on British piano music, Malcolm Binns who celebrates his 90th birthday on 29 January.  Born in Nottingham in 1936, Malcolm studied music at the Royal College of Music where he was a professor from 1961 to...