Bringing Britain’s musical heritage alive
Founded in 1979, the British Music Society is dedicated to promoting and preserving Britain’s musical heritage with particular emphasis on 20th century composers through recordings, publications and events
Latest features & reviews
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Symphonies 5 & 9
There is (of course) the dreaded acoustic of the Barbican Concert Hall to contend with, but especially in No 5 I felt the engineers had done very well in presenting the music clearly and atmospherically…
TIPPETT, BRITTEN & WALTON
A beautifully recorded disc, and an intriguing programme, with some superb playing…
EDWARD COWIE: Because They Have Songs
Why do birds sing? – Because They Have Songs.’ Edward Cowie takes that answer from an African text as the title for the fourth in his series of compositions inspired by birdsong…
BLISS: Miracle in the Gorbals | Metamorphic Variations
Well – in a word, this is superb. You only need to listen to the opening of the ballet to hear timpani thwacks which, were you playing the recording on an LP, would have the stylus jumping out of the groove…
BEAUTY VEIL’D: Dare, Howell, Matthay, McEwen
Marie Dare is a new name to me; if her Phantasy Quintet starts with a surging Baxian theme, it soon relaxes into something rather more suave and loosely pastoral, with a hint of Ravel’s airy textures…
Review: Opera North – Earth & Sky
A field of butterflies on the Pennine Moors, ethereal poetry and fascinating music in your ears as you explore the wild landscape above Haworth in West Yorkshire…