Jun 25, 2025 | CD reviews
Onyx BrassJohn Wilson conductorCHAN 20399 This mixed bag of British and American music by the distinguished Onyx Brass is never less than entertaining, though I doubt I shall return to some of them often. World premières of fanfares by Britten, Walton and Vaughan...
Jun 25, 2025 | CD reviews
Catherine Wilmers cello Jill Morton piano DIVINE ART DDX 21134 Whilst listening to the middle movement, a set of variations in the 1899 Cello Sonata by Amy Horrocks (d.1919) I found myself asking, why don’t we know this music? The whirlwind finale is also captivating...
Jun 24, 2025 | CD reviews
A Fiftieth anniversary Tribute SOMM ARIADNE 5039-2 [2CDs] Sir Arthur Bliss was an excellent conductor of his own music, but surprisingly he made very few commercial recordings. SOMM here celebrates the 50th anniversary of his death with a 2-CD set of archive...
Jun 22, 2025 | CD reviews
Liepaja Symphony OrchestraPaul Mann conductorEmma McGrath violin Toccata Classics TOCC 0765 [75] This important release builds on the success of the recordings of Thomas Pitfield’s chamber and vocal music that recently appeared on the Divine Art label. With the...
Jun 20, 2025 | CD reviews
Elizabeth Knatt & Rachel Barnes recorders KAIROS 0022034KAI The two electronic pieces on this fascinating disc might be described as mood music of the kind that is regularly encountered on Radio 3’s Night Tracks. I found the shortest, Burmese Memory, to be the...
Jun 20, 2025 | CD reviews
London Symphony OrchestraJack Sheen conductor LSO LIVE 5135 This is the fourth CD resulting from the LSO’s Discovery programme showcasing new composers, guided by Colin Matthews (whose own mastery of orchestration was doubtless most useful). Most of the figures...
