from the British Music Society
News, reviews & features
Donations sought for rare Ivor Gurney record
Funding is being sought to produce Come, O come, my life’s delight – the songs of Ivor Gurney, a CD featuring rare songs by the English composer and poet.
BBC Proms returns in summer 2026
Over 3,000 artists, 72 proms at the Royal Albert Hall and 13 at UK venues and 20 world premieres are promised when the world’s largest classical music festival takes place in July…
Festival to focus on composer Julius Benedict
A week-long Julius Benedict Festival, organised by Music in the Burnhams, is taking place in North Norfolk in July 2026…
Third in Elgar series released by SOMM Recordings
The third volume in the series Elgar from the Archives from SOMM Recordings has been released and includes two historic recordings conducted by Sir Adrian Boult…
Music for Margaret
Memorial concerts commemorating departed loved ones are no novelty, but it’s surely extraordinary to find a memorial concert featuring new pieces specially composed from 14 British composers…
EDMUND RUBBRA: Choral Music
Since his death 40 years ago, Edmund Rubbra’s music remains on the outskirts of the repertoire. Much still deserves an airing but this collection includes three first recordings…
JIM AITCHISON: Piano Quintets
Aitchison’s first piano quintet, Margarete, has its relationship to Anselm Kiefer’s 1981 painting of the same name. The composer states that this is regarded as a ‘pivotal work…
HAVERGAL BRIAN: Symphony No. 1 ‘The Gothic’
While it is fashionable to observe that ‘of course’ the piece is uneven, it is also worth stressing its staggering originality; not a contrived originality…
Music for Margaret
Memorial concerts commemorating departed loved ones are no novelty, but it’s surely extraordinary to find a memorial concert featuring new pieces specially composed from 14 British composers…
STEPHEN DODGSON: Turn Ye to Me – Songs Volume 3
I am coming to the songs for the first time but there is enough variety on this disc to make it a good introduction to the original and skilful gift that Dodgson clearly had for word setting…