BEAUTY VEIL’D: Dare, Howell, Matthay, McEwen
The Berkeley Ensemble stringsSimon Callaghan pianoTom Wraith cello EM RECORDS EMR CD091 Marie Dare is a new name to me; if her Phantasy Quintet of 1933-4 starts with a surging Baxian theme, it soon relaxes into something rather more suave and loosely pastoral, with a...
Old World Cello Concerto CD launches in September
The premiere recording of a cello concerto written by British-Argentine Neo-romantic composer Polo Piatti will be launched on CD on 17 September. Recorded with the National Symphony Orchestra and featuring cellist Justin Pearson with John Andrews conducting at the...
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. What’s this got to do with Opera? This is Earth & Sky, Opera North’s extraordinary immersive...
New classical music festival launched in Wiltshire
A new ‘classical and cross-genre’ annual music festival has been launched in Wiltshire by conductor Hilary Davan Wetton and arts manager Julia Hudson. The duo will lead the White Horse Festival which runs from 2 to 5 October as artistic director and festival director...
Appreciation of classical music hits six year peak
The proportion of UK adults who enjoy exploring classical music at home has hit a six-year peak, according to new figures from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), pictured above performing at Cadogan Hall. Arts Professional magazine reports that national RPO...
New book charts life of distinguished musician
In Time to Declare: My Life in Church Music published in August, the distinguished organist and choral conductor Martin Neary offers an extraordinary journey through his life in music – a journey rich in artistry and personal and historical significance. From his own...
Choir of King’s College to release new Christmas album
Following the success of their 2023 digital EP, Rutter Orchestral Carols, the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, releases a new album for Christmas 2025, featuring a selection of arrangements and original works for choir and orchestra. Under the direction of Daniel...
Bite-Back: selling CDs as recorded music evolves
Dear Nicholas, I’ve just enjoyed, very much, reading your article on Recorded Music in the latest News. Being the advanced age I am, I never got beyond CDs, and am still collecting them (cheaply). The problem of course will come for my Executors: how to...