Performer pulls Royal Albert Hall gig over decision he compared to musical segregationViolinist Nigel Kennedy has pulled out of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall with only days to go after accusing the radio station Classic FM of preventing him from p…
‘Rewrite Rule, Britannia!’ What would you do with the Last Night of the Proms?
Its patriotic songs ignited a culture war last year. Is it time to rethink the Proms’ closing concert? A panel of leading musical figures suggest some alternative ways of approaching the contentious eveningThe Last Night of the Proms is a fantastic opp…
On DSCH: Shostakovich and Stevenson/Igor Levit | Andrew Clements’s classical album of the week
Igor Levit(Sony Classical, three CDs)Pairing Stevenson’s Passacaglia on DSCH with Shostakovich’s equally epic 24 Preludes is a unique combination of rarity and virtuosityTwo years ago, Igor Levit devoted a recital at the Wigmore Hall to Ronald Stevenso…
Proms Festival Orchestra/ Wigglesworth review – jubilant one-off
Royal Albert Hall, LondonA jubilant and light-on-its-feet performance of Mahler’s monumental 5th symphony made this Prom an emotionally charged occasion‘There won’t be a dry eye anywhere, certainly not on stage,” said one of the musicians before this, …
Little Simz, Iron Maiden and more: September’s best album reviews
Discover all our four- and five-star album reviews from the last month, from pop to folk, classical and more Continue reading…
Miriam Margolyes: It was my duty to tell truth about Du Pré’s death
Veteran actor has no regrets about controversial claims that tragic cellist died from lethal injection in assisted suicideMiriam Margolyes has defended her controversial decision to reveal what she believes is the truth about the early death of the gre…
Mikis Theodorakis obituary
Classical composer famed for his film scores to Zorba the Greek and Serpico, and for his firebrand politicsFor those with only a nodding acquaintance with Greece and Greek music, the name of Mikis Theodorakis, who has died aged 96, still conjures up Zo…
Penderecki: Complete Quartets review | Andrew Clements’s classical album of the week
Piotr Szymyślik/Silesian Quartet(Chandos)Heard together, the differences between Penderecki’s First and Fourth quartets map an epic journey in 20th-century musicKrzysztof Penderecki’s four numbered string quartets do not trace the course of his creativ…
Tosca review – powerful sound and musical magic in the park
Crystal Palace Bowl, LondonDavid Junghoon Kim, Roland Wood and Natalya Romaniw were excellent in ENO’s outdoor semi-staging of Puccini’s opera Sleaford Mods three weeks ago, now Puccini’s Tosca: the South Facing festival, which has brought Crystal Pal…
John Cage: Number Pieces review | Andrew Clements’s classical album of the week
Apartment House (Another Timbre, four CDs)Clearly a labour of love for Apartment House, who play every note of these late works by Cage with wonderful commitment Between 1987 and 1992, the final years of his life, John Cage composed some 40 works that …