The death of Swedish-American conductor Herbert Blomstedt, at the age of 99, marks the passing of one of the last great conductors whose careers reached back to the musical world of the mid-20th century. For more than seven decades, Blomstedt

In 2027, we mark the bicentenary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s death, and among the celebrations will be a Platoon label recording of all six Beethoven piano concertos, featuring pianist Kirill Gerstein and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. But wait! I

The excitement is palpable in Chicago and New York. Both the Chicago Symphony and the New York Philharmonic are welcoming their new maestros this fall, and the atmosphere is euphoric. By now, you may recognise the curly mop of hair,

The excitement is palpable in Chicago and New York. Both the Chicago Symphony and the New York Philharmonic are welcoming their new maestros this fall, and the atmosphere is euphoric. Finnish whiz, conductor and cellist Klaus Mäkelä comes by his

Sometimes, being too modest can work against you. In the case of Count Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer (1692–1766), his refusal to put his name on his six Concerti armonici, published in 1740, has led to centuries of confusion about who

Franz Schubert only lived for 31 years, but he left a massive, astonishing body of music: countless songs, symphonies, chamber works, sacred compositions, and even operas. His life held unique and fascinating contradictions. A devoted circle of friends celebrated him,

I first encountered the name Agi Jambor in 2009, when a man called Stephen – one of her friends – uploaded several of her recordings to YouTube. I was stunned by the beauty of her playing and fascinated by her

“Perhaps many a composer of the past would be astonished at how over-cautious we are when we play their works.” – Helmut Deutsch, pianist This comment by pianist Helmut Deutsch has stayed with me since I first came across it.