Composed in January and February 1920, Paul Hindemith’s third string quartet was described as “brimming with youthful energy…a thrilling, musical event, real ‘new’ music. Here everything is comprehensible and concrete.” First performed at the Donaueschingen Chamber Music Performances in 1921,

We would be entirely wrong to assume that musical duels were in the exclusive domain of the 19th Century. Far from it, throughout the 17th and 18th Centuries, musicians busily battled in musical contests that measured technical facility and improvisational

Happy New Year to all! What better way to begin the New Year than listening to Bach in a concert you did not expect to be in? On the evening of the 31 December, having wondered from café to café

J.S. Bach Liebster Gott, wenn werd ich sterben, BWV 8 (1724) A recent poll of Classical music buyers by the BPI (The British Recorded Music Industry) returned an interesting answer: that the favourite composer of an overwhelming majority was Johann

Fuga 11 BWV 880 Sébatien Guillot, harpsichord From Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier – Teil II (2011) Released by Saphir Productions Bach: Fuga 11 BWV 880 First recording of The London autograph score. Official website

Johann Sebastian Bach passed away 326 years ago, in July, so I thought what could have been better than starting my column here with the ‘Father of Music’, a composer with whom I have had a love-hate relationship. When I

Cantata BWV105: Aria “Wie zittern und wenken” Elizabeth Watts, soprano Harry Bicket, conductor The English Concert, chamber ensemble From Bach: Cantatas and Arias (2011) Released by Harmonia Mundi Bach: Cantata BWV105: Aria “Wie zittern und wenken” Elizabeth Watts (Winner of

Contrapuntus 1 Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, chamber ensemble Raphael Alpermann, organ From Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge (2011) Released by Harmonia Mundi Bach: Contrapuntus 1, from Die Kunst der Fuge The monumental Art of Fugue arranged by the musicians