The Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Swiss conductor Thierry Fischer as its next Music Director from March 2020. Fischer will conduct the Orchestra for eight weeks in 2020 and for 12 weeks in subsequent years. According to a statement by the orchestra, the Swiss conductor was the search committee’s first choice. Read More →

Schubert: Late Piano Works Vol.1; Franz Schubert: Klaviersonaten D. 537 & 959; Allegretto c-Moll D. 915; Andrea Lucchesini, Klavier; 1 CD Audite 97765; Aufnahme 11/2018; Veröffentlichung 07/06/2019 (D), 14/06/2019 (UK, US) – (72'14) – Rezension von Remy Franck

An Andrea Lucchesinis Schubert-Interpretationen scheiden sich die Geister. Die beiden Sonaten D. 959 und D. 537 sowie das Allegretto D. 915 spielt er aus einem Geist heraus, musikalisch sehr überlegt, souverän in der Gestik, mit viel Kraft und Lebendigkeit. In den schnellen Sätzen gibt es viel leidenschaftliches Drängen, starke Kontraste und eine große dynamische Spannweite. Read More →

Since ancient times, philosophers have sought to cultivate happiness and well-being. Their intuitions about the benefits of shared creative experiences have now been confirmed by pioneering scientific research conducted by University College London (UCL) in partnership with Eric Whitacre and Music Productions. The detailed study, led by UCL Senior Research Fellow and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker Dr Daisy Fancourt, shows how singing in a virtual choir delivers significant psychological benefits. Read More →

A calm and elegant gentleman – who only gets angry when a fellow journalist asks him the reason for such a high amount of the Nilsson prize ($ 1 million) and he then replies with annoyance that « no one asks such questions to players or Nobel laureates: and music does much more for peace compared to what they do! » – Reisch listened to Nilsson for the first time in Vienna in 1965: this was followed by two hundred other live performances, including 35 times as Isolde (« but none was the same as the previous »).

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American Recorder Concertos; Roberto Sierra: Prelude, Habanera and Perpetual Motion; Steven Stucky: Etudes; Anthony Newman: Konzert für Blockflöte, Cembalo & Streicher; Sean Hickey: A Pacifying Weapon (Konzert für Blockflöte, Bläser, Blechbläser, Percussion & Harfe); Michala Petri, Nordic String Quartet, Royal Danish Academy of Music Concert Band, Tivoli Copenhagen Phil, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Jean Thorel, Alexander Shelley, Lan Shui; 1 CD Our Recordings 8.226912; Aufnahmen 2018 Veröffentlichung 04/2019 (72'51) – Rezension von Remy Franck

Vier moderne, aber durchaus zugängliche, allesamt mitreißende Blockflötenkonzerte in superben Interpretationen: Michala Petris neueste CD-Produktion enthält nur Welt-Ersteinspielungen und ist überaus spannend. Read More →

Aside from his regular education, he has also received musical stimuli from attending masterclasses with renowned bassoonists, such as Sergio Azzolini and Bence Boganyi. During his high-school years, he got his first major orchestral experiences. Matko Smolcic performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. Since his repertoire stretches from Baroque to Contemporary music, he performs at a vast number of events and festivals both in his native Croatia and throughout Europe (Slovenia, England, Austria, Switzerland, Wales etc.). Read More →

When more than two decades ago you were still a young and promising pianist, you denied harbouring the dream of becoming an acclaimed and recognized pianist. Now that the ‘no dream’ has come true, and so many things and successes have happened in your well-established concert career, do you still think the same way?
Yes, I maintain my answer of that time. My aim is to enjoy the music, each and every one of the projects that I have the opportunity to face, plus my family and my environment. Read More →

How does one become a composer today?
In reality, I never thought about being a composer. In my case it was completely irrational. I remember perfectly the first time I wanted to compose something. I was tired of hearing the same thing from my Walkman and I chose to record something created by myself with instruments that I could play. Read More →

Wolfgang A. Mozart: Streichquartette KV 428 und KV 464; Auryn Quartett; 1 SACD Tacet S 234; Aufnahmen 2017, Veröffentlichung 03/2019 (74'07) – Rezension von Uwe Krusch

Die sechs Haydn gewidmeten Streichquartette von Mozart zerfallen von der Entstehungszeit her in zwei Dreiergruppen. Mit je einem Werk dieser beider Untereinheiten erscheint die jüngste Einspielung des ‘Auryn Quartett’. Die Quartette gehören zu den großen Beiträgen, die auch Beethoven inspirierten. Read More →

Letters to Bach; Noa, Gesang, Gil Dor, Gitarre; 1 CD Naïve NJ6994; Aufnahme ?, Veröffentlichung 15/3/19 (27’55) - Rezension von Alain Steffen

Diese Bearbeitungen von Bach-Stücken im Stile von World- resp. Jazz-Liedern sind auf jeden Fall hörenswert. Arrangiert vom Gitarristen Gil Dor behält Bachs Musik ihre Ursprünglichkeit, gewinnt aber durch eine neue Einfachheit an Reiz dazu. Die israelische Sängerin Noa sieht ihr Projekt als eine Liebeserklärung an die Musik von Bach und diese Liebe und Respekt spürt man in jedem der elf Lieder. Read More →