The fiftieth anniversary of Toscanini’s death in 2007 was celebrated with gala concerts around the world, one of the most glamorous events being this benefit concert at the basilica of St Mark’s in Venice. The 11-year-old child prodigy Lorin Maazel…

The moving text of the “Stabat Mater” has been an inspiration to many composers from the Renaissance onwards. Luigi Boccherini, a virtuoso cellist and master of chamber music, composed this religious work with profound respect for the text and it’s…

The French pianist, Adam Laloum, winner of the 2009 Clara Haskilag competition, is quickly becoming an international star, described by Le Monde as ‘a young pianist, yet already a great artist and poet’. Age is certainly no barrier for Laloum, who…

Surely Bach’s French Suites, which he composed during his years at Cöthen (1717–1723), are among the finest inducements to practise that any teacher has ever made to a pupil. In this case Bach wrote them for his young wife, Anna Magdalena. The over…

One of today’s most sought-after performers, the Argentine pianist Nelson Goerner brings his love of Beethoven and Chopin to the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and presents very personal interpretations of two important sonatas and two études. His…

Four decades after bursting onto the European musical scene, American pianist Stephen Kovacevich remains one of the great living soloists, chamber musicians and conductors. Also known as Stephen Bishop, he has appeared on concert stages worldwide…

One reviewer of Susan Graham's Verbier Festival recital praised her 'radiant voice' and marveled at her ability to convey the subtle nuances of what seems like 'her second native language'. Her programme offers a 'tasting menu' of the French mélodie…

This recording presents the most important work of the baroque keyboard repertoire – The Well-Tempered Clavier - played by four world-class pianists. Each artist performs twelve Preludes and Fugues selected from this well-cherished collection of…

“Here the crème de la crème of orchestral musicians are to be found sitting alongside one another and performing at such an unprecedentedly high level that it is a joy to listen to them. There is a constant give and take in terms of their breathing…

Nikolai Lugansky, already a major artist, has been hailed by his former teacher Tatiana Nikolajeva as the “next” in a line of great Russian pianists. He has been described as “a pianistic phenomenon of exceptional class” by the Netherlands’ NRC…