Gramophone Magazine

music can offer a change of perspective

Performers offer us listeners many things – transcendent playing perhaps, or interpretative insight. But some of our most meaningful encounters with musicians happen when they challenge or change our perspective. Christian Tetzlaff is one of those artists, and his new album of the violin concertos of Beethoven and Sibelius is one of those records. Even the instrument he plays – a new one by Peter Greiner, rather than a vintage violin from by an illustrious luthier of centuries past – encourages us to think differently. As he recently told me, he’s not trying to make a statement, he just thinks it’s the best-sounding instrument. It’s a relatively rare stance. Free-thinking, convention-challenging – it’s there in the playing too. Rob Cowan, who reviews the album, and the musicians interviewed by James Jolly…

this month’s contributors

‘Post-concert dressing rooms don’t always make ideal interview scenarios’, admits writer PETER QUANTRILL, ‘but Iván Fischer waved away exhaustion and well-wishers to think deeply about the most famous symphony of all. “Beethoven is a prophet,” he told me. “He changes people’s lives.”’ ‘Hearing Christian Tetzlaff play the Beethoven Violin Concerto live in Berlin was a wonderful experience’, says JAMES JOLLY, ‘so it’s good that the recording reflects my memory of it. It was fascinating discussing music-making with him the following morning, and discovering what motivates this remarkable player.’ ‘It has been highly rewarding to become acquainted with, and exhume, so much of Stanford’s quality music that is still in manuscript’, says JEREMY DIBBLE. ‘Through this feature and many new recordings, I hope that he’ll be appreciated as the master of many idioms beyond his celebrated…

gramophone magazine

EDITORIAL EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Martin Cullingford DEPUTY EDITOR Sarah Kirkup / 020 7501 6365 REVIEWS EDITOR Tim Parry / 020 7501 6367 ONLINE CONTENT EDITOR James McCarthy SUB-EDITOR David Threasher / 020 7501 6370 SUB-EDITOR Marija Duric Speare ART DIRECTOR Dinah Lone / 020 7501 6689 PICTURE EDITOR Sunita Sharma-Gibson AUDIO EDITOR Andrew Everard EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR Libby McPhee THANKS TO Hannah Nepilova, Jennifer Tucker and Emma Baker EDITOR-IN-CHIEF James Jolly ADVERTISING COMMERCIAL MANAGER Esther Zuke / 020 7501 6368 SALES EXECUTIVE Samuel Desborough / 020 7501 6373 PUBLISHING HEAD OF MARKETING AND DIGITAL STRATEGY Luca Da Rè / 020 7501 6362 MARKETING MANAGER John Barnett / 020 7501 6233 MARKETING EXECUTIVE Hayley Sigrist / 020 7738 6459 GROUP INSTITUTIONAL SALES MANAGER Jas Atwal PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Richard Hamshere / 01722 716997 PRODUCTION MANAGER Jon Redmayne CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Sally Boettcher / 01722 716997 SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Chris Hoskins / 01722 716997 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Martin Cullingford PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Paul Geoghegan CHIEF…

gramophone editor's choice

KORNGOLD Symphony, etc Sinfonia of London / John Wilson Chandos You can read the story behind this orchestra in our news pages, but suffice to say this remarkable group of players gathered by John Wilson offer a Korngold Symphony of striking beauty. ‘SILK BAROQUE’ Wu Wei sheng Holland Baroque Pentatone The sheng, masterfully played by Wu Wei –the soloist who introduced the Chinese mouth organ to readers in our February issue’s Artists & their Instruments – fits movingly into this Baroque programme. ‘IBERIA Y FRANCA’ Imogen Cooper pf Chandos Imogen Cooper’s characterful performances lend a heady and charming air to these works evocatively exploring the links between France and Spain, including music from Albéniz, Debussy and Ravel. BARTÓK Piano Quintet VERESS String Trio Vilde Frang vn et al Alpha This superb collection of artists bring an almost…

for the record

Conductor John Wilson has revived a classic orchestra from the past century, the Sinfonia of London, drawing on some of the leading players from London-based ensembles to make one-off recording projects. The Sinfonia of London was founded in 1955 by flautist Gordon Walker, drawing away many players of the London Symphony Orchestra, to record soundtracks. Among its most memorable albums was a recording with Sir John Barbirolli of Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro and Serenade for Strings, and Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis and Greensleeves, issued on HMV in 1963. In its initial incarnation it closed soon after, but was revived in 1982 by Howard Blake for the soundtrack of The Snowman, subsequently recording further soundtracks. Now, under Wilson, it will focus on making recordings for Chandos. Wilson already…

watch the gramophone awards live!

This year’s Gramophone Classical Music Awards takes place at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London on October 16. Presented with Apple Music, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute’s Polska Music programme and Medici TV, the ceremony can be viewed live (or on catch-up) at Medici TV where you can join us for the acceptance speeches and some high-class live music-making. The soprano Pretty Yende joins Gramophone’s James Jolly to co-host the Awards, and we’ll also be treated to the vibrant music-making of Poland’s Arte dei Suonatori (the period-instrument ensemble who won the Baroque Instrumental Award in 2003 for Vivaldi’s La stravaganza on Channel Classics). The ceremony starts at 6.30pm (UK time) and will feature the 10 recording awards (see the short list on page 16) as well as awards for Artist, Young…