Gramophone Magazine

The music of Mahler has been much on my mind – and more importantly, emerging from my speakers – these past weeks. For a start there is the revelatory new recording from François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles of the composer’s Fourth Symphony that we’ve named Recording of the Month. In last issue’s cover story the conductor unveiled the rationale behind his approach, one that employs the instruments of Mahler’s time (a reminder that ‘period performance’ doesn’t only mean gut strings and harpsichords but the deeply considered application of authenticity to all eras). It was a joy, then, when the Harmonia Mundi recording proved to be just as exciting as he promised. And just a reminder that Les Siècles is one of the ensembles in contention for Gramophone’s Orchestra of the…

Andrew Achenbach • Tim Ashley • Mike Ashman • Michelle Assay • Richard Bratby • Edward Breen • Alexandra Coghlan • Rob Cowan (consultant reviewer) • Jed Distler • Andrew Farach-Colton • Fabrice Fitch • Jonathan Freeman-Attwood • Marina Frolova-Walker • Charlotte Gardner • Christian Hoskins • Arthur Kaptainis • Lindsay Kemp • Richard Lawrence • Andrew Mellor • Ivan Moody • Jeremy Nicholas • Tully Potter • Mark Pullinger • Peter Quantrill • Guy Rickards • Malcolm Riley • Donald Rosenberg • Edward Seckerson • Mark Seow • Hugo Shirley • Pwyll ap Siôn • David Patrick Stearns • David Threasher • David Vickers • Laurence Vittes • Richard Whitehouse • Arnold Whittall • Richard Wigmore • William Yeoman ‘A cassette of Tallis’s Lamentations was one of the first recordings…

MAHLER Symphony No 4 Sabine Devieilhe sop Les Siècles / François-Xavier Roth Harmonia Mundi EDWARD SECKERSON’S REVIEW IS ON PAGE 32 Last month’s cover artist discussed the rationale behind his period-performance of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, and the results are as revelatory as we might have hoped. A wonderful recording. SCHUBERT Symphonies Nos 8 & 9 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra / Herbert Blomstedt DG Herbert Blomstedt, now 94, draws on a lifetime of Schubertian wisdom, experience and affection in what David Threasher calls ‘a rather special recording’. REVIEW ON PAGE 40 STRAVINSKY ‘Jurowski Conducts Stravinsky, Vol 1’ London Philharmonic Orchestra / Vladimir Jurowski LPO Magnificent interpretations of The Firebird and The Rite of Spring, just two parts of a generous opening to a three-album series. REVIEW ON PAGE 43 ‘A CEMBALO CERTATO A VIOLINO SOLO’ Johannes Pramsohler vn Philippe Grisvard hpd Audax This intelligently programmed set places Bach’s six sonatas for violin and harpsichord in…

The new Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey has been announced as Andrew Nethsingha. He will succeed James O’Donnell in the New Year, who is leaving to take up the post of Professor in the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music. As Director of Music at St John’s College, Cambridge since 2007, Nethsingha has led the choir in a rich decade-and-a-half of music-making and choral worship, as admired for its explorations of new repertoire and collaborations as for its performances of established choral repertoire. It’s a journey which has been captured on a series of superb recordings, as well as easily accessible through live streams of services. ‘It will be a great privilege to contribute to the worship in a building of such beauty and…

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has named Jonathon Heyward as its next Music Director. The 29-year-old American conductor will begin his initial five-year contract in September 2023, serving as Music Director Designate from the start of the next season. He succeeds Marin Alsop, who held the post from 2007 to 2021. ‘It is a tremendous honour to join the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at this exciting time in its long and distinguished history,’ Heyward said. ‘I believe we have a great opportunity to build on the storied achievements of the orchestra under Marin Alsop’s truly inspired leadership, including her founding of the BSO’s OrchKids programme, and to explore the many ways in which we can reach the greatest number of people at home and overseas.’ His debut with the BSO in March and the…

Sony Classical has signed the violinist Luka Faulisi. His debut album, called ‘Aria’, will feature arias and scenes by Bizet, Gounod, Rimsky-Korsakov, Szymanowski, Tchaikovsky and Verdi, arranged for violin and piano (including by Faulisi himself). Due for release next spring, Faulisi will be joined for the recording by pianist Itamar Golan. ‘I am extremely honoured at the opportunity to work with Sony Classical and its energetic and imaginative team,’ said 20-year-old Faulisi, who has been has described as having ‘a million-dollar sound’ by no less a figure than Pinchas Zukerman, while he has also been singled out for praise by flautist Emmanuel Pahud (‘an extremely talented young man with great instrumental abilities and a strong musical expression’) and violinist and conductor Jean-Jacques Kantorow. ‘Having grown up listening to the much-celebrated Sony recordings…