Classical Explorer

This is one of my favourites! The Saint-Saēns is absolutely magical!

Dudok Quartet Amsterdam, back in Tchaikovsky The Dudok Quartet Amsterdam remains one of the most vibrant, exciting young ensembles around

#Tchaikovsky's Third Quartet, and more, from the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam on Rubicon shorturl.at/FLNSp

A Wigmore Christmas: Christiane Karg and Gerold Huber A shot but satisfying Christmas terat

Christiane Karg and Getold Huber celebrate #Christmas at Wigmore Hall: shorturl.at/xuyQ0

A screenshot of an EMI album cover for a disc of Vaughan Williams' Hodie and his Fantasia on Christmas Carols.

#NowPlaying #ClassicalMusic

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols

John Barrow, Gavin Williams, London String Orchestra, Guildford Cathedral Choir, Barry Rose

🎶

#Advent

4 + 4 = ∞ : Laws of Solitude This is a fascinating experiment, for sure

Asmik Gregorian in Richard Strauss: x 2! shorturl.at/oV6Na

Brilliant Berlioz from Rafael Payare and the Philharmonia Rafael Payare's star remains in the ascendant

Brilliant #Berlioz from Rafael Payare and the #Philharmonia: shorturl.at/i3cGh

Vilde Frang returns - in Elgar A refreshing take on Elgar's masterpiece: Frang's interpretation demands to be heard

Vilde Frang in superb performances of #Elgar: shorturl.at/dvlgq

The under-appreciated genius of Bruno Maderna A salutary reminder of the genius of Bruno Maderna

The under-appreciated genius of Bruno Maderna: shorturl.at/PEGIO

Handel's "Partenope" at ENO ENO remains a (soon to be splintered) jewel in English opera

Handel Partenope at ENO: shorturl.at/hqlXV

The Wise Men and the Star: The Sixteen's Christmas disc One of the most expertly perfumed Christmas discs out there

The Wise Men & The Star: The Sixteen's #Christmas disc on Coro: shorturl.at/vxh9M

Shostakovich meets Saariaho ... Terra Memoria Previously, Classical Explorer has featured the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam: we saw them at Wigmore Hall in Mozart and Tchaikovsky, then looked at the first volume of Tchaikovsky Quartets here. This new ...

Terra Memoria: Shostakovich & Saariaho: shorturl.at/Y6YaY

Rethinking Mozart & Brahms in Paris: shorturl.at/T9dhF

Nuit blanche: pianist Jodyline Gallavardin's exceptional disc There is clearly a deep, deep sensibility at work here

Nuit blanche: pianist Jodyline Gallavardin's lovely disc: shorturl.at/yitZj

Feminine Voices at Christmas Beautiful, informative and perfectly thought-through, this is a very special release

Feminine Voices at #Christmas: shorturl.at/qq3gW

The other Adams, again! We have met John Luther Adams previously on Classical Explorer via his extraodinary Become Ocean (2013: the BBC Symphony Orchestra live at the Barbican under Dalia Stasevska). Elsewhere, on the Fanfar...

Lines Made by Walking; the mysterious world of John Luther Adams, performed by JACK Quartet: shorturl.at/YAKlD

A Charpentier Baroque Christmas & A New Era: The Monteverdi Choir & Christophe Rousset Sublimely beautiful music in incomparable performances

Marc-Antoine #Charpentier, Rousset,the Monteverdi Choir & the English Baroque Soloists: an exceptional partnership presenta "Baroque Christmas". shorturl.at/U7XCV

Weckmann Sonatas on cpo Fabulously varied fare, full of contrasts

The colourful contrasts of Matthias Weckmann: shorturl.at/ycqOz

St John's Cambridge Choir returns: O Holy Night A superb disc, beautifully presenting a procession os stellar performances

O Holy Night: a new #Christmas disc from St John's, Cambridge: shorturl.at/Z0f6z

Elisabeth Leonskaja returns in Beethoven We met Elisabeth Leonskaja in Grieg and Schumann with another Michael, Michael Sanderling, previously in the time-honoured coupling of Grieg and Schumann Concertos here. On the new disc, it is Michael...

Leonskaja retiuns, now in #Beethoven: "Emperor" and the Quintet for Piano and Wind: shorturl.at/SfHFQ

"A Festival with a Mission": Aix Easter Festival 2026 announced So the Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival 2026! The official release is below, to which I would add a few highlights: It is good to see Yuliana Adveeva on the books, a pianist who hs impressed in the pa...

Aix Easter Festival preview: shorturl.at/3J8oz

The Music of Sergej Maingardt There is so much to explore her, especially when one considers the "bonuses". As always, Wergo offers rewards for those who dare

The music of Sergei Maingardt: shorturl.at/XBmXK

“This is a disc to cherish, a mix of the well-known and the ‘why haven’t I heard his before?‘. Rayo and Grünberg have chosen their repertoire carefully, and lavish love, experience and wisdom upon it. … this is a major release. Rayo is a star, and not a little one; Grünberg is the perfect collaborative pianist. For someone looking for a first disc of songs of this ilk, this would be perfect; Rayo and Grünberg have completely internalized this repertoire. But it will also bring enrichment to jaded old listeners and critics (such as myself). Superb.” —Colin Clarke, Fanfare Background of Esther Rayo looking out of a window and the album cover in the lower left hand corner.

“this is a major release. Rayo is a star, and not a little one; Grünberg is the perfect collaborative pianist. … Superb.” —Colin Clarke (@classicalexplorer.bsky.social), Fanfare on #Estrellita

Listen to the first two singles now on #AppleMusicClassical and more: https://listn.fm/estrellita

Aerial photograph taken over the Great Salt Lake showing striking reddish-pink water caused by algae blooms. The calm, mirror-like surface reflects wispy altostratus clouds that streak across a blue sky. Dark mountain ranges form a low silhouette along the distant horizon. The water transitions from deep magenta-pink tones in the foreground to lighter pink and blue-gray hues toward the horizon, creating a gradient effect. The symmetrical reflection between sky and water creates a serene, almost surreal landscape.

ocean planet ☁️

Manchester Camerata at Wigmore Hall A memorable concert

Manchester Camerata at Wigmore Hall: great music, stellar singing: shorturl.at/D7b1E

Albert Herring at ENO This was really what ENO does best:  a true company effort

Albert Herring at ENO: shorturl.at/WmAWW

2025 Gramophone Awards announced From Premier Classical: The winners of the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2025 were revealed tonight [15 October 2025] at a glittering ceremony at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in central Lond...

The 2025 #Gramophone Awards are out: shorturl.at/J0FBR

Dvořák's Symphony No. 7: Gardner, Bychkov, Sawallisch (plus Schumann 2!) There's a lot of Dvořák around in my pile of discs suddenly ...

Dvorák Symphony No. 7: Gardner/LOO, Czech PO/Bychkov, Philadelphia/Sawallish, plus a Toscanini Schumann 2: www.classicalexplorer.com/dvorak-symph... @lporchestra.bsky.social

Can we live by texture alone? The BBCSO at the Barbican Three fine works; search out the John LutherAdams!

The BBCSO at the Barbican: Thorvaldsdottir, Ligeti & John Luther Adams: shorturl.at/wd5Qm

Our Common Nature: Yo-Yo Ma returns A vital new podcast series led by Yo-Yo Ma

Our Common Nature: Yo-Yo Ma's new, exciting project: shorturl.at/3NkkG

Unforgettable Abrahamsen & Mahler from the London Philharmonic Jennifer France stuns in Hans Abrahamsen's magical soundscape

Abrahamsen & Mahler from the LPO: Jennifer France shines. shorturl.at/UNv02