July 2010
Let the Proms begin!
Our coverage of the world's greatest music festival includes pianist Paul Lewis, Vaughan Williams on CD, Sir Henry Wood, Pick of the Proms and more!
Also in your Proms special:
Elgar Symphony No. 1
Which recording of this glorious work should be adorning your CD collection?
Engelbert Humperdinck
George Hall explores the German composer best known for the opera Hansel and Gretel
Katie Derham
The BBC TV Proms presenter tells us her musical loves in Music That Changed Me
On sale Thursday 10 June
On Sale Date:
07/06/2010
Issue Number:
10 
On the Cover Disc
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 3 & Serenade to Music
Vintage BBC performances conducted by Sir Adrian Boult and Basil Cameron
This issue's BBC Music choices
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Transformation
Yuja Wang (piano)
'Keen intelligence complemented by a fairly staggering technique'
CHAMBER
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas
Alina Ibragimova (violin), Cédric Tiberghien (piano)
'Magnificently alive performances from Ibragimova and Tiberghien'
CHORAL & SONG
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater
Florilegium/Ashley Solomon
'This new Pergolesi Stabat Mater excels in the clarity of Florilegium's strings'
DVD
Monteverdi: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
'This is now the best version of Monteverdi's Return of Ulysses'
INSTRUMENTAL
Albéniz: Iberia; Granados: Goyescas
Artur Pizarro (piano)
'Artur Pizarro's technique is the means to a musical and poetic end'
JAZZ
Food: Quiet Inlet
Iain Ballamy and Thomas Strønen
'An evocatively atmospheric album from Ballamy, Strønen and guests'
ORCHESTRAL
Mahler: Symphony No. 2
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra/Jonathan Nott
'Jonathan Nott made me hear new things in Mahler's Second'
OPERA
Wagner: Götterdämmerung
Hallé/Mark Elder
'This magnificent recording renews the Hallé's long Wagner tradition'
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Classical Music Competition Guide
The most exciting classical music competitions.
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We present forthcoming seasons from a variety of companies
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For beginner, amateur or professional musicians.
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A wide range of classical music festivals to suit all tastes.
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This month's BBC Music choices
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Beethoven: String Trios, Op. 9 Nos 1-3
Trio Zimmermann
'The playing is dazzling, combining warmth and clarity'
CHAMBER
The Father, the Son and the Godfather: Trio Sonatas by JS Bach, CPE Bach, Telemann
'Compelling soloists with virtuosity and insight to burn'
CHORAL & SONG
Stimme der Sehnsucht: Songs by Mahler, Strauss, Pfitzner
Christianne Stotijn
'Stotijn takes the imaginative high ground from the start'
DVD
Pergolesi: Adriano in Siria
Marina Comparato, Lucia Cirill, Annamaria dell'Oste etc; Accademia Bizantina/ Ottavio Dantone
'Realised with vibrant, breathtaking musicianship'
INSTRUMENTAL
Mozart: Keyboard Music
Kristian Bezuidenhout
'Bezuidenhout brings out all the drama and intensity'
JAZZ
Michel Portal: Baïlador
Michel Portal, Ambrose Akinmusire, Bojan Z, Lionel Loueke, Scott Colley, Jack DeJohnette
'Portal confirms himself as one of the most impressive bass clarinet and soprano sax players'
ORCHESTRAL
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15
Royal Concertgebouw/ Bernard Haitink
'The Concertgebouw delivers sensationally taut playing'
OPERA
Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Albert Dohmen, Georg Zeppenfeld etc; Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra & Choir/ Marek Janowski
'This Meistersinger is imbued with incessant vitality and energy'