Michael Church
Journalist and Critic, BBC Music Magazine
Michael Church has spent much of his career in newspapers as a literary and arts editor, and was one of the founding editors of the Independent on Sunday. He is a former television critic of The Times, and since 2010 he has been music and opera critic of The Independent. He has made BBC World Service programmes on folk music in many countries; his award-winning field-recordings of the music of Kazakhstan, Georgia and Chechnya were released on the Topic label.
Recent articles by Michael Church
Review: György Kurtág – Játékok (Pierre-Laurent Aimard)
In his review, Michael Church enjoys Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s wholehearted performance of György Kurtág’s epic piano cycle Játékok
Review: Field's Complete Nocturnes (Alice Sara Ott)
In his review, Michael Church enjoys this glowing reappraisal of John Field’s Nocturnes by Alice Sara Ott
Review: Inmost Heart (Samson Tsoy)
In his review, Michael Church is left spellbound by Samson Tsoy’s artistry at the keyboard in this glorious show of reinterpreted works
Review: Handel & Tailleferre Harp Concertos (Berlin Phil)
Harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet’s delicate virtuosity glows in this short and sweet release of an enchanting pairing of Handel and Tailleferre, says Michael Church in his review
Yuletide Treats (Duo Pleyel) (Review)
In his review, Michael Church gets a warm glow from Duo Pleyel’s festive selection of four-hand piano arrangements
Big eater, fretful uncle, always on the move: Beethoven’s conversation books bring the great composer to vivid life
Beethoven’s conversation books, through which the deaf composer communicated with those around him, offer a fascinatingly detailed insight into his life. Michael Church takes a look at a new translation
Desyatnikov • Schubert: Fantaisie in F minor etc
'His music reflects the human struggle to better ourselves': the composer who's been Daniel Barenboim's lifelong fascination
Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim talks about his deep relationship with Beethoven's music
Alexandre Tharaud: Four Hands (Review)
Pergolesi: La Serva Padrona; Livietta e Tracollo
Handel: Alcina
Mendelssohn: Lieder ohne Worte
Shadows of my Ancestors
Sgambati: Piano Concerto; Sinfonia festiva
Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos 6 & 25
Granados: Goyescas, Op. 11
Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos 3, 7 & 8
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos 1 & 6 (trans. Scharwenka)
Beethoven: String Quartets, Vol. 1
Baroque (Miloš)
JS Bach: Goldberg Variations
Liszt: Transcendental Etudes etc (Piemontesi)
Francesco Piemontesi (piano) (Pentatone)
For Clara (Krimmel/Grimaud)
Konstantin Krimmel (baritone), Hélène Grimaud (piano) (DG)
Indiscretion (The Curious Bards)
The Curious Bards (Harmonia Mundi)