In our July issue, we talk to the superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma about the musical journeys he has taken across the world, from the Silk Road to Appalachian America. His latest project sees him returning to bluegrass music with his Goat Rodeo ensemble of musicians, all of whom we also meet in this month’s issue.
James Naughtie meets Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi for this month’s BBC Music Magazine Interview. He discusses life in lockdown and how he’s itching to get back to his Swiss orchestra. Also this month, Andrew Green tells the story of the Crystal Palace conductor August Manns, who put the South London venue on the musical map, and Malcolm Hayes explores how composers have found inspiration in storms. Plus, we talk to the musicians livestreaming concerts from their homes during this period of lockdown.
Jessica Duchen names the best recordings of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and the early-20th-century operetta composer Franz Lehár is our Composer of the Month. On your cover CD, the BBC Scottish Symphony and Edinburgh Festival Chorus under Donald Runnicles give a complete performance of Ravel’s stunning ballet Daphnis et Chloé.
Click here for the inlay of this month's cover CD.
