Beginners Guides
Debussy – Préludes – A Beginners Guide
A guide to Debussy’s two books of Préludes, with background, analysis and recommendations for the best recordings.
French
Album Reviews
Review: Saint-Saëns – Symphonies No. 1 & 2 – Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, Kantorow
Jean-Jacques Kantorow continues his journey with Saint-Saëns, this time conducting the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège in the early Symphonies No. 1 and 2, and the youthful Symphony…
Best of
Editor’s Choice: The Best New Classical Music Albums, May 2021
The choices of the best classical music albums we covered on The Classic Review the past month.
Album Reviews
Review: Ravel – Orchestral Music – Basque National Orchestra, Robert Trevino
Robert Trevino conducts the Basque National Orchestra in Ravel orchestral works, including Bolero, La Valse and Rapsodie espagnole.
Album Reviews
Review: “Proust, Le Concert Retrouvé” – Théotime Langlois De Swarte, Tanguy De Williencourt
A recreation of a salon concert organized by writer Marcel Proust in 1907, played on period instruments.
Album Reviews
Review: Saint-Saëns – Chamber Works – Chamayou, Capuçon, Moreau
Bertrand Chamayou is joined by violinist Renaud Capuçon and cellist Edgar Moreau in Saint-Saëns' Violin Sonata No. 1, Cello Sonata No. 1 and Piano Trio No. 2.
Album Reviews
Review: Ravel – Piano Trio, Chausson – Piano Quartet – Trio Machiavelli
Pianist Claire Huangci is joined by violinist Solenne Païdassi and cellist Tristan Cornut to perform Ravel's Piano Trio. Violist Adrien Bosseau joins for Chausson's Piano Quartet.
Album Reviews
Review: “El Nour” – Fatma Said, Soprano
In a debut album, soprano Fatma Said presents a program that combines French, Spanish and Arabic songs.
Album Reviews
Review: Chanson d’Amour – Sabine Devieilhe, Alexandre Tharaud
Soprano Sabine Devieilhe and pianist Alexandre Tharaud in a program of French songs by Debussy, Ravel, Faure and Poulenc.
Album Reviews
Review: Debussy – Images – Hallé, Sir Mark Elder
Hallé Orchestra and Sir Mark Elder perform Debussy's "Images" and “Prélude à L’après-Midi D’un Faune” with orchestral arrangements by Colin Mathews.