Leoncavallo is best remembered for his opera Pagliacci, but Zazà was a big success in its time too. Now Opera Rara has revived it in this recording by the BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maurizio Benini. The cast includes Ermonela Jaho in the title role, Stephen Gaertner, Riccardo Massi and Patricia Bordon.

Join the BBC Music Magazine team for this episode of First Listen for chat about the recording and excerpts of the music.

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On the cover CD of the July issue of BBC Music Magazine Donald Runnicles conducts the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Mahler's epic ninth Symphony, recorded live at the BBC Proms in 2014.

In this podcast, deputy editor Jeremy Pound and editorial assistant Elinor Cooper introduce the works on the disc, complete with extracts.

 

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On the cover CD of the June issue of BBC Music Magazine, we celebrate the music of Felix Mendelssohn, as we ask whether Schumann was right to call him the 'Mozart of the 19th century'. 

In this podcast, deputy editor Jeremy Pound and editorial assistant Elinor Cooper introduce the works on the disc, complete with extracts.

 

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Our June issue Recording of the Month features Martinu's piano trios, wonderful but still underrated chamber works by one of the great 20th-century Czech composers. They are brilliantly performed here by the Smetana Trio, on a recording for the Supraphon label.

Join editor Oliver Condy and reviews editor Rebecca Franks to find out more about the music and this recording, and hear clips from the CD.

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Our Recording of the Month in the May 2016 issue features Janáček's life-affirming Glagolitic Mass. Edward Gardner conducts the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, the Edvard Greig Chor, the Bergen Cathedral Choir and Choir of Collegiûm Mûsicûm on this disc, which also includes Janáček's Adagio for orchestra, Hail Mary and Lord's Prayer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Trinity College Choir follows up its superb 2012 Howells Requiem album with a recording exploring the music he wrote for King's College, Cambridge. Stephen Layton conducts; the disc is out now on the Hyperion label.

Hear clips from the recording and find out what the BBC Music Magazine team made of the performances in this episode of First Listen.

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Handel's famous Water Music is given a vibrant, fresh performance by the Akademie für Alte Musik on a new Harmonia Mundi recording. It's our April Recording of the Month.

In this podcast hear clips from the recording as well as discussion about the music with editor Oliver Condy and reviews editor Rebecca Franks.

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On the cover CD of the April issue of BBC Music Magazine, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Yehudi Menuhin by featuring the great violinist in performances of Bartók's Second Violin Concerto, plus sonatas by Brahms and Tcherepnin.

In this podcast, deputy editor Jeremy Pound and editorial assistant Elinor Cooper introduce the works on the disc, complete with extracts.

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As a follow-up to her Seven Sisters album featuring British female composers, pianist Diana Ambache turns to chamber music by their French counterparts. In this episode of 'First Listen', the BBC Music Magazine team discusses Liberté, egalité, sororité, featuring music by Louise Farrenc, Lili Boulanger, Claude Arrieu, Germaine Tailleferre, Mel Bonis and Pauline Viardot-Garcia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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On the cover CD of the March issue of BBC Music Magazine, pianist Anne Queffélec plays solo works by Satie, Honegger, Hahn, Poulenc and Mompou, and is joined by fellow pianist Frank Braley and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Grant Llewellyn for Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos.

In this podcast, deputy editor Jeremy Pound and editorial assistant Elinor Cooper introduce the works on the disc, complete with extracts.

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