Gramophone Classical Music Podcast

Saxophonist Jess Gillam joins Editor Martin Cullingford to explore some of the themes behind her new album, Time, a very personal project for her. Featuring music and arrangements by composers including Michael Nyman, Max Richter, Thom Yorke and Joby Talbot, it's released on September 25 on Decca.

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Editor Martin Cullingford talks to organist Stephen Farr about recording the complete solo organ music of James MacMillan. The album is out on the Resonus label, and in this podcast Farr sets the music in the wider context of MacMillan's work, and discusses the music's challenges and what makes it so distinct and enjoyable.

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On this week's Gramophone Podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford talks to Santtu-Matias Rouvali, the Principal Conductor Designate of the Philharmonia Orchestra, about his first recording with the orchestra, excerpts from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, which is available now on Signum Classics.

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Eric Whitacre's latest work, for chorus, piano and cello, The Sacred Veil, was commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale who give the first performance at Walt Disney Hall in February 2019. With Whitacre himself conducting, The Sacred Veil has been recorded by those first performers, and the album is now available from Signum Classics. Set to words largely by the poet Anthony Silvestri, The Sacred Veil, takes as its theme the death, from ovarian cancer, in 2005, of Silvestri's wife Julie, who was only 36. James Jolly spoke to Eric Whitacre about the work, and how it came into being, for this Gramophone Podcast.

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Keen to play her part in supporting the women and children suffering abuse and hardship in her native Mexico – a situation greatly worsened during the pandemic – the conductor Alondra de la Parra has created The Impossible Orchestra. Comprised of a stellar line-up of artists from 14 different countries – both orchestral players and soloists – The Impossible Orchestra has recorded, for video as well as audio, Arturo Márquez's much-loved Danzón No 2 in an arrangement by de la Parra (who plays the piano in this performance). She speaks to James Jolly about the project and how she aims to support two major charities in Mexico.

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Robin Ticciati, Music Director of the DSO Berlin, has just released an album that couples two tone-poems, Don Juan and Tod und Verklärung with the six songs, Op 68, often called the Brentano songs, sung by Louise Alder. As Ticciati rehearsed at Glyndebourne for the much reduced 2020 season, James Jolly caught up with him to talk about the new album.

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Editor Martin Cullingford talks to guitarist Xuefei Yang about her new album Sketches of China, a beautiful celebration of music from her homeland and featuring contemporary commissions and arrangements of ancient pieces. Featuring excerpts from the album, released by Decca Classics China.

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In the latest Gramophone podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford talks to Max Richter about the composer's new album Voices, a powerful and poetic musical response to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, released today on Decca Records.

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In the latest Gramophone podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford is joined by conductor David Skinner to discuss the new release by Alamire of the music of John Sheppard. Based on new research, the Gramophone Award-Winning vocal ensemble have recorded a version of the Tudor composer's masterpiece Media vita in morte sumus which, they argue, is how it would have originally been heard. The recording - a digital EP - is available now on Inventa Records.

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Gramophone has been making an Orchestra of the Year Award since 2018 when it was given to the Seattle Symphony (last year the Award went to the Hong Kong Philharmonic). This year the voting is open and we offer ten ensembles for you to consider. Each has struck us for the dynamism, imagination and style of its collaborations with its conductors on record. This week Gramophone's Editor-in-Chief James Jolly is joined by Gramophone critic and broadcaster Rob Cowan to discuss the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Lille.

Listen to each of the orchestra's exclusive playlist on Gramophone's curator page at Apple Music, as well as a dynamic playlist embracing all 10 ensembles (which is regularly updated). Then, when you are ready, head off to vote at gramophone.co.uk

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