Gramophone December 2018

This Gramophone feature from December 2018 spotlights British composer John Pickard (b. 1963), presenting a curated selection of his works spanning from 1990 to 2014. The feature is organized into three sections, each highlighting different compositions and recordings. The opening section focuses on Pickard's Symphony No. 5, described as receiving a 'virtuoso performance' with particular praise for the three timpanists, alongside the luminescent Sixteen Sunrises, sparkling Concertante Variations, and an imaginative orchestration of Monteverdi's Toccata from Orfeo, performed by BBC NOW under Martyn Brabbins. The second section features major works for brass band—Eden and the 'Gaia Symphony' (Symphony No. 4)—performed by the Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag under Andreas Hanson, with the Gaia Symphony including three short percussion movements. The final section covers three 1990s works: The Flight of Icarus, his trombone concerto The Spindle of Necessity, and Channel Firing (dedicated to William Mathias), performed by Christian Lindberg and the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra. Throughout, the performances are described with enthusiasm, suggesting these serve as exemplary introductions to Pickard's distinctive compositional voice.

This Gramophone magazine feature from December 2018 focuses on Philippe Jordan's interpretation of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. Jordan, Music Director of the Paris National Opera and Chief Conductor of the Vienna Symphony since 2014, discusses his approach to the work, emphasizing rhythmic clarity and finding the "human Beethoven" rather than presenting a monumental, over-serious interpretation. He points out three distinct rhythmic patterns in the opening Vivace that interact and fight against each other before unifying at two critical moments—the dramatic climax at bar 254 and the work's final bars. Jordan's recording with the Vienna Symphony highlights these rhythmic details, and he advocates for historically informed performance practices, including observing all repeats and taking Beethoven's metronome marks seriously. He also draws interesting connections between Beethoven and other composers, noting how the second movement's A minor evokes Schubert and how a theme resembles Rossini. Jordan emphasizes the symphony's dance-like character, humor, and sheer joy, describing it as "the most joyous symphony that I conduct."

Gramophone’s December 2018 Critics’ Choice is a curated selection of the magazine’s reviewers’ favourite recordings released over the past year. The feature gathers brief, enthusiastic endorsements spanning repertoire from the Baroque to the twentieth‑century, highlighting both well‑known works and lesser‑known gems. Critics such as Mike Ashman praise Daniil Trifonov’s Rachmaninov, noting its evocative connection to historic Philadelphia performances, while Andrew Achenbach celebrates Martyn Brabbins’ “glorious” account of Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony. Tim Ashley calls Filippo Mineccia’s castrato‑era programme “the disc that gave me most pleasure,” and Richard Bratby calls Heuberger’s operetta a “missing link” between Strauss and Lehár. The list also includes landmark reissues (George Szell’s complete Columbia set, Simon Preston’s Romantic Organ Music), early‑music treasures (Gothic Voices’ Dufay, Vox Luminis’s Buxtehude) and contemporary pieces (Howard Goodall’s Invictus). Each entry provides a concise appraisal, making the feature an ideal gift guide for music lovers seeking the most compelling new releases of 2018.

This Gramophone feature article presents the defining moments in the career of Finnish conductor and composer Robert Kajanus (1856-1933), tracing his remarkable six-decade journey in classical music. Beginning in the 1870s with his early compositional works including a cantata and violin sonata, Kajanus established himself as a significant figure in Finnish music. In 1882, he founded the Helsinki Orchestra Association, which would later evolve into the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, demonstrating his pioneering role in building Finland's orchestral infrastructure. His pivotal meeting with Jean Sibelius in 1889 marked the beginning of a complex but influential friendship that would shape Finnish music history. Kajanus furthered his education studying conducting under the renowned Hans von Bülow in Berlin, and in 1890 achieved the distinction of conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in his own composition 'Aino', inspired by the Finnish national epic Kalevala. The year 1900 saw him leading his orchestra on a major European tour that elevated his international profile. Perhaps most significantly, in 1930, Kajanus began making pioneering recordings of Sibelius's works in London, becoming one of the first conductors to document the composer's orchestral music for posterity. His interpretations of Sibelius remain influential benchmarks for understanding these works.

This feature article from Gramophone's December 2018 issue serves as an essential listening guide to the music of Gioachino Rossini, commemorating approximately 150 years since his death. The piece highlights six benchmark recordings spanning the composer's oeuvre, from his most popular operas to his overlooked late piano works. The article emphasizes Rossini's identity as a theatre composer who, like Mozart, employed classical forms to drive dramatic action and create comedy. Two landmark recordings of 'Il barbiere di Siviglia' are featured—one from 1958 starring the legendary Maria Callas, credited with reviving authentic Rossini soprano style for the modern age, and another from 2002 directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, praised as a masterpiece of theatrical wit and understanding. The article also covers 'Il viaggio a Reims,' a fantastical entertainment written for the coronation of France's Charles X, and 'Guillaume Tell,' Rossini's final opera restored to its original French version with Montserrat Caballé's celebrated performance as the peacemaking Princess Matilde. A recording of the 'Stabat mater' under Antonio Pappano is noted for its beautiful preparation, while Volume 7 of Naxos's 'Sins of Old Age' series introduces listeners to Rossini's diverse late piano music and songs.

Andrew Mellor's Christmas album roundup for Gramophone December 2018 surveys a diverse range of festive releases, from traditional cathedral choirs to folk-inspired early music ensembles. The reviewer identifies Apollo's Fire's 'Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain' as the standout 'festive disc of the year,' praising its innovative exploration of Scottish and Irish immigrant music in the Appalachian Mountains, which combines medieval, folk, and soul elements with exceptional artistry. The article critically examines several choral recordings, noting that King's College Choir's centenary collection of Nine Lessons and Carols offers valuable historical material but lacks diversity beyond 1958, while Gonville & Caius College's French Romantic approach succeeds academically but occasionally lacks warmth. The review highlights tensions between scholarly precision and genuine festive spirit, critiquing sterile studio recordings that omit the congregational energy central to Christmas music tradition. Mixed assessments appear for The Sixteen's Renaissance offering, Bach Collegium Japan's Japanese-Lutheran fusion, and various contemporary composer contributions, with particular praise reserved for Michael Higgins's arrangements on the Sonoro disc and the Daquin organ works performed by Masaaki Suzuki.

This article profiles British composer John Pickard, presenting him as a major figure in contemporary British music whose work spans orchestral symphonies, chamber music, and brass band compositions. Pickard studied with William Mathias and Louis Andriessen, developing a distinctive voice that combines harsh dissonance with serene major chords, dense polyphony with simple melody. His orchestral output includes the tone poems "The Flight of Icarus" (1990) and "Sixteen Sunrises" (2013), while his Fifth Symphony (2014) demonstrates sophisticated temporal manipulation through its innovative alternation of fast and slow musical sections that gradually shift in proportion. Beyond orchestral works, Pickard has made significant contributions to the string quartet repertoire, having written five quartets that honor the genre's traditions while expanding its expressive range through passionate lyricism and formal ingenuity. He also writes imaginatively for brass band, with works like "Gaia Symphony" (1991-2003) and "Eden" (2005) recognized as important additions to the repertoire. As a composition professor at the University of Bristol, Pickard is noted as an inspirational teacher who helps students develop their individual voices rather than copying his style.

This article profiles conductor François-Xavier Roth, focusing on his innovative work with his ensemble Les Siècles, which he founded in 2003 with a mission to perform repertoire from different periods using period-instrument techniques. Roth discusses his experimental approach to programming, where he juxtaposes contemporary works like Boulez's Rituel with Debussy to create new perspectives for audiences. The feature highlights his distinguished career trajectory from winning the Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition in 2000 to serving as principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, his tenure with the SWR Symphony Orchestra, and his current directorship of the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne. The article also previews his all-Debussy recording project coinciding with the centenary of the composer's death, and discusses his plans to record Berlioz's Les nuits d'été and Harold en Italie with Les Siècles. Roth's programming philosophy emphasizes breaking down chronological barriers in classical music, believing that works far apart in time can share common musical goals.

Blue Heron, an American vocal ensemble based in Boston, won the 2018 Gramophone Award in the Early Music category, becoming the first non-European group to top the voting. Their award-winning recording is the fifth volume of a series devoted to the Peterhouse Partbooks, a significant collection of English Renaissance polyphony compiled for Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry VIII. The collection had remained largely unperformable due to missing partbooks until the collaboration between Blue Heron and scholar Nick Sandon, who has spent decades reconstructing the lost voices. The project makes available approximately 50 pieces that existed only in these partbooks, including masses by composers such as Ludford and an anonymous Mass at the center of the award-winning disc. Unlike traditional early music ensembles, Blue Heron operates as a self-publishing ensemble, functioning more like a new-music group dedicated to presenting repertoire that has rarely or never been performed. Director Scott Metcalfe emphasizes adapting the ensemble's sound to the specific language and style of each piece, whether French, Spanish, or Italian Renaissance music.

This article profiles Robert Kajanus (1856-1933), a pivotal Finnish conductor and composer who played a crucial role in shaping Finland's musical landscape at the turn of the 20th century. Kajanus founded what would become the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and was the first Finnish conductor with an international profile. Despite abandoning composition after meeting Jean Sibelius—whom he declared superior in talent—he continued writing notable works such as the Kullervo's Funeral March and his Sinfonietta (1915). The article explores his complex relationship with Sibelius, characterized by rivalry (notably over a university position in 1897) but also mutual dependence, with Kajanus aiding Sibelius in orchestration matters. Kajanus was also a pioneering recording artist, creating the first complete cycle of Sibelius's symphonies with the LSO in London in 1930-1932. The article argues these recordings remain unparalleled in their understanding of Sibelius's novel orchestral language. Beyond his personal achievements, Kajanus transformed Finland's cultural reputation by attracting musicians from across the Nordic region and beyond, and championed works by Hindemith, Ravel, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, and Honegger, proving himself the internationally perceptive musician Finland needed.

This Gramophone feature article from December 2018, written by Andrew Mellor, explores Sibelius's Symphony No. 7 (1924) as a point of departure for discovering related musical works. The article positions the Seventh Symphony as a masterpiece of distillation—a single-movement work born from personal hardship yet achieving profound majesty. The author traces the symphony's influence through five thematic paths: works following its spirit of extreme reduction (like Tapiola), compositions that absorbed its simultaneous-speed technique (such as Adams's Harmonielehre), contemporaneous contemporaries from Bruckner to Klami, Nordic nature-inspired music, and minimalist works that share its single-key approach. The article is notable for its substantial engagement with contemporary composers including Per Nørgård (Symphony No. 6, 1999), Seppo Pohjola (Symphony No. 2, 2006), Esa-Pekka Salonen (Helix, 2005), Anna Thorvaldsdottir (Aeriality, 2011), and Terry Riley (In C, 1968). A live recording by Paavo Berglund with the London Philharmonic Orchestra is highlighted as exemplary of the Sibelius Seventh, with Berglund praised as 'a great Sibelius champion' who 'has the symphony's measure.'

This article from Gramophone magazine's December 2018 issue presents a curated selection of Christmas recordings under the feature "The Christmas List." The round-up showcases a diverse array of choral and instrumental interpretations spanning multiple centuries of festive music, from Renaissance polyphony to folk-inspired contemporary arrangements. Featured ensembles include the renowned Choir of King's College, Cambridge with their "100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carols," the Choir of Gonville & Caius College performing French canticles, and the Girls and Lay Clerks of Ely Cathedral presenting traditional English cathedral music. The collection also highlights The Sixteen's Renaissance Christmas program and Apollo's Fire's exploration of Baroque festive compositions. Contemporary ensembles like Juice Vocal Ensemble offer modern vocal innovations, while Gunnar Idenstam presents folk-inspired seasonal music. This comprehensive guide provides listeners with a rich spectrum of Christmas musical traditions, from classical cathedral repertoire to innovative folk interpretations.

This article by Richard Osborne commemorates the 150th anniversary of Rossini's death in 1868 and explores how the 1968 centenary sparked an unprecedented revival of interest in his operas that continues to this day. The article traces Rossini's decline from Europe's most renowned living composer at his death, through a period when his operatic legacy narrowed to just a few works performed in increasingly bowdlerized versions, to the modern revival driven by pioneering singers, scholars, and conductors. Key figures in this revival include Maria Callas, whose 1950s performances of Rossini roles helped reawaken interest, and Marilyn Horne, who became a defining Rossini mezzo-soprano forging memorable partnerships with Katia Ricciarelli. The article highlights the importance of scholarly work by Giuseppe Radiciotti and the efforts of conductors like Vittorio Gui and Tullio Serafin in making reliable performing editions available. The 1984 revival of Il viaggio a Reims under Claudio Abbado at the Pesaro Festival is noted as a landmark event in Rossini scholarship and performance. Today, Rossini's operas are performed far more widely than before 1968, thanks to these pioneering efforts that brought back the technically demanding coloratura singing and bass roles his works require.

The article reports on the 2018 revamp of the Leeds International Piano Competition, one of Britain's most prestigious piano competitions founded in 1963 by Fanny Waterman. New artistic co-directors Adam Gatehouse and Paul Lewis implemented significant changes including global live streaming via medici.tv, preliminary rounds in Berlin, Singapore and New York, chamber music requirements in the third round, and partnerships with Warner Classics for recording releases and Askonas Holt for artist management. The competition aims to move beyond traditional competition models to support longer-term career development for pianists through connections with BBC Radio 3, Wigmore Hall, and major UK orchestras. Eric Lu, just 20 years old and the youngest of 68 competitors, won first prize with a performance of Beethoven's Fourth Concerto that impressed judges with its "astonishing clarity and maturity." Second prize went to German pianist Mario Häring for his Beethoven First Concerto. Warner released recordings from the competition, with Lu's album including his prize-winning Beethoven performance plus Chopin Ballade No 4 and Piano Sonata No 2. The article features comments from notable figures including Lang Lang, who discussed the evolution of attitudes toward competitions among Asian musicians, and jury members discussing the subjectivity of judging and the value of learning extensive repertoire.