Gramophone

Jonathan Biss is widely admired for his Beethoven – and this recording of the Third Concerto helps cement his reputation. It may be a middle-of-the-road interpretation: certainly, it aims for neither the edgy drama of Rubinstein’s version with Toscanini (RCA, 1/91) nor the deliberation (in several senses) of Arrau with Colin Davis (Philips, 6/89).

The finest performers, their repertoire and recordings showcased in our 100-page collectors' edition Gramophone presents The Great Pianists, the latest volume in our series of special editions, is this time published in association with our sister title focussed on all things piano-related, International Piano.

In addition to a cash prize, laureates receive valuable international exposure with invitations to perform with major orchestras (Photo: Svetlanov Conducting Competition) The Evgeny Svetlanov International Conducting Competition will come to the UK for the first time in partnership with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. With applications now open (until April 15, 2026), the competition will take place in September at venues including Symphony Hall in Birmingham.

From Bach’s Passions to contemporary reflections by Pärt, MacMillan and Saariaho, these ten recordings capture the drama, intimacy and spiritual intensity of the season The music of Holy Week is transportive in its drama and elemental in its themes. From the intimacy of shared communion to the deception, dejection and resolve of Christ, our playlist below grapples with the fundamentals of human experience through the immediacy of art.

David Threasher explores the history on record of an often-overlooked 20th-century symphony Entirely my mistake, ladies and gentlemen.’ Boult’s shouldering of the blame when the first performance of Michael Tippett’s Second Symphony fell apart a little over two minutes into the first movement was a characteristically gentlemanly gesture.

A veritable compendium of Prokofiev – master of disguise – dispatched with terrific panache by Nemanja Radulović and friends. It’s a programme you won’t find anywhere else in the recorded catalogue and that in itself sets it apart.

There have been a couple of standout recordings of Mahler’s ‘rogue’ Seventh in recent times – none more illuminating or hard to beat than Rattle’s Bavarian RSO account – but after Paavo Järvi’s brilliant rendering of the fledgling First Symphony with his Zurich orchestra I was more than ready for this. What I really like about Järvi’s Mahler is his acute understanding of the musical language and most especially its volatility.

This fascinating album from John Wilson and the Sinfonia of London charts Puccini’s path to greatness by gathering together his early orchestral works along with preludes and intermezzos from his first three operas, taking us from his student years at the Milan Conservatory to Manon Lescaut, which sealed his reputation in 1893.

Puccini Orchestral Music Sinfonia of London / John Wilson (Chandos) Every recording by the Sinfonia of London and John Wilson is a special event, but this exploration of Puccini's orchestral music is particularly fascinating. In a wide-ranging interview for Gramophone (which you can read here), Wilson says, 'From the minute we started the Sinfonia of London, it was the same philosophy: honour everything on the page. If it’s not on the page, why are we doing it? Question it.

Applications are now open for the 2026 Hvide Sande Masterclass, celebrating its 20th anniversary from September 10–20 on Denmark’s west coast Each year, just 28 young musicians are selected to take part in the international masterclass, bringing together emerging string players and pianists for an intensive week of lessons, chamber music coaching and performances.