Gramophone Classical Music Podcast

31:28

Colin Matthews on his new album, 'Sea Scapes'

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/05/29

In this week's episode of the Gramophone podcast, the composer Colin Matthews joins Editor Martin Cullingford to talk about his new album of works for voice and ensemble, Sea Scapes, release on the Onyx label. They discuss the challenge of setting poetry, as well as the joy of working with such collaborators as soprano Claire Booth and conductor Jessica Cottis. This podcast is in association with Wigmore Hall.

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26:14

Violinist Hugo Ticciati on O/Modernt's 'Milestones'

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/05/22

In this week's Gramophone Podcast, Hugo Ticciati talks to Editor Martin Cullingford about the fascinating new album from his ensemble O/Modernt, released on the Signum label. Called Milestones, it marks 500 years since the death of Josquin, 50 since the death of Stravinsky, and 30 since that of Miles Davis, by exploring music from all three towering musical figures. Hugo Ticciati talks about the project, and about the unique Gramophone Award-winning group that has recorded it. This podcast is in

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45:10

Celebrating Wigmore Hall at 125 with Director John...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/05/15

On May 31, 1901 London's Wigmore Hall (originally Bechstein Hall) opened its doors, and hosted its first concert. Among the performers were the great Belgian violinist and composer Eugène Ysaÿe and the Italian pianist and composer Ferruccio Busoni. Mrs Helen Trust, a much-admired English soprano, performed as did the baritone Raimund von Zur-Mühlen. Supporting the singers were Hamilton Harty and Victor Biegel. To mark this auspicious anniversary, Wigmore Hall is holding a two-week festival from May

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20:53

Helen Charlston on 'A Poet's Love'

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/05/08

In this episode of the Gramophone Podcast, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston speaks to Hattie Butterworht in Amsterdam during the run of Michel van der Aa's new opera Theory of Flames to discuss her latest album, A Poet's Love. Centred on Schumann's Dichterliebe, the recording places the celebrated song cycle alongside other works. Charlston reflects on recording such an iconic work, the shifting nature of interpretation, and the powerful interplay between poetry and musical storytelling.

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44:12

The Gramophone Listening Room, with Plínio Fernandes...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/05/01

Today we launch a new edition to the Gramophone Podcasts, The Gramophone Listening Room, in which Charlotte Gardner invites two of today's finest young artists into the studio to explore some of the treasures of the recording archive, both recent and historic. Each chooses two recordings to share and discuss, after which Charlotte suggests a choice of her own for them to discover. Her inaugural guests are guitarist Plínio Fernandes and cellist Anastasia Kobekina, and after listening you can visit

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32:17

Barnabás Kelemen on celebrating the legacy of the...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/04/28

Jack Pepper meets Festival Academy Budapest co-founder and Artistic Director Barnabás Kelemen to explore his upcoming concerto marathon, the gypsy violin tradition and a packed 2026 Summerfest This podcast has been produced in association with the Festival Academy Budapest. The World Should Know', The Festival Academy's Marathon Concert Series, takes place from May 1-3 at the Grand Hall of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest: https://fesztivalakademia.hu/en/let-the-world-know/ The Ilona

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26:17

Conductor Kirill Karabits on Thomas de Hartmann's...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/04/24

Kirill Karabits and the orchestra whose Principal Conductor he was for 15 years, the Bournemouth Symphony, have recorded the opera Esther by Thomas de Hartmann (1885-1956). Written in Paris during the last years of the Second World War, and completed in 1946, Esther is based on the play by Racine which in turn draws on the biblical Book of Esther and tells of Esther's intercession to her husband King Ahasuerus on behalf her fellow Jews living in Persia. The episode is celebrated in the Jewish

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18:17

Composer Rachel Portman on 30 years of 'Emma'

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/04/17

In this week's episode of the Gramophone podcast, Georgia Keeley speaks with composer Rachel Portman, marking 30 years since her Oscar-winning soundtrack for Emma (1996), and discussing her approach to writing music for film. Today's podcast is sponsored by Kirker Holidays, creators of short breaks and tailor-made holidays for curious, discerning travellers to cultural destinations throughout Europe and beyond. For more information or to speak to one of Kirker's expert human beings, call 020 7593

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26:34

Jordi Savall on Bach's St John Passion

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/04/10

In this week's episode of the Gramophone Podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford is joined by one of the most acclaimed figures of today's musical world, Jordi Savall, to talk about his new recording of Bach's St John Passion, recorded with La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Le Concert Des Nations, and released on the Alia Vox label. Today's podcast is sponsored by Kirker Holidays, creators of short breaks and tailor-made holidays for curious, discerning travellers to cultural destinations throughout

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32:11

Soprano Elsa Dreisig on her opera and song recital...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/04/03

The soprano, Elsa Dreisig, has just released a new Erato album, 'Invocation'. Joined by the Orchestra e Coro dell'Opera Carlo Felice Genova conducted by Massimo Zanetti, it gathers together arias by Dvořák, Janáček, Puccini, Verdi, Gounod, Wagner, Rossini, Flotow, Peter Heise, and Carolina Uccelli, as well as songs by Grieg, Amy Beach and Bizet, all with a unifying theme. James Jolly talked to Elsa Dreisig in Naples, where she was in rehearsals for Puccini's La bohème in which she was singing

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29:05

Peter Whelan on Handel's Messiah

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/03/24

Editor Martin Cullingford is joined by Peter Whelan, the Artistic Director of the Irish Baroque Orchestra, to talk about his new recording on the Linn label of one of the great masterpieces of all choral music - Handel's Messiah. The world-famous oratorio was premiered in Dublin, where the ensemble is based, and so on this wonderful recording they've set out to recreate the atmosphere and experience of that very first occasion. Listen now to find out more about the story behind – and about Peter

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48:57

Nico Muhly and Peter Phillips on their new album 'No...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/03/20

For this week's episode, the composer Nico Muhly and the founder of the Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips join the Gramophone Podcast to talk to Editor Martin Cullingford about their beautiful new release 'No Resting Place', released on Linn Records and an Editor's Choice in the April edition of Gramophone. Reflecting on more than a decade of collaboration, they talk about how they developed a remarkable understanding of each other's creativity, and also recount the story behind the album's powerful

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47:22

Sir Mark Elder and Huw Watkins on their new Hallé...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/03/13

In this week's edition of the Gramophone Podcast Editor Martin Cullingford was joined by conductor Sir Mark Elder and composer Huw Watkins to talk about the Hallé's new recording of Watkins's orchestral music, featuring his Symphony No 2, Concerto for Orchestra and Fanfare, all written specially for the Manchester ensemble. This podcast is in association with REMA/Early Music Day

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20:10

Elektra: Edward Gardner on Strauss's opera

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/03/05

For this episode, we're joined by conductor Edward Gardner, who talks to Gramophone Editor Martin Cullingford about his new recording of Richard Strauss's opera Elektra, which is newly released on the Chandos label. Recorded by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, and with an impressive cast led by Iréne Theorin in the title role, Gardner talks us through what it takes to bring this extraordinarily dramatic work to the stage - and to life. This podcast is in association with REMA/Early

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24:52

Pianist Alexander Malofeev on his debut solo album,...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/02/26

The young Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev has just released his first album for Sony Classical. 'Forgotten Melodies' takes its name from the work by Nikolai Medtner which appears on the recording, alongside pieces by Glinka, Rachmaninov and Glazunov. The theme that links all four composers is that they were all born in Russia, but died far from their country of birth. As well as Medtner's substantial work, Malofeev also plays Rachmaninov's Second Piano Sonata in its 1931 revised version. James

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16:30

Martin James Bartlett on his new album of Bach,...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/02/19

In this week's episode of the Gramophone Podcast, editor Martin Cullingford is joined by pianist Martin James Bartlett to discuss his new recording of the music of Bach, Britten and Mozart, available on the Warner Classics label from February the 27th. Bartlett reflects on the artistic ideas that shaped this programming.

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50:44

Pianist Imogen Cooper looks back on her recording career

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/02/13

The celebrated pianist Dame Imogen Cooper recently announced that the coming year will be her last of public performances. To mark the occasion - and the release of her new album of late Beethoven sonatas on the Chandos label - Editor Martin Cullingford welcomed her on to the Gramophone Podcast, and invited her to select a number of her recordings that have meant the most to her. This podcast is in association with REMA/Early Music Day

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32:36

Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three on Emily: No...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/02/06

Kevin Puts' newest song cycle sets Emily Dickinson's poetry for mezzo and three instrumentalists. Hattie Butterworth speaks to Joyce DiDonato and ensemble Time for Three about this unique collaboration and recording, 'Emily: No Prisoner Be'

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31:07

Soprano Adriana González on her album 'Rondos for...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/01/30

The soprano Adriana González has just released a new Audax album, 'Rondos for Adriana', inspired by her namesake, the Italian 18th-century diva Adriana Ferrarese del Bene. Ferrarese was Mozart's first Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and she sang Susanna in the Viennese revival of Le nozze di Figaro in 1789. Joined by Ensemble Diderot (led by Johannes Pramsohler, who also plays a couple of rondos for violin and orchestra), conducted by Iñaki Encina Oyon, Adriana González performs arias and rondos by

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26:14

ARC Ensemble's Simon Wynberg on their Music in Exile...

Gramophone Classical Music Podcast ·

2026/01/23

Toronto's ARC Ensemble have been exploring the music of composers forced to flee their homeland by the Nazis. The most recent release in Chandos's Music in Exile series – of music by Ernest Kanitz (1894-1978) – drew an enthusiastic welcome by Gramophone's critic Richard Bratby, a review that closed with the hope that 'there's more Kanitz to come'. James Jolly spoke by Zoom to the ARC Ensemble's Artistic Director Simon Wynberg about the musicians of the Ensemble and the music that animates this

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