Classic Music Podcast

It wasn't until the mid-1960s that a complete recording of Wagner's Ring operas was published.   However, down the decades of recorded history, Wagner's Ring Cycle existed in extracts and the odd complete act.  A ten LP set documents singers associated with the early decades of Wagner's  Bayreuth Festival.  Drawing on these, Laurence Lewis hosts a sequence of Das Rhinegold reco...

Middle of the Road Maestro, Norrie Paramor explores songs with the number Two in title across his album, Just We Two.  Laurence Lewis finds a ten inch copy of this LP released in 1956, which still makes some lovely sounds.  Total Playing Time: 9.14mins.

Little known in the West, behind the Iron Curtain Bulgaria created an operatic tradition.   Companies had their star singers and productions that, in their own way, rivalled those in Europe and America.  Laurence Lewis has chosen four Bulgarian Operatic Superstars, showcasing them in operas by Wagner, Rossinii, Puccini and the Bulgarian composer Parashkiev Hadjiev.  Playing Time: 15.59mins.

A flirt, flirting and a bean jumping, invite you to join the musical world of composer Robert Farnon (1917 - 2005).  A legendary figure in his time, it's surprising how many of his compositions and  arrangements linger in the memory - even if you don't know their composer.  An antique 10inch LP provides Laurence Lewis with an opportunity to catch the bean, chat to the flirt and tune into...

Guido Cantelli (1920 - 1956) died in an aircraft disaster.  He is another of those musicians who lit-up the musical world, and were then snuffed out.  We are fortunate that his art is preserved on a handful of commercial recordings, mainly with the Philharmonia Orchestra.  Laurence Lewis features some of these, alongside a Tchaikovsky surprise!  Playing Time: 14.33 mins.  ( Laurence Lewis is the a...

A recreation of the long-running BBC series that commenced in 1940 to provide (initially)  munitions workers with a bqckground of uplifting music over the sound of their machines.  Laurence Lewis  fills in the historical details, while the music is played from original recordings  made in 1943.  Playing Time: 13.29mins. 

The precious first recordings - 1938 - 1939 - by violinist Ginette Neveu (1919 -1949), that shine a light on an early career, as the lights were dimming everywhere.  Music by Kreisler, Suk and Chopin, presented by Laurence Lewis.  Playing Time: 9.26 mins.

Interest in the music of Gustav Mahler continues to grow,  The LP record and subsequent technologies have taken advantage of this.  But did you know that during the 78rpm era an extensive back-catalogue of Mahler recordings existed?  Laurence Lewis listens to Mahler recordings published between 1903 and 1929, finding  some extraordinary performances. Total Playing Time: 15.29mins.

Some celebrated violin showpieces backgrounding the tragic story of Josef Hassid (1923 - 1950), recalled by Laurence Lewis.  Playing Time:  14.23 mins.

Recorded on location in Argyle Street, Kings Cross, London, an episode celebrating the centenary of Peter Sellers, with some of his classic comic recordings,  and the 70th anniversary of Ealing Studios comic masterpiece, The Ladykillers, (from the location of the famous rickety house) which gave Sellers his first major starring role.    Hosted by Laurence Lewis.  Playing Time: 13.12 mins.

Conductor Pierre Monteux (1875 - 1964) had an extraordinary musical life.  In this episode, Laurence Lewis concentrates on the years he worked as conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.  Playing Time: 12.20 mins.

In which Laurence Lewis enters the drug filled world of Hector Berlioz to highlight five very different versions of his Symphonie Fantastique.  NOTE: This is not a record review!  Playing Time: 11.09 mins.

Soprano, Lucia Popp, lit up the operatic world with her performances as Mozart's Queen of the NIght.  In 1993 she died aged 54.  Laurence Lewis remembers her with recordings of Mozart, Dvorak, Puccini, Lehar and more.  Playing Time:  15.15 mins.

Laurence Lewis explores the early years of legendary Classical recordings producer, John Culshaw.  Featuring music by Grace Williams, Aaron Copland, Ernest Bloch, Verdi,  and highlighting musicians Kathleen Ferrier and Georg Solti.  Playing Time: 15.46 mins.

Laurence Lewis asks the question "Who Was Dinu Lipatti"  the legendary pianist who died in 1950, and whose small recorded legacy has never been out of the record catalogues.  Includes music by Chopin, Ravel and Bach.  Playing Time: 20.17 mins.

In a conducting career spanning more than sixty years, Sir Adrian Boult not only conducted the premiere, but made at least five commercial recordings of  Gustav Holst's suite The Planets.  Laurence Lewis looks back at these, placing them in the context of Boult's recorded legacy.  Playting Time: 15.02 mins.

From the dawn of the LP and Hi-Fi, Laurence Lewis revisits 1951 and two recordings of Ravel's orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition conducted by Rafael Kubelik and Guido Cantelli.  Total P.laying Time: 17.18 mins.  

Episode 1 of our new series continues an interrupted celebration of composer Bedrich Smetana's bi-centenary and his association with conductor Rafael Kubelik.  Playing Time: 6.06 mins.

Ensemble Inegal directed by Adam Viktora,  the Zelenka Experts, return, on Czech label Nibiru,  with a new selection of his music that includes his magnificent Te Deum, ZWV 145.  In our Historical stream, Laurence Lewis celebrates the bi-centenary of composer Bedrich Smetana and conductor Rafael Kubelik's unique association with his symphonic cycle Ma Vlast.  Total Playing Time: 11.02 mins.

Laurence Lewis introduces Pavlik Records star violinist, Milan Pala, performing music by Lithuanian composer Bronius Kutavicius and Slovakian composer Roman Berger on two new releases.  In our Historic stream, there's  Mendelssohn and Widor  played on spectacular organ recordings dating back to 1926!  Playing Time: 9.30 mins.

Slovakian violinist, Milan Pala, plays impressionistic pieces by Szymanowski, Debussy and Enescu on a new Pavlik Records release.  In our historic stream, Laurence Lewis features Sir Thomas Beecham conducting Mozart and Offenbach.  Playing Time: 10.36 mins.

in January Laurence Lewis goes musically to Summer in Buenos Aires with Astor Piazzolla and his take on the Four Seasons from a selection of his music by Trio Patkolo on Pavlik Records .  We remember composer Andrew Downes, who died one year ago in January 2023 with his Five Dramatic Pieces for Eight Wagner Tubas, now available to Stream or Download.  Plus our new historical stream looks at conduc...

Highlighting Erno Dohnanyi's (1877 - 1960) two piano concertos played by Ladislav Fanzowitz with the Slovak State Philharmonic Kosice conducted by Zbynek Muller on Slovakian label Pavlik Record s.  Laurence Lewis also previews a new feature coming to the Classic Music Podcast in January.  Playing Time: 9.30 mins.

Small scale sounds in this edition, as Laurence Lewis introduces the Talea Trio in trios for oboe, clarinet and piano and Dream Gardens a two disc set of magical chamber pieces by Robert Mueller.  Two new releases by American label MSR Classics .  Playing Time: 9.34 mins.

Corona Mundi and Sangha two tracks by Czech composer Vlastislav Matousek from a nine track selection, played by Gadrew Way on a new Arta release,  reinvent the string quartet.  On more familiar musical ground,  an MSR Classics disc features Pam Goldberg playing Schubert.  In between, Laurence Lewis hosts.  Playing Time: 7.47 mins.