Our Choices
The BBC Music Magazine team’s current favourites
Oliver Condy Editor
Over the past few years, my parents have encouraged their friends to rediscover their musical talents and perform at informal soirées from time to time. What could be better? Decent food, a whole load of booze, fine company and a variety of brief musical turns. Chopin, Bach, Mozart, Pachelbel, a few songs from the shows and a reading or two added up to a rather touching evening back in early December. Jeremy Pound Deputy editor
This month, I’ll be flying out to Barcelona to celebrate my mum’s 80th birthday. This has me doing a quick Google search of famous works premiered in 1940. Though the results include Britten’s Les illuminations and Schoenberg’s Violin Concerto, I really have to go for Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, as it was first performed in, yes, Barcelona. Manuel Barrueco’s vibrant recording from 1997 has long been my favourite.
Rebecca Franks Managing editor If you like either the Strauss or Vaughan Williams Oboe Concertos, then a gorgeous new piece by Judith Weir might be a feast for your ears too. Her 2018 Oboe Concerto blends the lyricism of Strauss with the pastoral flavour of Vaughan Williams, adds a dose a Baroque melancholy, yet ends up sounding only like Weir. Nicholas Daniel was the brilliant soloist in a recent performance with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Michael Beek Reviews editor
Turning on the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show recently, I was amused by a ‘Year in Politics’ montage.
The highs, lows and what-the-hecks were underscored by cutaways to live musical performances over the year, including those by the Endellion Quartet and saxophonist Jess Gillam (left). The mix of clever editing and spirited performances really accentuated the circus-like drama of the last 12 months in Westminster.
Freya Parr
Editorial assistant
Visiting my sister at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, I was none too impressed to be dragged along to a flute concert featuring works written by exclusively by flautists – that’s a whole lot of flute. I was, though, introduced to some fascinating new repertoire, including Tilmann Dehnhard’s Wake Up for piccolo and alarm clock. The player improvises around its themes, staying in time with the clock throughout. A total riot.