Palimpsest Rob Hao, piano Palimpsest – a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing. – something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form ‘Classical music lends itself naturally to this layered form of creation as past and present, or composers…
Author: ArtMuseLondon
ArtMuseLondon is a site for reviews of art exhibitions and music in London, and general cultural musings, written by people with a keen interest and an honest, accessible approach.
Rock of ages: Matt Howden / Keith Howden, ‘Language for Stone’
This latest collaboration between violinist and songwriter Matt Howden and his poet and artist father Keith – their third – is an extraordinary achievement: in its sonic ambition, its storytelling, its joy in language, its historical reach. A concept album, for sure: but precise, brisk, intricate and forthright. ‘Language for Stone’ began as a record…
Through roots: an African Concert Series update (and more)
This is a public service announcement! – an all-purpose post rounding up some recent African Concert Series activity, with a look ahead to some events and releases to come. The latest African Concert Series day at Wigmore Hall took place on 19 July this year. As ever, pianist and curator Rebeca Omordia assembled a remarkable…
Ailsa Dixon’s ‘The Spirit of Love’ – A landmark chamber music release
The Spirit of Love – Chamber music by Ailsa Dixon Villiers Quartet, with soprano Lucy Cox and ondes Martenot player Charlie Draper (Resonus Classics) An important new recording, ‘The Spirit of Love’, featuring chamber music and songs by British composer Alisa Dixon (1932-2017), is newly released on the Resonus Classics. This landmark recording highlights Dixon’s…
Plain song: Coleridge-Taylor, ‘The Atonement’, Three Choirs Festival 2025, Hereford
A highlight of a brief visit to the Three Choirs Festival this year was the opportunity to hear Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s little-known and rarely-performed choral work, ‘The Atonement’. The sense of occasion was twofold: this revival in the glorious setting of Hereford Cathedral was like a homecoming for the cantata, which received its premiere in Hereford…
Francis Poulenc’s piano miniatures delight
Paul Berkowitz has built a solid reputation with heavy-duty recordings of German composers. His complete Schubert piano sonatas, in particular, have earned him much praise. The Canadian-born pianist has now turned his hand to very different French 20th century repertoire with Francis Poulenc’s piano works. Poulenc frequented avant-garde music and literary circles and came to…
Exploring the Beauty of Chopin’s Nocturnes with Tom Hicks
Tom Hicks, piano Complete Chopin Nocturnes (Divine Art Records) It’s rare to come across a recording, or indeed a live concert, where one thinks “yes, that is how it should be played!”, but this was my reaction on listening to Tom Hicks’ new recording of Chopin’s Nocturnes. I cannot fault this performance; it is wonderful…
The Collection: Unfiltered Insights into Classical Music and Musicians
A landmark 10-year documentary project offering an unprecedented, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of elite classical musicians
Latin translations: Julieth Lozano Rolong & João Araújo, ‘Alma: Ibero-American Songs’
This is a thrilling hour in the company of two artists who perform as if this music is flowing through their veins as well as their heritage. ‘Alma’ shines a spotlight on 20th-century repertoire mostly from Latin America, alongside a smaller selection from Spain and Portugal. Although, as the liner notes tell us, some of…
Schubert Piano Sonata in A D959 & Moments Musicaux – Steven Osborne, piano
In his latest release, pianist Steven Osborne pairs Schubert’s penultimate piano sonata with the Moments Musicaux in a fine recording which makes a most satisfying “recital album”. ‘Who can do anything after Beethoven?’ the 31-year-old Franz Schubert wrote to a friend. Yet, in the last year of his life, he wrote three extraordinary piano sonatas,…
ARTMUSELONDON 