Lebrecht’s Album of the Week
The light and the insubstantial
Poulenc and others: Chamber music (Calliope/DG)
Laid-back Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Württemburg sonatas (ECM)
Rozsa’s regret
Miklos Rozsa: Orchestral works (Capriccio)
Stravinsky’s aching quality
Stravinsky, Bartok, Martinu: Works for violin and orchestra (BIS)
Masterful pianism
Bartok, Janacek, Szymanowski (Warner)
Bruckner’s delicate thunder
Anton Bruckner: 7th symphony (BR Klassik)
Modernism for the many
Lutoslawski: Concerto for Orchestra, Partita &c (Ondine)
Album of the year
The best of an inspiringly musical 2023
Music of hypnotic power
Thomas Larcher: The Living Mountain (ECM New Series)
A conviction singer who convinces
Folk Songs: Magdalena Kozena/Simon Rattle (Pentatone)
Bring back the Law Lords
Tony Blair’s introduction of a US-style Supreme Court has served to undermine the supremacy of Parliament
February letters
Questioning Cameron, cautioning Houellebecq and disputing the image of God
Why do we mourn the unborn?
Our attitudes towards children in the womb are hopelessly confused
Why the Intellectual Dark Web has failed
Internet ideologues have yet to formulate a coherent vision to turn their ideas into action
The betrayal of Charlie Hebdo
The French intelligentsia has reneged on promises of fearless free speech and embraced a pervasive culture of censorship
He’s not the messiah, he’s a transwoman
Transsexual Apostate is a disturbing book, written for disturbing times
Sleepwalking towards abolishing abortion law
How can a crime be a crime if it implies no consequences?
Discomfort Zone
I recommend The Zone of Interest with the greatest caution: it’s not an easy watch
The F-word
A serious accusation should be treated with appropriate seriousness
What are our cathedrals for?
Changes to the management of cathedrals have obscured the very point of their existence
The best of The Rest Is …
Sequel podcasts are emerging with the inevitability of sprouts from an old potato
