Classical Music
The elusive Seiji Ozawa was Japan’s greatest peacemaker
Farewell not just to a conductor but to a generous man
Soothing sounds in time of war
There are expectations going back to 1948 that musicians turn up to provide relief
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)
Superficial pleasures
A te, Puccini (Signum)
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)
Should you really admit to regretting having kids?
Lamenting parenthood creates a psychological trap
British industry has forgotten how to use its voice
Corporate cowards are not standing up to the government
Why the Democrats cannot be populists
It goes against the managerial nature of the party
Wanted: a plan to reform the NHS
No serious party can sit out the ideological battle over the remorseless rise in public spending, including on health
Booze or muse?
Composers have been no slouches when it comes to the sauce
Twitter has always been toxic
Bluesky is a reminder of an earlier form of smug spitefulness
Keir’s junk politics
Keir Starmer is trying to reform the public, not the NHS
White male conservatives for identity politics
Kemi Badenoch’s supporters should have fewer illusions
Dancing with Beethoven
Beethoven: String Quartets, vol.2 (Chandos)
Free speech is fascist
Words must be controlled to ensure that Starmer’s subjects behave themselves
Let’s leave the Commonwealth
There is no point in being a member just to be browbeaten about our past
