The Critic's Chair

William Dart gives a taste of the treats on Piers Lane Goes to Town; a selection of the pianist’s favourite pieces. He also highlights Anne Sofie von Otter’s new recording Douce France, a 2-CD set… Read more Audio

In this week’s The Critic’s Chair, Erica Challis reviews Gustavo Dudamel’s latest, conducting the Berlin Philharmonic in a disc of Richard Strauss tone poems, and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra’s… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair, Robert Johnson reviews violinist Janine Jansen's new recording of Schubert and Schoenberg. He gives us his take on Britten's music for string ensemble, and the Detroit… Read more Audio

Roger Wilson features recent releases by solo singers this week on The Critic's Chair. Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak has a new recording of Rossini arias, and young soprano Anna Prohaska offers a… Read more Audio

Cynthia Morahan takes us on a summer journey to Switzerland this week, to the Martha Argerich Project at the Lugano Festival. She delves into the box-set of highlights from last year's festival… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair Robert Johnson shares his thoughts on the valedictory release by the Tokyo String Quartet, and the London Philharmonic’s recording of Mahler’s Symphony No 1 in D under… Read more Audio

A swag of contemporary music releases are reviewed on The Critic's Chair this week with Robbie Ellis. He looks at Baroque Conversations, featuring Israeli pianist David Greilsammer, who boldly places… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair, Peter Mechen takes us to Florence with the Emerson String Quartet's new recording Journeys, and indulges in a recording of Beethoven's late piano sonatas, featuring… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair, Robert Johnson reviews pianist Angela Hewitt's latest offering, Fauré Piano Music, as well as the premiere recording of Finnish composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen's… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair, Peter Walls follows the great 18th-century mezzo-soprano Faustina Bordoni's travels around Naples, and reviews Bach's violin concerti performed by the Freiburg Baroque… Read more Audio

This week on The Critic's Chair, Erica Challis looks at the fourth volume of the BBC Symphony's Lutoslawski series, and changes pace with Mitsuko Uchida performing Mozart Piano Concertos Nos 9 & 21… Read more Audio

The Critic’s Chair this week explores a new recording of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World’, which Robert Johnson labels “second to none”.  You’ll also hear Portuguese pianist Maria João… Read more Audio