By Freya Parr

Published: Monday, 14 March 2022 at 12:00 am

In this issue, we meet the leading pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim as he celebrates his 80th birthday. He sits down with Jessica Duchen to discuss his enduring mission to unite the world with music. Also this month, we explore two major musical phenomena: the role of the encore in modern music-making and the importance of eye contact as a form of musical communication. Plus, we meet the brilliantly unique Irish composer Gerald Barry to reflect on his career, while Freya Parr investigates the resurgence of the sea shanty and examines why centuries-old folk form has taken the world by storm.

This month’s BBC Music Magazine Interview is with pianist Joseph Middleton, one of the UK’s busiest, most sought-after accompanists. We pick out the best recordings of Elgar’s choral masterpiece, The Dream of Gerontius, and Rebecca Clarke is our Composer of the Month.

Click here for the inlay of this month’s cover CD.

 

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