- Five unusual interpretations of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
BBC Music Magazine February 2025 cover <\/figcaption> <\/figure> In fact, Vivaldi<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s programmatic tribute to spring, summer, autumn and winter was just one of many successful works for the composer at the time of its publication 300 years ago. And, as Nicholas Kenyon<\/a><\/strong> explains in this month’s main feature, the work languished in relative obscurity for much of its history, only really finding its audience in the 20th century as tastes, attention spans and a certain Nigel Kennedy<\/a><\/strong> provided the perfect confluence of events for its triumphant return.<\/p>
If the Seasons <\/em>is one of the earliest examples of musical narrative, opera was telling stories for more than a century prior \u2013 but here, words were key. It\u2019s astonishing, then, that we still so rarely acknowledge the role of the librettist. And, as Jessica Duchen<\/a><\/strong> explains, the relationship between composer and wordsmith has been responsible for some of the greatest triumphs \u2013 and near misses \u2013 in stage history. Charlotte Smith<\/a><\/strong> meets a truly collaborative composer-librettist team, while for his regular column Richard Morrison<\/a><\/strong> charts some of the less successful efforts of years gone by.<\/p>
- Best operas for beginners: seven operas newbies will love<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Elsewhere, we look at the often troubled life and times of the great German conductor Wilhelm Furtw\u00e4ngler. Derided for his Nazi associations, Furtw\u00e4ngler was not all he seemed, reveals Andrew Green<\/a><\/strong>. And this week’s travel feature finds us in Atlanta, Georgia. Though well known for its world-class orchestra, Georgia\u2019s leafy state capital also boasts a thriving opera scene, as Michael Beek<\/a><\/strong> <\/em>discovers.<\/p>
- The greatest conductors of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Faur\u00e9, Debussy, Alma Mahler, Leonard Bernstein… the list of great musicians with colourful love lives is an intriguing one. Jeremy Pound<\/a><\/strong> sneaks a peek at the lustful tunesmiths who simply couldn\u2019t resist sharing their love around. On perhaps a higher spiritual plane, as Bach Collegium Japan celebrates its 35th anniversary, its legendary music director speaks Masaaki Suzuki to Amanda Holloway<\/a> <\/strong>about a lifetime devoted to the great Baroque<\/a><\/strong> composer.<\/p>
- Top ten Baroque composers<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Our Composer of the Month is the 18th-century German opera maestro Christoph Willibald Gluck<\/a><\/strong>. Paul Riley<\/a><\/strong> <\/em>traces the wandering existence of a cosmopolitan composer who made it his life\u2019s work and ambition to rip up opera\u2019s rulebook. And for this month’s Building a Library we’re enjoying spending time in the company of Beethoven<\/a><\/strong>‘s Fourth Symphony. Terry Williams<\/a><\/strong> <\/a><\/em>explores the best recordings of a symphony that shows the perky sense of humour lurking within its curmudgeonly composer – and selects some best recordings of this playful symphonic gem.<\/p>
- Best of Beethoven: 20 great works<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Here’s a look at this month’s cover CD this month – two great Shostakovich concertante works, in dazzling performances from soloists Istv\u00e1n V\u00e1rdai (cello) and Aleksey Semenenko (violin), with accompaniment from the BBC Philharmonic and conductors John Storg\u00e5rds and Martyn Brabbins. Click here<\/strong><\/a> or on the image to see the track details for this month’s cover CD.<\/p>
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- Best of Beethoven: 20 great works<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
- Top ten Baroque composers<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
- The greatest conductors of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
- Best operas for beginners: seven operas newbies will love<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>