News: Paavo Järvi appointed as new Chief Conductor & Artistic Advisor of the @LPOrchestra

Pleased to see this impressive release of Martin's chamber music picked as an Editor's Choice in Gramophone this month. My review is currently free to read online: www.gramophone.co.uk/reviews/mart...

I guess when they started calling it the Department of War instead of Defense they did it for a reason.

Went into a hi-fi store for a totally unrelated purpose and came away with a new pair of headphones. Sennheiser have totally knocked the ball out of the park with this model. By far the best closed back headphones I've ever heard plus noise reduction and the choice of cable or wireless connectivity.

Gianandrea Noseda thanking the LSO's percussion section after performing Rachmaninoff 1 at the Barbican last night. Marvellously energetic and impassioned playing from the orchestra in this excellent concert.

At the Barbican for my favourite Rachmaninoff Symphony:

Saw this old train sign at the auctioneers and now I'm really tempted to put it up in my kitchen

This is my favourite among a host of wonderful discoveries pre-dating Britten's Op. 1, including Quatre Chansons Françaises, Quartettino, Elegy for solo viola and more. Hear them on my #TheCompleteBritten playlists. Qobuz: open.qobuz.com/playlist/515... Youtube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Watched "On the Beach" (1959), starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins. Less immediately terrifying than "The War Game" or "Threads", but still very bleak and enormously poignant.

Hmm

Fascinating article (and video) about the world's second largest gold stockpile hidden under the streets of central London. news.sky.com/story/sky-ne...

Updated list of classical big boxes spotted in the future releases lists: Barenboim/Warner (37) Gavrilov/Warner (21) Haitink/LPO/Decca (31) Harnoncourt/Warner (29) Kocian Quartet/Praga (31) Rodziński/Decca (25) Rogé/Decca (43) Stein/Decca (15) Romantic Piano Concerto/Hyperion (50)

At last, a box set dedicated to Boult's stereo recordings. Sir Adrian looks quite pleased about it too.

Lawrence Renes and the RCM Symphony Orchestra after their performance of Adams's Shaker Loops and Bruckner 7 in South Kensington last night. These concerts where established conductors lead music student orchestras never fail to impress.

Thursday evening at the Royal College of Music in South Kensington:

It's always a pleasure to see a recording I've reviewed get picked as a Gramophone Editor's Choice. Very impressive performances here, including a phenomenally intense and moving account of Webern's Five Pieces Op 5.

The Berliner Philharmoniker and Karajan: 1970–1979 Live in Berlin. Currently listening to this new 20 CD box for Gramophone magazine. Tough work and long hours, but someone has to do it. 😀

Moving home. Some of the CD box sets ready for the move.

Looking west over the Bedfordshire countryside from Whipsnade Zoo with some Patagonian maras munching grass in the foreground.

A 24 day old white rhino calf at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.

Not for the first time, it looks like Channel 4 just handed the keys to their socials to an evil genius:

Watched "The Battle of Algiers" after not having seen it for many years. The first time I saw the film I found it stunning, partly through being unfamiliar with the terrible 1950s events it depicts. Even now, it remains enormously impressive and disturbing, a must-see film.

Simon Rattle, the LSO and the cast of Janáček's Věc Makropulos at the Barbican this evening. A tremendous performance, intensely moving at the end.

At the Barbican for a bit of Janáček conducted by Simon Rattle:

Politicians: don't use AI to make your maps.

Had the pleasure of reviewing Kirill Petrenko's recording of Brahms 1 for the January issue of Gramophone. Not a performance that combusts in the manner of Abendroth or even Abbado, but one that's wonderfully played by the Berlin Phil.

Visiting the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford yesterday, which houses a collection of surpassing breadth and magnificence. Visitor numbers are only a fraction of those of the British Museum, which makes viewing the exhibits a lot more relaxed and pleasurable.

View of Oxford in the winter sunshine from the tower of the University Church (built in 1280).

Radcliffe Square in Oxford this afternoon, looking towards the University Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Now listening to Tippett's Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli conducted by the composer. It's been a long time since I last played this and I'd forgotten how beautiful and intensely moving it is. Michael Tippett born on this day in 1905.

#NowSpinning Karajan’s studio Mahler 9. This is the last in the 1970s section of his massive complete DG box. By the end of this I will be 182 discs into the box, which contains 356. So only just pat the half way point, with all of the Opera and 1980s recordings to go.

Now listening to Ullmann's remarkable chamber opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis, which he composed in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Viktor Ullmann born on this day in 1898.

New Year's Eve fireworks over the London Eye viewed from west London.

Waiting for 2025 to end.

Now listening to Moeran's In the Mountain Country conducted by JoAnn Falletta. Ernest John Moeran born in Heston, Middlesex (now part of London) on this day in 1894.

how all youtube ads sound to me

Ein Heldenleben? Again?

Recently discovered "The Expanse" on Amazon Prime, which first appeared a decade ago and which I was previously unaware of for some reason. Just finished season 4 and finding it compulsive viewing. What TV series are you all watching at the moment?

Now listening to Praetorius's Lutheran Mass for Chrisrmas Morning, as it might have been celebrated around 1620. Recorded in Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark, this is a wonderful album.

Now listening to Waxman's Suite from Sunset Boulevard, for which he won the first of his two Academy Awards. One of the many outstanding performances in this box of film music conducted by Charles Gerhardt. Franz Waxman born in Upper Silesia on this day in 1906.

Took my daughter Isolde to see the Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker in Essex, used by the UK government between 1953 and 1992. A fascinating place, absolutely enormous, each room featuring a different musty aroma. We were the only ones there, more sensible people busy with Christmas shopping.

Every December, Gramophone writers nominate a recording for the Critics' Choice feature (usually one they reviewed themselves, although not always). This year I've picked this excellent album of Bloch's music for cello and orchestra performed by Parry Karp and Kenneth Woods.

This afternoon's listening: Braunfels's stirring Te Deum recorded by Manfred Honeck and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Walter Braunfels born on this day in 1882.

Mainstream news outlets typically ignore good news stories, but there have been some amazing feats of engineering taking place on the new HS2 rail line recently: www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/hs2...

Sunday sunrise

New post just out: My Top Ten Books of the Year for 2025 Hopefully lots of ideas for late presents. And links to all my previous lists too. (Free to read) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/b...

Christmas drinks among the instrument collection of the Royal Academy of Music.

Now listening to Karłowicz's marvellously sumptuous three-part orchestral work Eternal Songs recorded by Yan Pascal Tortelier. Mieczysław Karłowicz born on this day in 1876.

Journey home via St Paul's.