I may not be the most festive person going, but know it can be a tough time for many people. If you can help support organisations supporting others please do, and, if you need support, hopefully some organisations below can help. This is far from comprehensive so please do add more at the end. 👇

Walking by the Thames in Richmond.

The Rite of Spring

Forty Hall in north London earlier today. Visiting the house is free and the extensive grounds are extraordinarily beautiful.

Now listening to Penderecki's Concertino for Trumpet and Orchestra recorded by the work's dedicatee, Gábor Boldoczki. Krzysztof Penderecki born on this day in 1933.

Christmas tree delivery to St Paul's Cathedral.

St Paul's Cathedral earlier today.

Premiered #OTD in 1935, the 6th Symphony by English composer, Arnold Bax. The world premiere took place at Queen’s Hall, London, by the Royal Philharmonic Society Orchestra under Adrian Boult’s direction. open.spotify.com/track/2IwsSc... #britsymphyear

So immigrants who work and pay taxes, such as my wife, will in many cases never be able to claim benefits and be subject to deportation for decades if family income ever falls below a certain level? As extreme, terrifying and offensive as government policy gets. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Korngold was just 15 when he completed his Sinfonietta, an impressive four movement work that was premiered by Weingartner and the Vienna Philharmonic in 1913. Had a lot of pleasure reviewing this new recording by Sascha Goetzel for the November issue of Gramophone.

Born #OTD in 1922, English composer, Doreen Carwithen. Her Concerto for Piano & Strings was premiered at the BBC Proms on 25 August 1952 at the Royal Albert Hall, with Iris Loveridge as soloist and London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Trevor Harvey. open.spotify.com/track/4tPCV5... #britsymphyear

Couldn't resist getting the new box of Christoph von Dohnányi's Vienna recordings. Buying direct from Decca Classics proved to be much cheaper than the usual retailers.

Belated first visit to the refurbished Battersea Power Station.

Now listening to Copland's Tender Land Suite conducted by the composer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Probably my favourite of his many works. Aaron Copland born in New York City on this day in 1900.

Brünnhilde's Immolation Scene

Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new opera The Railway Children was recently given a semi-staged performance at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. Here's Claudia Pritchard's review for the Critics' Circle: criticscircle.org.uk/the-railway-...

Another CD I reviewed for the November issue of Gramophone features trumpet works performed by Tine Thing Helseth, including the fine concerto Penderecki wrote in 2015, one of his last works.

This afternoon's listening: Borodin's Symphony 2 conducted by Nikolai Golovanov. Lots of irresistible things in this symphony, not least the horn melody that opens the Andante. Alexander Borodin born in St Petersburg on this day in 1833.

Reviewed Gerd Schaller's recording of Bruckner 8 for the November issue of Gramophone. Releases of the composer have reduced significantly since the bicentenary last year. This is one of the swiftest versions of the symphony on record, but a very impressive interpretation magnificently played.

Visited Osterley House yesterday, a National Trust property in west London. This is the Long Gallery. Not too busy on this November afternoon.

The November issue of Gramophone, in which I try to convince Hugo Shirley that Bernstein's recording of Der Rosenkavalier is a classic (spoiler: I fail).

Today my wife of five years passed the Life in the UK test, featuring lots of questions about British life that I as a native-born citizen would've struggled to answer. Next, a fourth and final application to the Home Office to be made to continue our life together costing £3,029.

Now listening to Alwyn's Symphony 5, his last major work. Recordings by David Lloyd-Jones and the composer on the player this afternoon. William Alwyn born in Northampton on this day in 1905.

Just saw this in an estate agent's window while waiting for a bus in South Kensington:

Film composer, conductor, bandleader and trumpeter John Barry was born in York on this day in 1933. He was also a classical fan, choosing Mahler 9 in both of his appearances on Desert Island Discs in 1967 and 1999. You can see his choices and hear the interview here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

Now listening to Shostakovich's Violin Concerto 2 performed by Lydia Mordkovitch and Neeme Järvi. Music as gloomy as the sky on this November afternoon. An absolutely indespensible recording.

New to the collection: Malcolm Sargent's recordings for Decca made between 1945 and 1965 on 16 CDs, including Bartók, Beethoven, Handel, Holst, Rawsthorne, Tchaikovsky, Schubert and Gilbert & Sullivan.

#ClassicalDiscussion People of Bluesky, what are your favourite eight symphonies? My list today: Beethoven 2 Bruckner 7 Rachmaninoff 1 Mahler 9 Shostakovich 8 G Williams 2 Sibelius 2 Tchaikovsky 4

Howard Hanson was born in Nebraska on this day in 1896. Although the Violin Concerto is probably his best known work, the warm and stirring Third Symphony is perhaps his finest piece (one of seven symphonies written over a span of more than half a century).

This evening's listening: Hindemith's Violin Concerto performed by David Oistrakh and the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the composer.

Have been exploring Antal Doráti's recordings made in London, most of which I've not heard before. I didn't find the famous Firebird performance as impressive as most commentators do, but Bartók's Wooden Prince is superb, one of the finest performances I've heard of this magnificent piece.

Robert Craft's recordings on Sony added to the music collection.

Now listening to Gubaidulina's The Light of the End performed by Andris Nelsons and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Sofia Gubaidulina born in Chistopol on this day in 1931.

Sunday 24 February 1924: Mahler 3 conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler.

Zoom in on this pic. Criminal.👇

Now listening to Dean's excellent violin concerto The Lost Art of Letter Writing performed by Frank Peter Zimmermann with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Joanathan Nott. Brett Dean born in Brisbane on this day in 1961.

This afternoon's listening: Arnold's Symphony 5 conducted by the composer. A marvellously inventive and stirring work, but one that never seems to be performed live. Malcolm Arnold born on this day in 1921.

A fascinating article. The area housing the data centres apparently now uses more electricity than the whole of Denmark. news.sky.com/story/inside...

Contacted British Gas because my meter was blank. An online chat person initially told me to "buy a new battery" before telling me to call UK Power Networks. The latter told me to call SSEN, who explained they were electricity only and to call Cadent, who in turn told me to contact British Gas...

Some more classical big boxes on the way (number of discs in brackets): Beecham mono/Warner (53) Boult stereo/Warner (79) Dohnányi Vienna/Decca (31) Gulda/DG (84) Haydn Doráti/Decca (41) Mackerras/Warner (63) Ozawa/Universal (238)* *Ozawa's full discography sourced from every label, but Japan only

Now listening to Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Two superb mono recordings on the player this afternoon: Monteux (1942) and Van Beinum (1956).

Here is the full list of the winners of the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2025 #GramoAwards www.gramophone.co.uk/awards/gramo...

Gerald Finley presenting this year's Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Thomas Allen. #GramoAwards

Alexandre Kantorow receiving the Gramophone Piano Award for his album of Brahms and Schubert. #GramoAwards

The Gramophone Magazine Contemporary Award being presented to Sir George Benjamin for his opera Picture a Day Like This #GramoAwards

Gerald Finley presenting this year's Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Thomas Allen. #GramoAwards

Alexandre Kantorow receiving the Gramophone Piano Award for his album of Brahms and Schubert. #GramoAwards

The Gramophone Magazine Contemporary Award being presented to Sir George Benjamin for his opera Picture a Day Like This #GramoAwards