CONTENTS

October 2013

Features

PRELUDES

NEWS ANALYSIS

Awards that pick out the classical stars of the future

CONTEMPORARY COMPOSERS

Establishment but non-conformist: Sir Harrison Birtwistle

10

13

15

SESSION REPORT

Classical Opera tackles the young Mozart’s ‘sacred Singspiel’

16

DIARY

Sir John Tomlinson on Gawain, Parsifal and ‘Michelangelo’

ICONS

Jon Tolansky pays tribute to the great baritone Tito Gobbi

18

20

THE MUSICIAN AND THE SCORE

Nelson Goerner on interpreting Debussy’s first set of Images

22

LETTERS

24

MOZART’S FINAL YEAR

30

Richard Wigmore unfolds the chronology of Mozart’s extraordinary last 12 months and marvels at a period of frenetic productivity, with the help of leading interpreters of the composer’s music

PAVEL HAAS IN PICTURES

36

Photographer Benjamin Ealovega captures the Gramophone Award-winning Czech quartet during recording sessions in Prague for Supraphon’s release of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden

THE INTERVIEW: STEVEN ISSERLIS 40 Martin Cullingford speaks to the cellist about recording Dvo∑ák cello concertos and his affinity with Sir John Tavener

MUSICAL JOURNEYS

Shifting sands in Stavanger; intense concentration at Banff

109

HIGH FIDELITY

Creek Audio’s integrated amplifier; FiiO’s pocket-size player

113

NEW RELEASES

125

REVIEWS INDEX

128

MY MUSIC

130

Philosopher Alain de Botton on the emotional power of Bach

6 GRAMOPHONE OCTOBER 2013

30 Mozart’s final year: 12 months of astonishing compositions

36 Camaraderie and rapport: the Pavel Haas in action

40 Love of recording: British cellist Steven Isserlis gramophone.co.uk

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