Classical

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the career of British conductor Jeffrey Tate. Tate has been crippled since birth. His first career was medicine. Lloyd reviews a new recording featuring Tate and the English Chamber Orchestra playing Haydn's Military Symphony No. 100 and the Drum Roll Symphony.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recording featuring British conductor Simon Rattle and his City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony," with contralto Janet Baker and soprano Arlene Auger.

Violinist Yehudi Menuhin (Ya-hoo-dee Men-you-in). Menuhin's career began early: he was a child prodigy and made his debut in 1924 when he was seven. Since then, he has toured extensively and developed into one of America's most celebrated violinists. In recent years, he has become almost as well known for his deep interest in art, politics, psychology and philosophy. (Interview by Faith Middleton).

Pianist and conductor Leon Fleisher. After a neurological disorder disabled his right hand, he turned to piano works written for the left hand alone, and also began a successful career conducting. (Interview by Faith Middelton).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the recorded work of the Tallis Scholars, a group of eight British singers who specialize in unaccompanied Renaissance choral music. The group will be touring the country throughout April.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a recording of the score for the ballet "The Lady With the Lap Dog" by the Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin. The ballet was performed at the recent Soviet-American Music Festival in Boston. Shchedrin was one of the Soviet organizers of the event.

Pianist Ursula Oppens. She's widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of new music. Many contemporary composers, like John Adams, have written works for her.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the first two compact discs of Stravinsky conducting his own music. Included are two of Stravinsky's most accessible works, "The Rite of Spring" and "Petrushka." Also included are three abstract scores, "Symphony in C," "Symphony in Three Movements," and "Symphony of Psalms."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a 1939 live performance of the Bloch Violin Concerto performed by the Hungarian soloist Joseph Szigeti and conducted by Willem Mengelberg.

British conductor Simon Rattle. While Rattle has won acclaim for his guest conducting in America and Europe, he is best known for the success of his City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Rattle's success has created a new legitimacy in England for regional orchestras. The orchestra is now touring in America.

Violinist Isaac Stern. During the past 50 years he has become one of the most renowned and recorded violinists in classical music.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new recording that features the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras performing Mozart serenades.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the cast recording of the contemporary opera "Nixon in China." The score was written by minimalist composer John Adams.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new CD featuring French soprano Renée Doria. The selections were recorded between 1944 and 1970.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews "Arbos," a recent recording of compositions by Estonian composer Arvo Part. Part's music has similarities to the music of the minimalists, but is also influenced by medieval liturgical music.

Composer, arranger, conductor Gunther Schuller. One of the most ardent supporters of new music, Schuller is equally at home with the music of bebop and the big band era as he with the 12-tone classical composers. Schuller is the past head of the New England Conservatory of Music, where he founded the New England Conservatory's Ragtime Band. In the late 40s, when he first cultivated his eclectic approach to music, Schuller held jobs simultaneously with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and with Miles Davis' tuba band.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new EMI/Angel series titled "Great Recordings of the Century," vintage recordings that have been digitally remastered.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a CBS reissue of Pierre Boulez conducting the 1910 version of Stravinsky's "Song of the Nightingale."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews recent recordings of three Schubert sonatas, performed by pianist Maurizio Pollini.

Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new reissue of the works of composer and conductor Alexander Zemlinsky.