Review: Denis Plante and Stéphane Tétreault, “Suite Tango”
byImagine, if you will, if Johann Sebastian Bach had encountered tango music or a bandoneón, would he have written in that style or for…
Archive
Marc-André Hamelin Brings Brilliance to Bach (C.P.E. Bach, That Is)
byWhile many of us are familiar with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach to some extent, the music of his sons – several of…
Martin Noakes: 2021 Top Twenty Album List
byAs we approach the final week of 2021, my mind has a flashback to March 2020, when our lives were turned upside down. Daily…
Steve Murphy: 2021 Top Ten Canadian Album List
byWhat a crazy year 2021 has turned out to be. Perhaps because of shipping delays, or perhaps because of the reviews for this site,…
Single Release: Zachary Greer (ft. Pallmer), “Final Breath”
by“A case of mistaken identity threw two attorneys, George Frederick Street and George Ludlow Wetmore, into fits of rage. With their reputations on the…
Review: Parler bien, “histoires du comté d’essex”
byEvery once in a long while, you stumble upon a piece of music that immediately moves. In a matter of moments, it reaches from…
Festival de Lanaudière Goes Virtual This Year
byLooking for a classical music fix this summer? The Festival de Lanaudière has chosen to open up their archives and present some highlights from…
Review: Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan, “Focus”
byIn his debut album for Analekta, Adam Cicchillitti chose to highlight 19th- and 20th-century Spanish repertoire in a gorgeous project that remains on my…
Olivier Brault and Sonate 1704: Boismortier, Sonatas for Violin, Op. 20
byMost people who know me well also know that in my classical music listening, I gravitate heavily toward music of the Baroque period (early…
Review: Philippe Sly & Le Chimera Project, “Schubert: Winterreise”
byI didn’t hear Schubert’s Winterreise cycle until I was in college. A friend had introduced me to the work of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the German…
New Week, New Music
byWe’ve been inundated with new music recently here at GDW HQ! We shared some new videos with you Friday, but there’s plenty more in…
Interview: Roaring Timber String Quartet
byLast year, I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with Toronto-based violinist Aline Homzy, who was organizing the Bitches Brew jazz performance that I…
2018 Year-End Roundup: Martin and Lesley Choose Their Final Four
byFrom Martin: Following up from my list earlier this week of my favorite 20 album releases in 2018, with so many fantastic albums to…
Top Albums of 2018 by Province – Lesley Carter
byWith the quantity of excellent music that comes out of Canada each year, it’s always a challenge to select a few favorites. As regular…
Interview: Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà, “Ovation”
byLast Friday saw the release of “Ovation,” recorded at the Palais Montcalm (Québec City) performance during La Pietà’s 2017 “One Last Time” tour. After…
Beethoven, Violin Sonatas No. 6, 7, and 8: An Interview With Andrew Wan
byWith this sparkling new disc of Beethoven’s Op. 30 violin sonatas, Andrew Wan and Charles Richard-Hamelin are embarking on a multi-disc journey through Beethoven’s…
2018-2019 Canadian Orchestra Preview Part 2: Ontario and Québec
byIn the previous installment of our 2018-2019 orchestra preview, we focused on western provinces. This week, we look at orchestras in Ontario and Québec –…
2018-2019 Canadian Orchestra Preview, Part I
byAs the back-to-school sales begin clogging our inboxes, another sure sign that the seasons will be turning soon is the arrival of orchestra program…
“Confidences”: Interview With Caroline Gélinas
byWith her debut album, “Confidences,” mezzo-soprano Caroline Gélinas, one of Ici Musique’s 2017-2018 Révélations artists, launched her recording career with a profoundly gorgeous collection…
Le Festival de Lanaudière: Interview With Artistic Director Gregory Charles
byWe’ve been fortunate here at Great Dark Wonder to preview some terrific folk/roots festivals happening in Canada this summer; now, it’s classical music’s turn…
Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) Closes Season With “Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse”
byTo close its 52nd concert season, dedicated to the composer José Evangelista, the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec (SMCQ) is giving the public…
Nadia Labrie: A “Flute Passion” for Schubert
byFranz Schubert’s passionate, romantic music seems a perfect place for a fresh start – which is exactly what flutist Nadia Labrie is launching with…
#TuesdayTunesDay: New Song Roundup
byWe have another pile of terrific new songs to share that have recently arrived here at GDW HQ, so if you need a pick-me-up…
Exploring the “Canciones” of Spain: Interview With Adam Cicchillitti
byWith his debut album, “Canciones,” classical guitarist Adam Cicchillitti explores some delightful territory in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Spanish repertoire. This terrific project (which officially…
2017 Year-End Roundup: Favorite Classical Albums
byOne of the most delightful discoveries I’ve made this year as I’ve delved deeper into Canadian music has been the wealth of classical talent. …