Brahms’ muse: Richard Mühlfeld, autumnal inspiration

By Mark Pullinger, 24 May 2018

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“Fräulein Klarinette. Meine Prima donna. The nightingale of the orchestra.”

Lawrence Dunn, 17th December

From Buxtehude, Bach and Handel, to contemporary composer Liza Lim, we take a tour of the myriad forms of composers’ handwriting and calligraphy – and how music makes itself on the page.

Dvořák in the bloodstream: Joshua Bell in Rome

Peter Quantrill, 11th April

The US violinist talks about his love for Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, ahead of concerts with Daniel Harding and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Highest lustre: the complete Herbert von Karajan

Richard Bratby, 25th October

Deutsche Grammophon’s STAGE+ has assembled a comprehensive archive of Karajan’s recordings, concert films and opera performances – which did much to define the sound of classical music in the 20th century.

The storyteller: Beatrice Rana

Peter Quantrill, 13th September

In a new recital at LAC Lugano, the Italian pianist pairs two reclusive composers, Brahms and Ravel, as unlikely companions. She talks about how musicians are artisans and storytellers.

Bachtrack top ten: Johannes Brahms

Mark Pullinger & Elisabeth Schwarz, 7th May

Brahms pours his heart out in every single composition and takes the listener on an unforgettable emotional journey.

Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and beyond

Lawrence Dunn, 10th March

We profile one of the most advanced and best-sounding concert halls in the UK, and take a look further afield at arts and culture across Manchester.

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.