Enjoy new music with our classical music chart for this week. Our weekly selections are based on sales numbers and simply what albums we love and think you NEED to hear.
For the complete top 20, tune into Classical Chartz with the New Classical FM’s Mark Wigmore every Saturday from 3-5 p.m.
Lang Lang has a lock on No. 1 for another week. Amid the media hype about the superstar pianist, here’s another stat: composer Camille Saint-Saëns’ streams on Spotify have shot to more than 5 million per month, and that includes multiple versions of his works — not only Lang Lang’s recent addition to his discography.
There’s a lot of shuffling in the middle of the Top Ten. Il Divo hang on to No. 3 with XX. Daniel Hope and the National Arts Centre Orchestra swop No.4 and No. 2 from last week, along with other minor adjustments.
The newcomer to the Top Ten this week is Francesca Dego and the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Brahms & Busoni Violin Concertos, which makes the climb from No. 12 to land at No. 10. Italian-American violinist Dego is noted for her technical skills. Dalia Stasevka conducts the BBCSO, and the combination of composers offers listeners a dramatic contrast. Brahms’ Violin Concerto was decried by noted violinists of his day as too difficult – even unplayable. It is undeniably challenging, and requires superb technique, as well as a grasp of its emotional depth. Busoni’s approach is sparkling, energetic, and requires virtuosity with a sense of expression.
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