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.
There was a lot of shuffling the deck when it comes to the Top Ten this week, although stalwart Lang Lang is still holding on to No. 1, and both Francesca Dego (Brahms & Busoni Violin Concertos, with the BBC Symphony) and the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Truth In Our Time) holding the line at Nos. 6 and 7 respectively.
As Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax and Leonidas Kavakos march upwards to No. 2 with Beethoven for Three, the third in their recording series, Yannick Nézet-Séguin and l’Orchestra Metropolitain, with Sibelius 2 & 5, Daniel Hope, and Il Divo make the drop to Nos. 3, 4, and 5 to make room.
New to the Top Ten is the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and conductor Rafael Payare with Strauss, Ein Heldenleben – Mahler, Rückert-Lieder, making the leap from No. 11 to No. 8. The album was recorded at the Maison Symphonique in March of 2023 on the Pentatone label, and continues Payare’s passion with late Romantic German/Austrian repertoire. The two composers contrast each other in approach, in particular at this juncture of their careers. The work of both Strauss and Mahler, however, offer rich opportunities for contemplation. Bulgarian soprano Sonya Yoncheva is a rising star in the opera world, and was recently named Officière de l’ordre de Arts et des lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the republic of France.
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.
Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.
