Gramophone Magazine September 2025 Back Issue

The September issue of Gramophone celebrates the 90 birthday of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, with a cover feature examining how the worlds of music and geopolitics continue to respond to this pivotal figure and his spiritual works – and the issue’s My Music interview is a very special one with the President of Estonia, Alar Karis. Elsewhere in the magazine, soprano Lea Desandre and lutenist Thomas Dunford talk about their new album ‘Songs of Passion’, pairing Dowland and Purcell, while conductor Andrew Manze tells us about his new recording with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra of English orchestral music. This month’s Icons introduces the artistry of Edith Farnadi, a Hungarian pianist with a flair for Liszt and Bartók, while Classics Reconsidered returns to the first recording of Poulenc’s opera Dialogues des Carmélites, conducted by Pierre Dervaux in 1958. The September issue’s Collection explores the recorded catalogue of Debussy’s Le Martyre de saint Sébastien, and recommends the leading versions. This month’s Contemporary Composer is Ian Venables, best known for his songs and chamber music, while Musician & the Score meets harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani to discuss Book 1 of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. Plus, as always, the latest classical music albums are reviewed by our world-leading experts, with the best named Editor’s Choices.