CD From Hell

CD From Hell: Walter’s Godawful Vienna Mahler Ninth

David Hurwitz

Every first recording of a major work has historic interest, […]

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Teutonic, Prosaic Schubert & Liszt Sonatas

Jed Distler

Many years back I was fortunate enough to acquire a

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

Cult Conductors: Scherchen Butchers The Suite From Mahler’s Fifth

David Hurwitz

This legendary release captures a 1965 live performance of Mahler’s

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

Cult Conductors: Revisiting Furtwängler’s Notorious Nazi Ninth

David Hurwitz

Well, here it is again, Furtwängler’s despicable 1942 Beethoven Ninth,

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

Cult Conductors: Horenstein’s Eroica–Not The Worst, But Most Dysfunctional

David Hurwitz

This may not be the worst “Eroica” ever recorded technically

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Bernhard Lang Fools With Parsifal

Jens F. Laurson

The idea of re-writing and reinterpreting extant works to make

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Horenstein’s Obsolete Mahler 8th

David Hurwitz

Although released some time ago and not reviewed then, the

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Vänskä’s Torpid Minnesota Mahler First

David Hurwitz

Webster’s defines “torpid” as, “(a) sluggish in functioning or acting,

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Shouldn’t Mangling Mozart Be A Crime?

David Vernier

Why, oh why can’t they leave this alone? “They” being

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

CD From Hell: Thielemann’s Schumann Gets Worse (Believe It Or Not)

David Hurwitz

Christian Thielemann hates rhythm. Schumann demands it. Thielemann despises sudden

To access this content you must login to your Insider account, or purchase a subscription for $5 monthly, or $49 annually.

Continue Reading

Insider

Reference Recording: Saint-Saëns & Vieuxtemps chez Grumiaux

David Hurwitz October 12, 2025

Insider

Filling in the Gaps: Saint-Saëns’ Music for Cello and Orchestra

David Hurwitz October 12, 2025

Insider

Under the Radar: Mata Rocks in Saint-Saëns and Jongen

David Hurwitz October 12, 2025

Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann
by Robert Levine
October 6, 2024
Benjamin Bernheim Rules as Met’s Hoffmann Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, NY; Oct 24, 2024 Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann is a nasty work. Despite its
RIP David Vernier, Editor-in-Chief
by David Hurwitz
August 4, 2024
David Vernier, ClassicsToday.com’s founding Editor-in-Chief passed away Thursday morning, August 1, 2024 after a long battle with cancer. The end came shockingly quickly. Just a
Finally, It’s SIR John
by ClassicsToday
June 24, 2024
He’d received many honors before, but it wasn’t until last week that John Rutter, best known for his choral compositions and arrangements, especially works related