Here are a couple of albums I’m looking forward to hearing in their full releases over the next couple of months.
María Dueñas: Homage to Heifetz, with Gustav Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar orchestra. This one will be released on August 28, and it’s almost certain to be the #1 classical album on major streaming services when it arrives. Check the preview player on the right for more pre-release tracks and the complete repertoire. These are sweetly romantic and passionate interpretations of pops-adjacent repertoire Dueñas associates with Heifetz, including Beethoven and Lalo violin concertos.
Bruce Liu: Lunaris. Another Deutsche Grammophon heavy hitter, Liu’s latest well-programmed album arrives in full on August 7. Three familiar Beethoven sonatas, a little Chopin and Debussy, a Bach transcription… and some unexpected repertoire by John Cage, Schoenberg, Ligeti, Mompou and more. It looks tasty!
