BBC Music July 2021

In this month’s issue, we meet the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s principal guest conductor Dalia Stasevska as she prepares to open this year’s BBC Proms season after having led the orchestra in 2020’s Last Night – with no audience. We also pay tribute to the career of the much-loved late mezzo-soprano Christa Ludwig, explore the rich musical history of Ireland and ask why the overture has fallen out of favour in concert programmes. Plus, we take a look at Beethoven’s conversation books, which give fascinating insights into his daily life, and look at the different ways car manufacturers are revolutionising sound systems for today’s drivers.