Fermata
Music journalist Alexey Munipov's blog on contemporary classical music: interviews, quotes, discoveries and concert tips.
What it is
Fermata is music journalist Alexey Munipov's Telegram blog about contemporary classical music. The format is loose: quotes from composers, excerpts from books and interviews, short festival reports, videos and concert announcements. Posts are in Russian, with English quotes usually kept in the original, and most are short — a paragraph or two plus a link or recording you'll want to play right away.
Why we picked it
It's a classical music Telegram channel where you can jump from 1924 to this week's festival in one sitting. There's the first commercial recording of a Mahler symphony, eleven shellac discs cut without microphones, with the orchestra playing straight into recording horns. There's the story of invented "interviews" with Stravinsky at Moscow's Hotel National, and the student manuscript of Ludovico Einaudi corrected by none other than Stockhausen.
The on-the-ground notes are just as good. From Berlin's Musikfest, Munipov explains how the hour-long electronic prelude to Stockhausen's Mittwoch plays in the foyer as you arrive, and why Japanese Noh theatre followed it on the programme. Alongside that: a neat visual explainer of how beats turn into pitch and polyrhythms into intervals, two minutes of Laurie Anderson's "three rules", and Moscow concert tips such as a chamber festival for Shostakovich's 120th anniversary.
Where to start
- The 1924 Mahler recording post — ideal if you love the history of sound recording.
- The Musikfest thread: Stockhausen and Noh theatre, read back to back.
- The rhythm-to-pitch explainer, for a quick lesson in how music works.
- Concert announcements, if you're in Moscow and looking for something to hear.
- Keep headphones nearby: many posts are links to recordings.
Who it's for
Classical fans who want to know what's happening in the genre now, not just in the 19th century, and curious newcomers — new music comes through stories here, not theory. Russian readers will get the most out of it, though the recordings and English quotes need no translation.
Quick answers
What language is it in? Russian, with English quotations left in the original.
How often does it post? Going by the public preview, often — sometimes several posts a day, especially during festivals.
Can I read it without Telegram? Yes. The web preview opens in a browser with no account; subscribing and notifications need the app.
