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Andrew McGregor with Iain Burnside and Natasha Loges

The best new classical releases, and in Building a Library, Iain Burnside compares recordings of Chopin's four scherzi - and picks a favourite. Plus a round-up of new vocal discs.

9.30
Building a Library: Iain Burnside compares recordings of Chopin's four scherzi for piano, Opuses 20, 31, 39 and 54 - and picks a favourite.

Scherzo No 1 in B minor Op 20
Scherzo No 2 in B flat minor Op 31
Scherzo No 3 in C sharp minor Op 39
Scherzo No 4 in E major Op 54

Chopin's four scherzi, much loved and oft recorded by the world's greatest pianists, are a feat of technique, lyricism and musical story-telling. Each is a mini drama and they were written for concert performance rather than the salon. The scherzi also span Chopin's own compositional journey. Whilst the first scherzo is defiant and assertive, demonstrating the youthful energy of the composer, the fourth, written towards the end of his life, is more elusive. Together with the ballades, Chopin's four scherzi stand supreme amongst his entire output for solo piano.

10.50
Natasha Loges reviews the newest releases of Lieder and songs.

11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Recording of the Week.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 25 Jan 2020 09:00
BBC Radio 3

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Beethoven's Symphony No 1 with Andrew McGregor and Richard Wigmore

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Mozart's Symphony No 39 in E flat on Building a Library with Nicholas Kenyon and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • Hans Christian Lumbye

    Postillon Galop. op.16/2

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Sony.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV826 (5th & 6th mvts)

    Performer: Julien Libeer.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Béla Bartók

    Piano Suite, BB 70, Sz. 62, Op.14 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Julien Libeer.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Shruthi Rajasekar

    Numbers

    Choir: National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. Conductor: Ben Parry.
    • Young Composers Scheme.
    • NMC Recordings.
    • 1.

  • David Popper

    Elfentanz Op.39

    Performer: Jean‐Guihen Queyras. Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Complices.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 106.

  • Louis Prima

    Sing, sing, sing (with a swing)

    Conductor: Keith Lockhart. Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra.
    • Swing, a Benny Goodman Story.
    • Aparté.
    • 1.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Pavane pour une infante défunte

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Guido Cantelli.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV889 (Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2)

    Performer: Colin Booth.
    • Soundboard Records.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony No.13 in B flat minor, Op.113 'Babi Yar' (2nd mvt. Humour)

    Singer: Alexey Tikhomirov. Choir: Men of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • CSO Resound.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    To Her (Six Songs, Op. 38)

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Louise Alder.
    • Chandos.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Zur Rosenzeit [When Roses Blossom]

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Louise Alder.
    • Chandos.

  • Jean‐Paul‐Égide Martini

    Plaisir d'amour

    Performer: Thibaut Roussel. Performer: Tanguy de Williencourt. Singer: Stéphanie d'Oustrac.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Jean-Antoine Meissonnier

    Quatrième Rondo pour lyre ou guitare

    Performer: Thibaut Roussel. Performer: Tanguy de Williencourt. Singer: Stéphanie d'Oustrac.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • William Walton

    Rhyme (No 6, A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table)

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Carolyn Sampson.
    • BIS.

  • Huw Watkins

    Love Songs in Age (No.3, Five Larkin Songs)

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Carolyn Sampson.
    • BIS.

  • Nadia Boulanger

    Cantique

    Performer: Myra Huang. Singer: Nicholas Phan.
    • Avie.

  • Lili Boulanger

    Un poète disait que, lorsque'il était jeune

    Performer: Myra Huang. Singer: Nicholas Phan.
    • Avie.

  • Richard Strauss

    Morgen, Op. 27 No. 4

    Performer: Jonathan Ware. Singer: Elsa Dreisig.
    • Erato.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35

    Performer: Johan Dalene. Orchestra: Norrköpings Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Daniel Blendulf.
    • BIS.

Record Review

9.00am

 

Vienna Philharmonic: New Year's Concert 2020

Vienna Philharmonic

Andris Nelsons (conductor/trumpet)

Sony 19439702362 (2 CDs)

https://www.sonyclassical.com/news/wiener-philharmoniker-andris-nelsons-new-year-s-concert-2020

 

Bach Bartók

Julien Libeer (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMM902651

http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/2580

 

Charpentier: Orphée aux enfers and La Descente D’orphée Aux Enfers

Déborah Cachet (Eurydice, soprano)

Reinoud Van Mechelen (Orphée, tenor)

Zsuzsi Tóth (Daphné, soprano)

Stefanie True (Proserpine, soprano)

Vox Luminis

A Nocte Temporis

Lionel Meunier (conductor)

Alpha ALPHA566

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/orphee-aux-enfers-alpha566

 

Young Composers Scheme: music by Harry Baker, Lillie Harris, Shruthi Rajasekar and Joanna Ward

National Youth Choirs of Great Britain

NYCGB Fellowship Octet

Ben Parry (conductor, choirs)

NMC NMCDL3038 (download only)

https://www.nmcrec.co.uk/recording/nycgb-young-composers-scheme-2019

 

Complices: music by Kreisler, Popper, Haydn, Brahms, Chopin etc.

Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)

Alexandre Tharaud (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMM902274

http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/2576

 

9.30am – Building a Library – Iain Burnside on the four Chopin Scherzi: Op.20, Op.31, Op.39, Op.54

 

Composer: Frédéric Chopin

Reviewer: Iain Burnside

 

Recommended Recording:

Sviatoslav Richter (July 1977, Munich)

Alto ALC1159 or Olympia MKM53 (download only)

 

Other Recommended Recording(s):

 

Emanuel Ax

Sony 88985465042 (6 CDs or download)

 

Stephen Hough

Hyperion CDA67456

 

 

 

10.15am – New Releases

 

Swing: a Benny Goodman Story – music by Prima, Copland, Fischer, Bernstein etc.

Pierre Génisson (clarinet)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Keith Lockhart (conductor)

Aparté AP218

https://www.apartemusic.com/albums/swing-a-benny-goodman-story/?lang=en

 

Philharmonia Orchestra - Birth of a Legend

Philharmonia Orchestra

Various conductors including Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer and Guido Cantelli

Warner Classics 9029534951 (24 CDs)

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/philharmonia-orchestra

 

J S Bach: The Well-tempered Clavier Book 2

Colin Booth (harpsichord)

Soundboard Records SBCD 219 (2 CDs)

https://www.colinbooth.co.uk/cd-clavier-two.html

 

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13 in B flat minor, Op. 113 'Babi Yar'

Alexey Tikhomirov (bass)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

Riccardo Muti (conductor)

CSO Resound CSOR9011901

https://csosoundsandstories.org/cso-resound-release-of-shostakovichs-babi-yar-available-jan-17/

 

10.45am – New Releases – Natasha Loges reviews new song recital releases

 

Lines Written During a Sleepless Night – The Russian Connection: songs by Rachmaninov, Sibelius, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Medtner and Britten

Louise Alder (soprano)

Joseph Middleton (piano)

Chandos CHAN20153

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020153

 

Une soirée chez Berlioz: music by Berlioz, Martini, Lélu, Devienne etc.

Stéphanie d'Oustrac (mezzo-soprano)

Thibaut Roussel (guitar)

Bruno Philippe (cello)

Lionel Renoux (horn)

Caroline Lieby (harp)

Tanguy de Williencourt (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMM902504

http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/2569

 

The Contrast: English Poetry in Song – music by Walton, Vaughan Williams, Bridge, Huw Watkins and Quilter

Carolyn Sampson (soprano)

Joseph Middleton (piano)

BIS BIS2413 (Hybrid SACD)

 

Clairières: Songs By Lili and Nadia Boulanger

Nicholas Phan (tenor)

Myra Huang (piano)

Avie AV2414

http://www.avie-records.com/releases/clairieres-songs-by-lili-nadia-boulanger/

 

Elsa Dreisig – Morgen: songs by Strauss, Rachmaninov and Duparc

Elsa Dreisig (soprano)

Jonathan Ware (piano)

Erato 9029531948

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/morgen

 

11.15am – Record of the Week

 

Tchaikovsky & Barber: Violin Concertos

Johan Dalene (violin)

Norrköping Symphony Orchestra

Daniel Blendulf (conductor)

BIS BIS2440 (Hybrid SACD)

https://bis.se/performers/dalene-johan/tchaikovsky-and-barber-violin-concertos

Broadcast

  • Sat 25 Jan 2020 09:00
    BBC Radio 3

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