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Ravel's String Quartet in Building a Library with Jeremy Sams and Andrew McGregor

Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Ravel's String Quartet

with Andrew McGregor

9.30
Building a Library
Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Ravel's String Quartet

Maurice Ravel finished his String Quartet in F major in 1903 at the age of 28. In some way it's modelled on Debussy's String Quartet of 10 years earlier. But it has been described as being "opposite to Debussy's symbolism, abandoning the vagueness and formlessness of the early French impressionists in favour of a return to classic standards." It quickly established itself as a standard work in the chamber music repertory.

10.45
New releases of piano concertos by Beethoven and Rachmaninov

11.20
Record of the Week
Andrew recommends an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 14 Mar 2020 09:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No.24 in C minor, K 491: 2nd mvt - Larghetto

    Performer: Charles Richard-Hamelin. Ensemble: Les Violons du Roy. Conductor: Jonathan Cohen.
    • Analekta.

  • Nadia Boulanger

    Priere

    Performer: Tristan Raes. Singer: Cyrille Dubois.
    • Aparte.

  • Ēriks Ešenvalds

    Translation

    Choir: Portland State University Chamber Choir. Conductor: Ethan Sperry.
    • Naxos.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Sonata No.17, Op.31 No.2 in D minor "The Tempest": 1st mvt - Largo

    Performer: Andreas Staier.

  • Georges Bizet

    Symphony No.1 in C major: 1st mvt - Allegro vivo

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: François Leleux.
    • LINN.

  • Joseph Mayseder

    Mass in E flat major, Op.64: Kyrie

    Choir: Vienna Boys' Choir. Choir: Vienna Men's Choral Society. Orchestra: Orchestra of Vienna Hofmusikkapelle. Conductor: Thomas Christian.
    • Gramola.

  • Howard Hanson

    Symphony No.4, Op.34 "Requiem": 4th mvt - Largo pastorale (Lux aeterna)

    Orchestra: Oregon Symphony. Conductor: Carlos Kalmar.
    • Pentatone.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto No.2 in B flat major, Op.19: 3rd mvt - Rondo. Molto allegro

    Performer: Stewart Goodyear. Orchestra: BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Andrew Constantine.
    • Orchid Classics.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37: 3rd mvt - Rondo. Allegro

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Die Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • BIS.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto No.5 in E flat major, Op.73: 1st mvt - Allegro

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Die Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • BIS.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony No.3 in A minor, Op.44: 2nd mvt - Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro vivace

    Orchestra: Luzerner Sinfonieorchester. Conductor: James Gaffigan.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43: Variation XIX - Variation XXIV

    Orchestra: Luzerner Sinfonieorchester. Conductor: James Gaffigan.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Lullaby, Op.16 No.1

    Performer: Behzod Abduraimov.
    • Sony Music.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Arianna a Naxos, Hob. XXVIb:2:

    Singer: Kate Lindsey. Ensemble: Arcangelo. Conductor: Jonathan Cohen.
    • ALPHA.

Record Review

9.00am

Eric Whitacre: Marimba Quartets (choral music arranged by Joby Burgess)

Joby Burgess Marimba Quartet

Signum Classics SIGCD625

https://signumrecords.com/product/eric-whitacre-marimba-quartets/SIGCD625/

 

Beethoven: “Ein neuer Weg”

Piano Sonatas Op.31; Variations Opp.34 & 35

Andreas Staier (fortepiano)

Harmonia Mundi HMM 902327.28 (2 CDs)

 

Ēriks Ešenvalds: Translations

Portland State Chamber Choir

Ethan Sperry (conductor)

https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.574124

 

Nadia & Lili Boulanger: Mélodies

Cyrille Dubois (tenor)

Tristan Raës (piano)

Aparte AP224

https://www.apartemusic.com/albums/nadia-et-lili-boulanger-melodies/

 

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 22 & 24

Charles Richard-Hamelin (piano)

Les Violons du Roy

Jonathan Cohen (conductor)

Analekta AN 2 9147

https://www.analekta.com/en/albums/mozart-piano-concertos-22-24-charles-richard-hamelin-violons-du-roy/

 

9.30am – Building a Library – Jeremy Sams on Ravel’s String Quartet

Composer: Maurice Ravel

Reviewer: Jeremy Sams

 

Recommended Recording:

Quatuor Ébène

Erato 519045 2 (CD or download)

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/debussy-faure-ravel-string-quartets

 

Other Recommended Recording(s):

 

Daedalus Quartet

Bridge Records BRIDGE9202 (CD or download)

https://bridgerecords.com/products/9202

 

Quatuor van Kuijk

Alpha Classics ALPHA295 (CD or download)

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/debussy-ravel-chausson-alpha-295

  

 

10.15am – New Releases

 

Bizet: Carmen Suite No.1 & Symphony No.1 – Gounod: Petite Symphonie

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

François Leleux (conductor)

LINN CKD624

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/bizet-carmen-suite-no-1-symphony-no-1-gounod-petite-symphonie-ckd624

 

Mayseder: Mass in E-Flat Major, Op. 64 & Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 26

Wiener Sängerknaben, Herrenchor der Wiener Hofmusikkapelle, Ensemble der Wiener Hofmusikkapelle

Thomas Christian (conductor)

Gramola GRAM99200 (CD or download)

https://www.gramola.at/en/shop/produkte/chor/gramola/thomas+christian,wr.saengerknaben/joseph+mayseder/141851/

 

Aspects of America: The Pulitzer Edition

Music by Walter Piston, Morton Gould, Howard Hanson

Oregon Symphony Orchestra

Carlos Kalmar (conductor)

Pentatone PTC 5186763

https://www.pentatonemusic.com/oregon-symphony-kalmar-aspects-of-america-pulitzer-edition-walter-piston-morton-gould-howard-hanson

 

10.45am – New Releases – Piano Concertos

 

Beethoven: The Complete Piano Concertos

Stewart Goodyear (piano)

BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Andrew Constantine (conductor)

Orchid Classics ORC100127 (3 CDs)

http://www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc100127-stewart-goodyear-beethoven-concertos/

 

Beethoven – The Piano Concertos

Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano)

Kölner Akademie

Michael Alexander Willens (conductor)

BIS Records BIS-2274 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

https://bis.se/performers/brautigam-ronald/beethoven-the-piano-concertos

 

Rachmaninoff in Lucerne - Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Symphony No. 3

Behzod Abduraimov (piano)

Luzerner Sinfonieorchester

James Gaffigan (conductor)

Sony Classical 19075981622

https://www.sonyclassical.de/alben/releases-details/rachmaninoff-in-lucerne-rhapsody-on-a-theme-of-paganini-symphony-no-3

 

11.15am – Record of the Week

 

Kate Lindsey: Arianna

Music by George Frideric Handel, Alessandro Scarlatti, Franz Joseph Haydn

Kate Lindsey (mezzo-soprano)

Arcangelo

Jonathan Cohen (conductor)

Alpha Classics ALPHA576 (CD or download)

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/l-arianna-alpha576

Broadcast

  • Sat 14 Mar 2020 09:00
    BBC Radio 3

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