Beethoven's Piano Sonata No 23, 'Appassionata', in Building a Library with Iain Burnside and Andrew McGregor
The must-have recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F minor, the so-called 'Appassionata, and Nicky Spence's pick of the latest new releases.
The must-have recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F minor, the so-called 'Appassionata', and Nicky Spence's pick of the latest new releases.
Presented by Andrew McGregor
9.30am
Tenor Nicky Spence joins Andrew to discusses his choice of the week's new releases, and reveals his "On Repeat" track.
10.30am
Building a Library
Beethoven's 23rd piano sonata is stormy and intense, so earned the nickname "Appassionata" or "Passionate". Pianist Iain Burnside has been listening to a wide range of recordings, old and new, to pick the ultimate version to buy, download or stream.
11.15am
Record of the Week
Andrew's pick of the best of the best this week
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Georg Philipp Telemann
Triple Violin Concerto in F Major, TWV 53:F1: I. Allegro
Performer: Asako Takeuchi. Performer: Naomi Burrill. Orchestra: The Wallfisch Band.- Telemann: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 8.
- CPO.
- 501.
-
![]()
Kurt Weill
Symphony No. 2 "Symphonic Fantasy": III. Allegro vivace - Presto
Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: HK Gruber.- Weill: Orchestral Works.
- BIS.
- 108.
-
![]()
Frank Martin
Mass for Double Choir: Agnus Dei
Choir: La Maîtrise de Toulouse. Conductor: Mark Opstad.- Regent.
-
![]()
Dmitry Shostakovich
Chamber Symphony No 1 in C Major, Op 49a: I. Moderato
Orchestra: Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. Conductor: Pietari Inkinen.- Shostakovich: Chamber Symphonies & Concerto For Piano, String Orchestra and Trum.
- SWR Music.
- 10.
-
![]()
Jonathan Dove
Sappho Sings: 1. From Heaven to here
Choir: Fairhaven Singers. Orchestra: London Mozart Players. Conductor: Ralph Woodward.- Convivium.
-
![]()
Johannes Brahms
49 Deutsche Volkslieder, Book 6, WoO 33: No. 40, Ich weiss mir'n Maidlein hübsch
Performer: Ulrich Eisenlohr. Lyricist: Trad.. Singer: Kieran Carrel.- Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3.
- Naxos.
- 105.
-
![]()
Johannes Brahms
15 Volks-Kinderlieder, WoO 31: No 12, Weihnachten
Performer: Ulrich Eisenlohr. Lyricist: Trad.. Singer: Alina Wunderlin. Singer: Esther Valentin-Fieguth. Singer: Kieran Carrel. Singer: Konstantin Ingenpaß.- Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3.
- Naxos.
- 126.
-
![]()
Trad.
Sekstur from Vendsyssel/The Peat Dance
Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.- Naxos Music UK Ltd.
-
![]()
Antonio Vivaldi
Catone in Utica, RV 705 / Act 2 - "Se mai senti spirarti sul volto"
Lyricist: Pietro Metastasio. Singer: Cecilia Bartoli. Orchestra: Ensemble Matheus. Conductor: Jean‐Christophe Spinosi.- Antonio Vivaldi.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 10.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Fantasia in G major, BWV572
Music Arranger: Laurence Dreyfus. Ensemble: Phantasm. Conductor: Laurence Dreyfus.- Bach: The Well-Tempered Consort – III.
- Linn.
- 27.
-
![]()
Lotta Wennäkoski
Sigla: II. SiGLa
Performer: Sivan Magen. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.- Lotta Wennäkoski: Sigla.
- Ondine.
- 103.
-
![]()
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis Servientes: Sonata No. 1 a otto, C. 114
Performer: Hannes Rux. Performer: Astrid Brachtendorf. Performer: Mónica Waisman. Ensemble: Harmonie Universelle. Conductor: Florian Deuter.- Sonatae Tam Aris, Quam Aulis Servientes.
- Accent.
- 2.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Inventions (selection)
Performer: Sir András Schiff.- ECM.
-
![]()
Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 8 in C minor: II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato - Trio. Langsam (Live)
Orchestra: Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.- Bruckner: The 9 Symphonies (Live).
- Accentus Music.
- 2.
Record Review
9.00am
Telemann: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 8
Elizabeth Wallfisch (violin / violette / direction)
Anna Curzon (violin)
Asako Takeuchi (violin)
Susan Carpenter-Jacobs (violin)
Naomi Burrill (violin)
Raquel Massadas (violette)
The Wallfisch Band
CPO 777882-2
Weill: Orchestral Works
Swedish Chamber Orchestra
HK Gruber
BIS BIS-2579 (Hybrid SACD)
https://bis.se/conductors/gruber-hk/weill-from-der-silbersee-and-symphonies-1-2
Toutes les nuits – music by Verdelot, Palestrina, Lennon & McCartney, etc.
Romain Bockler (baritone)
Bor Zuljan (lute)
Dulces Exuviae
Ricercar RIC446
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/toutes-les-nuits
Shostakovich: Chamber Symphonies & Concerto For Piano, String Orchestra and Trumpet No. 1, Op. 35
Maria Meerovitch (piano)
Sergei Nakariakov (trumpet)
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie
Pietari Inkinen
SWR Music SWR19124CD
Frank Martin: Messe pour double choeur & Duruflé: Requiem
Maîtrise de Toulouse
Conservatoire de Toulouse
Mark Opstad
Regent REGCD557
https://www.regent-records.co.uk/product/frank-martin-mass-for-double-choir-maurice-durufle-requiem/
09.30am – Nicky Spence: New Releases
Margaret Bonds: Credo, Simon Bore the Cross
Janinah Burnett (soprano)
Dashon Burton (baritone)
The Dessoff Choirs
Malcolm J. Merriweather
Avie AV2589
https://www.avie-records.com/releases/margaret-bonds-credo-simon-bore-the-cross/
Jonathan Dove: Sappho Sings
Fairhaven Singers
London Mozart Players
Ralph Woodward
Convivium CR076
https://conviviumrecords.co.uk/product/dove-sappho-sings/
Johannes Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3
Alina Wunderlin (soprano)
Esther Valentin-Fieguth (mezzo-soprano)
Kieran Carrel (tenor)
Konstantin Ingenpaß (baritone)
Ulrich Eisenlohr (fortepiano)
Naxos 8574346
https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=8.574346
Le Concert Des Oiseaux. Vincent Bouchot: Le Carnaval Des Animaux En Péril – music by Purcell, Saint-Saëns, Bouchot, etc.
La Rêveuse
Florence Bolton
Benjamin Perrot
Harmonia Mundi HMM902709
Nicky Spence: On Repeat
Wood Works: The Danish String Quartet plays Nordic folk music
Mads la Cour (flugelhorn)
Danish String Quartet
Dacapo 8226081
https://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recordings/wood-works-cd
https://www.dacapo-records.dk/en/recordings/wood-works-lp
Listener On Repeat
Cecilia Bartoli: Antonio Vivaldi
Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano)
Ensemble Matheus
Jean-Christophe Spinosi
Decca 4834475
https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/vivaldi-cecilia-bartoli-10349
10.10am – New Releases
Bach: The Well-Tempered Consort – III
Phantasm
Laurence Dreyfus
Linn CKD708
https://www.linnrecords.com/recording-js-bach-well-tempered-consort-iii
Lotta Wennäkoski: Sigla; Flounce; Sedecim
Sivan Magan (harp)
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Nicholas Collon
Ondine ODE1420-2
https://www.ondine.net/?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=6975
10.30am – Building a Library: Iain Burnside on Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 23 in F minor ‘Appassionata’
Recommended recording:
Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano)
BIS BISSACD1573 (Hybrid SACD)
Also available on:
BIS BIS2000 (9 Hybrid SACDs)
Also recommended:
Murray Perahia (piano)
Sony G010003877886L (download only)
Igor Levit (piano)
Sony 19075843182 (9 CDs)
11:15 am
J.S. Bach: Clavichord
András Schiff (clavichord)
ECM 4857948 (2 CDs)
https://www.ondine.net/?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=6975
Biber: Sonatae Tam Aris, Qual Aulis Servientes
Florian Deuter
Monica Waisman
Harmonie Universelle
Accent ACC24386
11.25am – Record of the Week
Bruckner: The 9 Symphonies (Live)
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt
Accentus Music ACC80575 (10 CDs)
https://accentus.com/discs/575/
Broadcast
- Sat 11 Feb 2023 09:00BBC Radio 3
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.
Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast
All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.
Why the music we love as teens stays with us for life
Cognitive neuropyschology can explain why we return to old favourites again and again.