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Mozart's 'Dissonance' String Quartet in Building a Library with Laura Tunbridge and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, Laura Tunbridge chooses her favourite recording of Mozart's 'Dissonance' Quartet, K465, plus a round-up of the best new classical releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Flora Willson discusses some new releases and shares her 'On Repeat' track – a recording which she is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Laura Tunbridge chooses her favourite recording of Mozart's String Quartet in C major, K. 465 ('Dissonance').

Mozart's 'Dissonance' Quartet is the last of a set of six famously dedicated by Mozart to his 'very dear friend' Joseph Haydn. Soon after he arrived in Vienna in 1781, Mozart came to know Haydn's recently published Op. 33 set of innovatory string quartets which, said Haydn, had been composed in ‘a new and special way'. It was no idle boast. Not only more concentrated and sophisticated than any previous string quartet, the Op. 33s also employed all four instruments in a more equal, conversational style than ever before.

For Mozart, responding to the Op. 33s with his own set of quartets became a longer and more arduous compositional challenge than any other he ever undertook. The 'Dissonance' got its nickname in the 19th-century, well after Mozart's death, on account of its mysterious slow introduction, with its complex and unsettling harmonies. It caps the set of six which impressed its dedicatee so much that, shortly after the 1785 premiere, Haydn declared to Leopold Mozart that 'Before God and as an honest man, I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name.'

11.20 am
Record of the Week
An exceptional new release.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCRadio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Feb 2023 09:00
BBC Radio 3

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Beethoven's Piano Sonata No 23, 'Appassionata', in Building a Library with Iain Burnside and Andrew McGregor

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Messiaen's Turangalîla Symphony in Building a Library with Gillian Moore and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • George Frideric Handel

    Suite No 5 in E Major, HWV 430: IV. Air & 5 Variations "The Harmonious Blacksmith"

    Performer: Seong-Jin Cho.
    • The Handel Project: Handel-Suites & Brahms-Variations.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 13.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Concerto No 24, K 491: II. Larghetto

    Performer: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. Orchestra: Manchester Camerata. Conductor: Gábor Takács‐Nagy.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos, Volume 7.
    • Chandos.
    • 3.

  • Josef Suk

    Piano Trio in C minor, Op 2: III. Vivace

    Ensemble: Trio Karénine.
    • Suk - Dvořák.
    • Mirare.
    • 3.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No 7 in E Major: III. Scherzo. Sehr schnell - Trio. Etwas langsamer

    Orchestra: Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 7.
    • Alpha.
    • 3.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside - Triumphal March - Vieni, o guerriero vindice (Aida)

    Choir: Chorus of La Scala, Milan. Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Verdi Choruses.
    • Decca.
    • 17.

  • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

    Mystery (Rosary) Sonata No 16 in G Minor, The Guardian Angel: Passacaglia

    Performer: Amandine Beyer.
    • Biber: Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 21.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Les illuminations, Op 18: IIIa. Phrase

    Singer: Mary Bevan. Ensemble: 12 Ensemble.
    • Visions Illuminees.
    • Signum.
    • 4.

  • Augusta Holmès

    Serenades: IV. Serenade d'Hiver

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Mary Bevan. Ensemble: Ruisi Quartet.
    • Visions Illuminees.
    • Signum.
    • 25.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto No 5 in A major, K219 'Turkish': 1. Allegro aperto

    Performer: Gottfried von der Goltz. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Kristian Bezuidenhout.
    • Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 3-5.
    • Aparte.
    • 7.

  • György Ligeti

    Musica ricercata No. 7 in B-Flat Major

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Motherland.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 6.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Intermezzo in B-Flat Minor, Op 117/2

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Motherland.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 7.

  • Marco Uccellini

    Aria sopra La Bergamasca Op.3`5

    Ensemble: Il Giardino Armonico. Director: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Artist Portrait: Il Giardino Armonico.
    • Warner.

  • Karol Józef Lipinski

    Symphony No 2 in C Major, Op 2: III. Rondo

    Orchestra: {oh!} Orkiestra Historyczna. Conductor: Dirk Vermeulen.
    • Lipinski: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 & Moniuszko: Bajka.
    • Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
    • 4.

  • John Casken

    That Subtle Knot: I. Calm

    Performer: Thomas Zehetmair. Performer: Ruth Killius. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia.
    • Bartok, Casken, Beethoven.
    • ECM.
    • 1.

  • Johanna Müller-Hermann

    Der letzte abend, Op 2 No 4

    Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Kitty Whately.
    • Befreit: A Soul Surrendered.
    • Chandos.
    • 2.

  • Ernst Toch

    Tanz-Suite, Op 30 (Version for Chamber Ensemble & Strings): I. Roter Wirbeltanz

    Performer: Korbinian Altenberger. Performer: Benedict Hames. Performer: Natalie Schwaabe. Performer: Bettina Faiss. Performer: Lukas Richter. Performer: Guido Marggrander. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Der Wilde Sound Der 20er.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 101.

  • Robert Schumann

    Kinderszenen, Op 15 (excerpts)

    Performer: Fabrizio Chiovetta.
    • Schumann: Fantasie, Arabeske, Kinderszenen.
    • Aparte.
    • 5.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside - Triumphal March - Vieni, o guerriero vindice (Aida)

    Choir: Chorus of La Scala, Milan. Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Verdi Choruses.
    • Decca.
    • 14.

Record Review

The link below each recording takes you directly to the label’s website. Please be aware that non-UK labels may be cheaper via a record store or an online retailer.

 

9.00am

 

The Handel Project: Handel-Suites & Brahms-Variations

Seong-Jin Cho (piano)

DG  4863018

https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/the-handel-project-cho-12884

 

 

Mozart: Piano Concertos, Volume 7

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)

Manchester Camerata

Gábor Takács-Nagy

Chandos  CHAN20192

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020192

 

 

Suk - Dvořák

Trio Karénine

Mirare  MIR646

https://www.mirare.fr/en/albums/suk-dvorak/

 

 

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7

Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich

Paavo Järvi

Alpha  ALPHA932

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/bruckner-symphony-no-7-0

 

 

09.30am – Flora Willson: New Releases

 

Passacalle de La Follie – music by Guédron, Moulinié, Lambert, etc.

Christina Pluhar (theorbo / direction)

Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor)

L'Arpeggiata

Warner Classics  5419722187

https://www.warnerclassics.com/artist/christina-pluhar-larpeggiata

 

 

Biber: Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas

Amandine Beyer (violin)

Gli Incogniti

Harmonia Mundi  HMM90271213 (2 CDs)

https://store.harmoniamundi.com/format/1208993-biber-mystery-rosary-sonatas

 

 

Visions Illuminées – music by Britten, Ravel, Holmès, etc.

Mary Bevan (soprano)

Joseph Middleton (piano)

12 Ensemble

Ruisi Quartet

Signum  SIGCD735

https://signumrecords.com/product/visions-illuminees/SIGCD735/

 

 

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 3-5

Gottfried von der Goltz (violin)

Freiburger Barockorchester

Kristian Bezuidenhout

Aparté  AP299

https://www.apartemusic.com/albums/mozart-violin-concertos-nos-3-5/?lang=en

 

 

Flora Willson: On Repeat

 

Khatia Buniatishvili: Motherland – music by Tchaikovsky, Ligeti, Brahms, etc.

Khatia Buniatishvili (piano)

Gvantsa Buniatishivili (piano)

Sony  88883734622

https://sonyclassical.com/releases/releases-details/motherland-1

 

 

 

 

Listener On Repeat

 

Il Giardino Armonico – music by Monteverdi, Uccellini, Vivaldi, etc.

Il Giardino Armonico

Giovanni Antonini

Warner Classics  2564632642 (11 CDs)

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/collected-recordings-il-giardino-armonico

 

 

 

10.10am – New Releases

 

Lipinski: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 & Moniuszko: Bajka

Oh! Orchestra

Dirk Vermeulen

Frederick Chopin Institute  NIFCCD143

https://www.propermusic.com/nifccd143-lipinski-symphonies-nos-2-and-3-moniuszko-bajka.html

 

 

Bartok, Casken, Beethoven

Thomas Zehetmair (violin)

Ruth Killius (viola)

Royal Northern Sinfonia

ECM  4858391

https://www.ecmrecords.com/shop/1670587920/bartok-casken-beethoven-thomas-zehetmair-ruth-killius-royal-northern-sinfonia

 

 

Befreit: A Soul Surrendered – music by Müller-Hermann, Schweikert, Mahler, etc.

Kitty Whately (mezzo-soprano)

Joseph Middleton (piano)

Chandos  CHAN20177

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020177

 

 

10.30am – Building a Library: Laura Tunbridge on Mozart’s String Quartet No 19 in C major ‘Dissonance’

 

Recommended recording:

 

Quatuor Modigliani

Mirare  MIR506

https://www.mirare.fr/en/albums/haydn-bartok-mozart/

 

 

 

 

11:15 am

 

1923 - The Wild Sound of the 20s: Bartók; Krenek; Toch; Weill

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Cristian Mačelaru

Howard Arman

BR Klassik  900206

https://www.br-shop.de/1923-le-miroir-de-jesus.html

 

 

Schumann: Fantasie, Arabeske, Kinderszenen

Fabrizio Chiovetta (piano)

Aparté  AP305

https://www.apartemusic.com/albums/schumann/?lang=en

 

 

11.25am – Record of the Week

 

Verdi Choruses

Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala

Riccardo Chailly

Decca  4853950

https://shop.decca.com/*/Merch/Verdi-Choruses-CD/7PGI1Z0E000

 

 

 

***  ENDS *** 

 

Broadcast

  • Sat 18 Feb 2023 09:00
    BBC Radio 3

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