Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances in Building a Library with Marina Frolova-Walker and Andrew McGregor
In Building a Library, Marina Frolova-Walker chooses her favourite recording of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dance, and pianist Kunal Lahiry shares his pick of the best new releases.
Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.
9.30 am
Pianist Kunal Lahiry discusses some new releases that have caught his ear and shares his 'On Repeat' track – a recording which he is currently listening to again and again.
10.30 am
Marina Frolova-Walker chooses her favourite recording of Sergei Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances.
Rachmaninov had always struggled to balance the competing demands of his three careers as composer, conductor and pianist. But after the mid-1930s, following the disappointing reception of some of his recent music, he had all but stopped composing, spending most of his professional life on the arduous, if lucrative international concert circuit, widely acknowledged as the greatest pianist of his day. Taking a house on Long Island for the summer in 1940, Rachmaninov suddenly began composing again and the result was the Symphonic Dances. It was natural that the 1941 premiere was with the Philadelphia Orchestra under their music director, Eugene Ormandy: Rachmaninov had made his debut as a conductor there in 1909, returning often as soloist and conductor for concerts and recordings.
Rachmaninov's final completed music, the Symphonic Dances initially had a lukewarm critical reception and were slow to gain popularity. But the dazzlingly orchestrated triptych, with its satisfying arc, full of intriguing musical cyphers, self-quotation and allusion is now a long-established and well-loved repertory staple, characterised by that typical Rachmaninov combination of nostalgic melancholy and tumultuous excitement.
11.20 am
Record of the Week
Andrew's top pick from the new releases.
Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCRadio3
Last on
Music Played
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Georg Philipp Telemann
Trio no. 3 in B minor TWV42:H2 (Allegro)
Music Arranger: François Lazarevitch. Ensemble: Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien. Director: François Lazarevitch.- ALPHA.
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Trad.
Hora din cavel
Ensemble: Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien. Director: François Lazarevitch.- ALPHA.
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Adriaan Willaert
St John Passion (opening)
Ensemble: Dionysos Now!. Director: Felicia Bockstael.- Evil Penguin.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Symphony no.2 in E minor Op.27 (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.- Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2, Prelude in C# Minor.
- Chandos.
- 103.
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Iain Farrington
Paganini Patterns (1st mvt; Lively)
Performer: Huw Wiggin. Performer: Noriko Ogawa.- Rhapsody.
- Orchid Classics.
- 301.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
La Clemenza di Tito K.621 (Parto, parto, ma tu ben mio)
Singer: Ann Hallenberg. Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Frost.- SONY.
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Claude Debussy
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Ensemble: Pianoduo Mimese.- Etcetera.
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Igor Stravinsky
The Rite of Spring
Ensemble: Pianoduo Mimese.- Etcetera.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude in C Minor, BWV 546
Performer: Maude Gratton.- Alpha.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata 47 'Wer sich selbst erhöhet, der soll erniedriget werden' (opening chorus)
Ensemble: Le Banquet Céleste. Director: Damien Guillon.- Alpha.
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Richard Strauss
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Conductor: Richard Strauss. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra.- Santtu Conducts Strauss: Don Juan, Eine Alpensinfonie, Also Sprach Zarathustra &.
- Signum Classics.
- 202.
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Anon.
Improvisation in Kürdi mode - Kürdi Semai
Performer: Ουρανία Λαμπροπούλου.- Evidence Classics.
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Anon.
Moiroloi tis Panagias
Performer: Ουρανία Λαμπροπούλου.- Evidence Classics.
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Julius Eastman
Femenine (Increase)
Ensemble: Wild Up. Conductor: Christopher Rountree.- New Amsterdam.
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Fran Lhotka
The Devil in the Village - Ballet Suite (Mirko's Escape From Hell, General Rejoicing)
Orchestra: Zagreb National Opera House Orchestra. Conductor: Fran Lhotka.- Springtime In Yugoslavia.
- Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd..
- 7.
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Franz Schreker
Chamber Symphony (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Konzerthausorchester Berlin. Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach.- Der ferne Klang... Orchestral Works & Songs by Franz Schreker.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 4.
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Carlo Gesualdo
Tristis est anima (Tenebrae responses for Maundy Thursday)
Ensemble: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: Paul Agnew.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Mieczyslaw Weinberg
String Quartet no.4 in E flat major Op.20 (4th mvt)
Ensemble: Arcadia Quartet.- Weinberg: String Quartets, Vol. 3.
- Chandos.
- 104.
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Bent Sorensen
St Matthew Passion (Lament)
Choir: Norwegian Soloists' Choir. Ensemble: Ensemble Allegria. Conductor: Grete Pedersen.- Bent Sørensen: St Matthew Passion.
- BIS.
- 106.
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Hector Berlioz
Romeo et Juliette Op.17 (Part 2: Love Scene)
Singer: Cyrille Dubois. Choir: Gulbenkian Choir. Orchestra: Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg. Conductor: John Nelson.- ERATO.
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
Beauté Barbare – Telemann, etc
Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien
François Lazarevitch (director)
Alpha ALPHA949
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/beaute-barbare
Adriano 4 – Adriaen Willaert: St John Passion, etc
Dionysos Now!
Felicia Bockstael (director)
Evil Penguin EPRC0054
https://www.eprclassic.eu/items/Adriano-4
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No.2, etc
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 5309 SACD
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHSA%205309
Rhapsody – Debussy, Coates, Liszt, Farrington, etc
Huw Wiggin (saxophone)
Noriko Ogawa (piano)
Orchid Classics ORC100216
https://www.orchidclassics.com/releases/huw-wiggin-orc100216/
Ecstasy & Abyss – Mozart Symphonies 38 & 41; Piano Concerto No. 25; Arias
Ann Hallenberg (mezzo-soprano)
Elin Rombo (soprano)
Lucas Debargue (piano)
Martin Frost (basset clarinet/conductor)
Swedish Chamber Orchestra
Sony 19658772252 (2 CDs)
09.30am – Kunal Lahiry: New Releases
Attention, Les Apaches! – Debussy; Ravel; Stravinsky
Pianoduo Mimese (piano duo)
Etcetera KTC 1783
https://etcetera-records.com/album/848/attention-les-apaches
Trinitatis Bach Cantatas – Cantatas BWV.78; BWV.60; BWV.47; Organ Sonata BWV.526; Prelude in C minor BWV.546
Celine Sheen (soprano)
Thomas Hobbs (tenor)
Benoit Arnould (bass)
Damien Guillon (countertenor/conductor)
Maude Gratton (organ)
Le Banquet Celeste
Alpha ALPHA945
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/trinitatis-bach-cantatas
Santtu Conducts Strauss – Don Juan; Ein Alpensinfonie; Also sprach Zarathustra; Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche
Philharmonia Orchestra
Santtu-Matias Rouvali (conductor)
Signum SIGCD720 (2CDs)
https://signumrecords.com/product/santtu-conducts-strauss-philharmonia-records/SIGCD720/
'm'arrêter Ici…' (esquisses d'Asie Mineure) – music from the Greek, Sephardic and Ottoman traditions
Ourania Lampropoulou
Dominique Vellard (tenor/conductor)
Evidence Classics EVCD094
On Repeat
Julius Eastman, Vol. 1: Femenine
Wild Up
Christopher Rountree (conductor)
New Amsterdam NWAM154-S
https://www.newamrecords.com/albums/femenine-wild-up
Listener On Repeat
Fran Lhotka: The Devil in the Village
Orchestra of The National Opera House, Zagreb
Fran Lhotka (conductor)
Decca ELQ4840200
https://www.eloquenceclassics.com/releases/springtime-in-yugoslavia/
10.10am – New Releases
Der Ferne Klang – orchestral works and songs by Franz Schreker
Chen Reiss (soprano)
Matthias Goerner (baritone)
Konzerthausorchester Berlin
Christoph Eschenbach (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 486 3993 (2 CDs)
Gesualdo: Tenebræ Responsoria, Feria Quinta
Les Arts Florissants
Paul Agnew (conductor)
Harmonia Mundi HAF8905363
https://www.harmoniamundi.com/en/albums/tenebrae-responsoria-feria-quinta-maundy-thursday/
10.30am – Building a Library: Marina Frolova-Walker on Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances
Recommended recording:
Rachmaninoff: Works for Orchestra and Choir
Yury Mazurok (baritone)
Aleksei Maslennikov (tenor)
Galina Pisarenko (soprano)
Sergey Yakovenko (baritone)
USSR State Symphony Orchestra
Moscow Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Yurlov Russian State Academic Choir
USSR Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
USSR Bolshoi Theatre Choir
Evgeny Svetlanov (conductor)
Dmitri Kitayenko (conductor)
Melodiya MELCD1002090
https://melody.su/en/catalog/classic/15719/
Other recommendations:
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances and orchestral works by Ravel
Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Philharmonic Society
USSR State Symphony Orchestra
Kirill Kondrashin (conductor)
Veronica Dudarova
Audiophile APL101536
Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 3 and other works
Orchestre de Paris
Paavo Jarvi (conductor)
Erato 2564619579
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/rachmaninoff-symphony-no-3-symphonic-dances-vocalise
11:15 am
Weinberg: String Quartets, Vol.3
Arcadia Quartet
Chandos CHAN 20180
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020180
Bent Sørensen - St Matthew Passion
Norwegian Soloists’ Choir
Ensemble Allegria
Grete Pedersen (conductor)
BIS BIS-2611 (Hybrid SACD)
https://bis.se/conductors/pedersen-grete/bent-sorensen-st-matthew-passion
11.25am – Record of the Week
Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette & Cléopâtre
Joyce DiDonato (mezzo soprano)
Cyrille Dubois (tenor)
Christopher Maltman (baritone)
Coro Gulbenkian
Chœur de l’OnR
Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg
John Nelson (conductor)
Erato 5419748138 (2CDs + DVD)
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