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Poulenc's Piano concerto with Jeremy Sams and Andrew McGregor

Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Poulenc's Piano Concerto, and leading pianist Joanna MacGregor shares some remarkable new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Leading pianist Joanna MacGregor shares some remarkable new releases which have caught her ear and shares her 'On Repeat' track – a recording which she is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Building a Library: Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Poulenc's Piano Concerto.

The tuneful, energetic Piano Concerto in C sharp minor is the last of Poulenc's five concertos. It was commissioned in 1949 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra to restore relations between Poulenc's native Paris and America after World War II. After the Boston premiere the composer attributed the lack of enthusiasm to the idea that the audience had listened to too much Sibelius. He was clearly experiencing a culture clash because he also wrote: "I lead an austere existence in this very Puritan town." But it is classic Poulenc, with quirky tunes including a cheeky quote from “Way down upon the Swannee River” in the finale.

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew’s top pick.
Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCRadio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 24 Jun 2023 09:00
BBC Radio 3

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Puccini's Tosca in Building a Library with Roger Parker and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur

    Symphony in E-Flat Major, Op. 2, No. 1: IV. Rondo. Allegro assai

    Orchestra: l’arte del mondo. Conductor: Werner Ehrhardt.
    • Schmittbaur: Symphonies.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
    • 12.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Sonata No. 25 in F major, K377

    Performer: Renaud Capuçon. Performer: Kit Armstrong.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Nicolas Racot Grandval

    J'ai languy sous vos dures lois

    Singer: Victoire Bunel. Singer: Anna Reinhold. Singer: Guilhem Worms. Orchestra: Ensemble Il Caravaggio. Conductor: Camille Delaforge.
    • Chateau de Versailles.

  • Richard Wagner

    From Walhalla to Nibelheim and Back

    Music Arranger: Timothy Higgins. Ensemble: National Brass Ensemble. Conductor: Eun Sun Kim.
    • Pentatone.

  • Edward Bairstow

    Blessed City, heavenly Salem

    Choir: Choir of Merton College, Oxford. Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas.
    • Delphian.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV1052 i) Allegro

    Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Steven Devine.
    • Resonus Classics.

  • Josef Myslivecek

    Mi parea del porto in seno

    Singer: Emőke Baráth. Singer: Philippe Jaroussky. Ensemble: Collegium 1704. Conductor: Václav Luks.
    • Warner.

  • Florence Price

    Symphony No. 1 in E minor iii) Juba Dance

    Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.
    • Decca.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66, MWV Q 33 iv) Finale

    Ensemble: Trio Gaspard.
    • Chandos.

  • Paul Juon

    Litaniae, Op. 70

    Ensemble: Trio Gaspard.
    • Chandos.

  • Franz Schubert

    Allegretto in C minor, D.915

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • Schubert: Piano Sonata in A, D.959/No.20; Hungarian Melody; 16 German Dances etc.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 7.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Symphonic variations Op.78

    Orchestra: Prague Philharmonia. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša.
    • Dvořák – Slavonic Rhapsodies & Symphonic Variations.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 1-8.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa Ut re mi fa sol la vii) Agnus Dei II

    Ensemble: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Coro.

  • Edward Elgar

    Quintet in A minor Op.84 for piano and strings: 1st mvt; Moderato - allegro

    Performer: Lynn Arnold. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.
    • Dutton Epoch.

  • Kaija Saariaho

    Nuits, adieux (Version for 4 Voices & Electronics)

    Choir: Helsingin kamarikuoro. Ensemble: Uusinta Ensemble. Conductor: Nils Schweckendiek.
    • BIS.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No. 5 in D major K175: iii) Allegro

    Performer: Robert Levin. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Laurence Cummings.
    • AAM.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    49th Parallel: Prologue Panorama

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.
    • Dutton Epoch.

Record Review

9.00am


Schmittbaur: Symphonies

L’arte del mondo

Werner Erhardt (conductor)

Deutsche Harmonia Mundi DHM 19658812312 https://www.sonyclassical.es/post/718299462613811200/larte-del-mondo

 

Mozart: Sonatas for Piano & Violin

Renaud Capuçon (violin)

Kit Armstrong (piano)

Deutsche Grammophon 486 4463 (4CDs)

https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/mozart-sonatas-for-piano-violin-capucon-armstrong-12981

 

Heroines. Cantates Francaises. Music by Morin, Dornel, Lully, Jacquet de la Guerre etc.

Victoire Bunel (mezzo-soprano)

Anna Reinhold (mezzo-soprano)

Guilhem Worms (bass-baritone)

Ensemble Il Caravaggio

Camille Delaforge (conductor)

Chateau de Versailles CVS090

 

Deified. Music by R Strauss, Bingham, Sandoval and Wagner

National Brass Ensemble

Eun Sun Kim (conductor)

Pentatone PTC 518 7049 (2CDs_

https://www.pentatonemusic.com/product/deified/

 

Orchestral Anthems: Dyson, Howells, Elgar, Finzi

Choir of Merton College Oxford

Britten Sinfonia

Benjamin Nicholas (conductor)

Delphian DCD34291

https://www.delphianrecords.com/products/orchestral-anthems-dyson-howells-elgar-finzi

 

 

09.30am – Joanna MacGregor: New Releases

 

Il Boemo - film soundtrack. Music by Josef Mysliveček

Philippe Jaroussky (counter tenor)

Emöke Barath (soprano)

Collegium 1704

Václav Luks (conductor)

Erato 5054197238178

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/il-boemo

 

J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos BWV.1052, 1054, 1055, 1059

Steven Devine (harpsichord)

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Resonus Classics RES10318

 

Florence Price: Piano Concerto in One Movement & Symphony No. 1

Jeneba Kanneh-Mason (piano)

Chineke! Orchestra

Leslie Suganandarajah (conductor)

Roderick Cox (conductor)

Decca 4853996

 

Berlin Stories. Music by Mendelssohn, Juon, Skalkottas

Trio Gaspard

Chandos CHAN 20271

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020271



Joanna MacGregor: On Repeat


Schubert: Allegretto in C minor, D.915

Alfred Brendel (piano)

Decca 00028942222922

https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/schubert-piano-sonata-brendel-3162

 

 

Listener On Repeat

 

Dvorak: Symphonic Variations & Slavonic Rhapsodies

Prague Philharmonia

Jakub Hrůša (conductor)

Pentatone PTC5186554

https://www.pentatonemusic.com/product/dvorak-slavonic-rhapsodies-symphonic-variations/

 


10.10am – New Releases


Palestrina - Volume 9

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers (conductor)

Coro COR16197

https://thesixteenshop.com/products/palestrina-volume-9

 

Edward Elgar: String Quartet in E minor, Piano Quintet in A minor. Albert Sammons: Phantasy Quartet in B major

Tippett Quartet

Lynn Arnold (piano)

Dutton Epoch CDLX7406 (Hybrid SACD)

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7406

 

 

10.30am – Building a Library: Jeremy Sams on Poulenc’s Piano Concerto in C-sharp minor


Recommended recording:

Louis Lortie

BBC Philharmonic

Edward Gardner (conductor)

Chandos CHAN10875

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2010875

 

Also recommended:

Florian Uhlig (piano)

German Radio Saarbrucken-Kaiserslautern Philharmonic Orchestra

Pablo Gonzalez (conductor)  

RCA 82876603082

 

Mark Bebbington (piano)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Jan Latham-Koenig (conductor)

RESONUS RES10256

https://www.resonusclassics.com/products/poulenc-piano-concerto-concert-champetre-mark-bebbington-royal-philharmonic-orchestra-res10256

 


11.15am – New Releases

 

Reconnaissance. Music by Kaija Saariaho

Helsinki Chamber Choir

Timo Kurkikangas (electronics)

Anna Kuvaja (piano)

Uusinta Ensemble

Nils Schweckendiek (conductor)

BIS BIS-2662 SACD

https://bis.se/performers/helsinki-chamber-choir/kaija-saariaho-reconnaissance

 

Mozart: Piano Concertos

Robert Levin (harpsichord and organ)

Academy of Ancient Music

Bojan Čičić (director K107 & Nannerl and leader)

Laurence Cummings (conductor)

AAM 042

https://aam.co.uk/product/mozart-piano-concertos-levin-vol-10/

 

 

11.25am – Record of the Week

 

Ralph Vaughan Williams • 49th Parallel: the complete music written for the film

Jessica Millson (singer)

BBC Concert Orchestra

Martin Yates (conductor)

Dutton Epoch CDLX7405 (Hybrid SACD)

https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7405

Broadcast

  • Sat 24 Jun 2023 09:00
    BBC Radio 3

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