Ravel's Mother Goose in Building a Library with Ben Gernon and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Kirsten Gibson brings her selection of exciting new releases to the studio and shares her On Repeat track: music she has been listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Building a Library

Ben Gernon chooses his favourite recording of the complete ballet of Maurice Ravel's Mother Goose.

Contes de ma mère l'Oye is a classic French collection of fairy tales by Charles Perrault and the starting point for Ma mère l'Oye, a 1910 collection of five short piano duets Ravel wrote for the two young children of close friends. Each piece takes its title from Perrault: Pavane of Sleeping Beauty; Little Tom Thumb; Empress of the Pagodas; Conversation of Beauty and the Beast; Le jardin féerique. Like so much of his piano music Ravel went on to orchestrate it and soon after expanded the suite into a complete ballet score, reordering the movements and adding six extra numbers. Childhood always struck a special chord with Ravel and the music, with its very particular brand of refined, poetic expression and dazzling orchestration, surely enchants.

Ben's choice:
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson (conductor)
Chandos CHSA5280

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew’s top pick.