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Record Review at Free Thinking

Building a Library focuses on Britten's Piano Concerto with Erica Jeal, and Kirsten Gibson reviews recent releases of discs featuring music from the 16th and 17th centuries.

with Andrew McGregor, live from Sage Gateshead as part of Radio 3's Free Thinking festival of ideas.

9.30
Building a Library: Erica Jeal chooses her favourite from among the available recordings of Britten's Piano Concerto, Op 13.

Benjamin Britten, prey to lifelong performance anxiety on stage, famously excelled as pianist in chamber music and as accompanist. So his Piano Concerto, written as a vehicle for himself to play, is unusual in his output. The 24-year-old Britten gave the premiere at the 1938 Proms. In a programme note for the occasion Britten said that the four movements were 'conceived with the idea of exploiting various important characteristics of the pianoforte... it is not by any means a Symphony with pianoforte, but rather a bravura Concerto with orchestral accompaniment', a comment belying the brilliant interplay between piano and orchestra.

10.55
Kirsten Gibson reviews recent releases of 16th- and 17th-century music.

11.45
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.

3 hours, 12 minutes

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major Op.15

    Performer: Martha Argerich. Orchestra: 水戸室内管弦楽団. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Argerich & Ozawa: Beethoven.
    • Decca.
    • 7.
  • Giselher Klebe

    Alteration of the Sonata for Piano Op. 27/2: I. Adagio sostenuto

    Performer: P?emysl Vojta. Performer: Tobias Koch.
    • Metamorphosis, Horn & Piano.
    • CAvi-music.
    • 12.
  • Giselher Klebe

    Alteration of the 'Moonlight' Sonata, Op.27, No.2: III. Allegro agitato

    Performer: P?emysl Vojta. Performer: Tobias Koch.
    • Metamorphosis, Horn & Piano.
    • CAvi-music.
    • 14.
  • Hugo Wolf

    Um Mitternacht

    Performer: Gerald Moore. Singer: Christa Ludwig.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 14.
  • Franz Schubert

    Im Fruhling D.882

    Performer: Gerald Moore. Singer: Christa Ludwig.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    Duetto buffo di due gatti

    Performer: Gerald Moore. Singer: Christa Ludwig. Singer: Walter Berry.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 7.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Zigeunerlieder, Op.103, Nos.1 & 235

    Performer: Leonard Bernstein. Singer: Christa Ludwig.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Von ewiger Liebe, Op. 43 No. 1

    Performer: Leonard Bernstein. Singer: Christa Ludwig.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 18.
  • Richard Wagner

    Wesendonck-Lieder, No. 3 Im Treibhaus

    Singer: Christa Ludwig. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 10.
  • Alban Berg

    Sieben fruhe Lieder, No. 3 Die Nachtigall

    Singer: Christa Ludwig. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Christa Ludwig - The Complete Recitals on Warner Classics.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 9.
  • Orlando Gibbons

    Blessed are all they that fear the Lord

    Ensemble: Fretwork. Ensemble: His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. Choir: Magdalena Consort. Conductor: Peter Harvey.
    • In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem, Vol. 1.
    • Signum.
    • 10.
  • Orlando Gibbons

    O all true faithful hearts

    Ensemble: Fretwork. Ensemble: His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. Choir: Magdalena Consort. Conductor: Peter Harvey.
    • In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem, Vol. 1.
    • Signum.
    • 11.
  • Orlando Gibbons

    Fantasia in F Major a 2

    Performer: Fran?ois Joubert-Caillet. Ensemble: L’Achéron.
    • Orlando Gibbons: Fancies for the Viols.
    • Ricercar.
    • 5.
  • Orlando Gibbons

    Go from my window

    Performer: Fran?ois Joubert-Caillet. Ensemble: L’Achéron.
    • Orlando Gibbons: Fancies for the Viols.
    • Ricercar.
    • 18.
  • John Jenkins

    Fantasia No. 6

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • Jenkins, J: Consort Music for Four Parts.
    • Signum.
    • 7.
  • John Jenkins

    Fantasia No. 9

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
    • Jenkins, J: Consort Music for Four Parts.
    • Signum.
    • 10.
  • Ignazio Albertini

    Sonata No. 1

    Ensemble: Repicco.
    • Assassini, assassinati.
    • Ambronay.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    "Moonlight" Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor Op. 27/2

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 14 & 29.
    • DG.
    • 5.

Record Review

?9.00am

?

ARGERICH & OZAWA: BEETHOVEN

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN:

Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21

Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15

Martha Argerich (piano), Mito Chamber Orchestra, Seiji Ozawa

Decca 4832566 (CD)

?

METAMORPHOSIS, HORN & PIANO

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN:

Horn Sonata in F major, Op. 17

ROBERT SCHUMANN:

Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70

Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Romances (3), Op. 94

GISELHER KLEBE:

Sonata for Horn & Piano, Op. 95 (Alteration of Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 27 No. 2)

P?emysl Vojta (horn), Tobias Koch (piano)

Avi Music AVI8553383 (CD)

?

GEDANKENVERLOREN

FRANZ SCHUBERT:

Nacht und Tr?ume, D827

Heimliches Lieben, Op. 106 No. 1, D. 922

Frühlingsglaube, D686

MANFRED TROJAHN:

3 Ges?nge an Philomele

Die kleinen Lieder

CLAUDE DEBUSSY:

Apparition - song (1884)

Clair de Lune (from Suite Bergamasque)

2 Romances, L. 79: No. 1, L'?me évaporée

LILI BOULANGER:

Clairières dans le ciel

SERGEY RACHMANINOV:

15 Romances, Op. 26: No. 10, Before My Window

12 Romances, Op. 21: No. 7, How Fair This Spot

6 Romances, Op. 38: No. 5, The Dream

ERNST KRENEK:

? Lacrimosa, Op. 48

LORI LAITMAN:

I Never Saw Another Butterfly

RICHARD STRAUSS:

Lieder (4), Op. 36, TrV 18, No. 1, Das Rosenband

Vier Lieder Op. 27, No. 4, Morgen!

Katharina Konradi (soprano), Gerold Huber (piano), Andreas Lipp (clarinet)

Genuin GEN18490 (CD)

?

THE GASPARINI ALBUM

FRANCESCO GASPARINI:

Astianatte

L'oracolo del fato

Ciro

Il Bajazet

Engelberta

Tamerlano

Santa Eufrosina

Ambleto

L'oracolo del fato

Cantate da camera a voce sola, Op. 1

Concerto in A major

Roderico

Atalia

Roberta Invernizzi (soprano), Auser Musici, Carlo Ipata

Glossa GCD922905 CD

?

9.30am – Building a Library – Erica Jeal on Britten’s Piano Concerto, Op. 13

?

?

Composer:???????????????? Benjamin Britten

?

Piece: ??????????????????????? Piano Concerto, Op. 13
???????????????????????

Reviewer:????????????????? Erica Jeal

?


Recommended Recording
:

Steven Osborne (piano)

大象传媒 Scottish Symphony Orchestra; Ilan Volkovn (conductor)

From Britten: Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Hyperion CD67625

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Other Recommended Recordings
:

?

Below are other recordings that Erica also liked, although we can’t guarantee availability.

Sviatoslav Richter (piano)

English Chamber Orchestra

Decca 4173082

?

Joanna MacGregor (piano)

English Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford (conductor)

Naxos 8557197

?

Howard Shelley (piano)

大象传媒 Philharmonic; Edward Gardner (conductor)

Chandos CHAN10764

?

Elizabeth Joy Roe (piano)

London Symphony Orchestra; Emil Tabakov (conductor)

Decca 478 8189

?

?

10.20am New Releases:

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CHRISTA LUDWIG: THE COMPLETE RECITALS ON WARNER CLASSICS

Works by…

Ludwig van Beethoven, Alban Berg, Johannes Brahms, Christoph Willibald Gluck, George Frideric Handel, Franz Joseph Haydn, Gustav Mahler, Henry Purcell,? Sergey Rachmaninov, ?Maurice Ravel, Max Reger, Antonio Rossini, Camille Saint-Sa?ns, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Richard Strauss, Richard Wagner, Hugo Wolf.

Warner Classics 9029569020 (11 CDs)

?

1050 New Releases:

?

IN CHAINS OF GOLD: THE ENGLISH PRE-RESTORATION VERSE ANTHEM, VOL. 1, ORLANDO GIBBONS – COMPLETE CONSORT ANTHEMS

ORLANDO GIBBONS:

Behold, thou hast made my days

We praise Thee, O Father

In Nomine a5 No.1

This is the Record of John

Great King of Gods

Do not repine, fair sun part 1

Do not repine, fair sun part 2

In Nomine a5 No.2

Glorious and powerful God

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord

O all true faithful hearts

Sing unto the Lord

In Nomine a 5 No. 3

See, see, the Word is incarnate

Lord, grant grace

Fretwork, His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts, Magdalena Consort, Peter Harvey

Signum SIGCD511 (CD)

?

ORLANDO GIBBONS: FANCIES FOR THE VIOLS

ORLANDO GIBBONS:

Fantasia for 6 Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 39)

Fantasia No. 6 for 3 Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 12)

In Nomine No. 1 a5

Fantasia No. 1 a3

Fantasia for 2 Treble Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 1)

Fantasia a 3 with Double Bass Viol (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 19)

Galliard a 3 with Double Bass Viol (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 23)

Fantasia No. 2 a6

Fantasia No. 8 for 3 Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 14)

Dances and Divisions a6

Fantasia a 3 with Double Bass Viol (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 18)

Fantasia for 2 Treble Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 4)

In Nomine No. 2 a5

Fantasia for 4 Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 24)

Fantasia No. 2 a3

Fantasia for 6 Viols (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 33)

Go from my Window (Musica Britannica Vol. 48, No. 40)

Francois Joubert-Caillet (viol), L’Achéron

Ricercar RIC384 (CD)

?

JOHN JENKINS: CONSORT MUSIC FOR FOUR PARTS

JOHN JENKINS

Fantasia No. 1

Fantasia No. 2

Fantasia No. 3

Fantasia No. 4

Pavan in D Minor

Fantasia No. 5

Fantasia No. 6

Fantasia No. 7

Fantasia No. 8

Fantasia No. 9

Fantasia No. 10

Fantasia No. 11

Fantasia No. 12

Fantasia No. 13

Fantasia No. 14

Pavan in E Minor

Fantasia No. 15

Fantasia No. 16

Fantasia No. 17 Fretwork

Signum SIGCD528 (CD)

?

ASSASSINI, ASSASSINATI

IGNAZIO ALBERTINI:

12 Violin Sonatas: Sonata No.1

BIAGGIO MARINI:

Capriccio per sonare il violino con tre corde a modo di lira, Op. 8

BELLOROFONTE CASTALDI:

Sonata settima

GIOVANNI ANTONIO PANDOLFI:

6 Sonatas, Op. 4: IV. La Biancuccia

ANON.:

Theorbo improvisation

ALESSANDRO STRADELLA:

Sinfonia No. 2

GIOVANNI ANTONIO PANDOLFI:

Violin Sonata, Op. 3: I. La Stella?

ALESSANDRO STRADELLA:

Sinfonia No. 9

IGNAZIO ALBERTINI:

12 Violin Sonatas: Sonata No.3

ANON.:

Violin improvisation

ALESSANDRO STRADELLA:

Sinfonia No. 5

BELLOROFONTE CASTALDI:

Furiosa? Corrente

GIOVANNI ANTONIO PANDOLFI:

Violin Sonata, Op. 3: V. La Clemente?

Repicco

Ambronay AMY38D (download)

?

11.45am – Disc of the Week

BEETHOVEN: PIANO SONATAS NOS. 14 & 29

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN:

Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 'Hammerklavier'

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight'

Murray Perahia (piano)

DG 4798353 (CD)

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Broadcast

  • Sat 10 Mar 2018 09:00

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