Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Andrew McGregor with Harriet Smith

Andrew McGregor rounds up the best new and recent releases, and in Building a Library, Harriet Smith compares recordings of Mendelssohn's String Quartet No 2 in A minor, Op 13.

with Andrew McGregor.

09.30
Building a Library: Harriet Smith listens to some of the available recordings of Mendelssohn's String Quartet No.2 in A minor, Op.13,

Mendelssohn was still a teenager when in 1827 he composed his 2nd String Quartet in A minor, Op.13, yet he had already written a number of other impressive chamber works including his much-loved and celebrated Octet. This String Quartet No.2, written the year in which Beethoven died, represents Mendelssohn's first mature string quartet. The influence of Beethoven on Mendelssohn can also be heard in this string quartet. It is a highly passionate work and its four movements (Adagio - Allegro vivace; Adagio non lento; Intermezzo & Presto - Adagio non lent) are unified by a theme 'ist es wahr?' (is it true?) first heard in the opening bars.

11.00
Andrew McGregor discusses new and recent releases of baroque music with Suzanne Aspden, including music by Handel, Vinci and Soler.

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

3 hours, 13 minutes

Music Played

  • Gioachino Rossini

    La scala di seta: Overture

    Orchestra: Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Conductor: Michele Mariotti.
    • Rossini: Overtures.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 1.
  • Giuseppe Zamponi

    Dies irae dies illa

    Ensemble: Huelgas Ensemble. Conductor: Paul Van Nevel.
    • Cypres.
  • Henry Mancini

    Moon River (Arr. for 2 Violins & Piano)

    Music Arranger: Tom Poster.
    • Estrellita.
    • BIS.
    • 17.
  • Claude Debussy

    Beau Soir

    Performer: Elena Urioste. Performer: Tom Poster. Music Arranger: Jascha Heifetz.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    Ave Maria su due note

    • Rossini: Piano Music, Vol. 11.
    • Naxos.
    • 1.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    Gioachino Rossini (musical signature)

    • Rossini: Piano Music, Vol. 11.
    • Naxos.
    • 20.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Mass in C minor: Sanctus

    Composer: Clemens Kemme. Choir: Bavarian Radio Symphony Choir. Conductor: Howard Arman. Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Mozart: Messe in C-Moll, K. 427 "Große Messe" (Mit Werkeinführung) [Live].
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 11.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Mass in C Minor: V. Benedictus

    Composer: Clemens Kemme. Choir: Bavarian Radio Symphony Choir. Conductor: Howard Arman. Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Mozart: Messe in C-Moll, K. 427 "Große Messe" (Mit Werkeinführung) [Live].
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 12.
  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Sonata No.20 in A D959: III. Scherzo

    Performer: Alexander Lonquich.
    • Alpha.
  • Aaron Copland

    Symphony No.3 (Original version): IV. Fanfare

    Orchestra: ´óÏó´«Ã½ Philharmonic. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Chandos.
  • Leonardo Vinci

    Didone abbandonata: Aria. 'Son Regina'

    Music Arranger: George Frideric Handel. Singer: Robin Johannsen. Ensemble: Lautten Compagney. Conductor: Wolfgang Katschner.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
  • Leonardo Vinci

    Didone abbandonata (ending)

    Composer: George Frideric Handel. Singer: Robin Johannsen. Ensemble: Lautten Compagney. Conductor: Wolfgang Katschner. Singer: Antonio Giovannini.
    • Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Ode for St Cecilia's Day

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt.
    • Linn Records.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Ode for St Cecilia's Day: 'But bright Cecilia...'

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Conductor: John Butt. Singer: Carolyn Sampson.
    • Linn Records.
  • Francesco Bianchi

    La Morte di Cesare: Aria. 'Sapro d'ogn'alma..'

    Singer: Raffaele Pé. Ensemble: La Lira di Orfeo.
    • Glossa.
  • Niccolò Piccinni

    Cesare in Egitto: Aria. 'Spargi omai...'

    Singer: Raffaele Pé. Ensemble: La Lira di Orfeo.
    • Glossa.
  • Padre Antonio Soler

    Dixit Dominus (opening)

    Choir: La Grande Chapelle. Conductor: Albert Recasens.
    • Lauda.
  • Padre Antonio Soler

    Lamentations

    Choir: La Grande Chapelle. Conductor: Albert Recasens.
    • Lauda.
  • György Ligeti

    Sonata for Solo Cello: I. Dialogo

    Performer: Mike Block.
    • Bright Shiny Things.
  • Giovanni Sollima

    Citarruni

    Performer: Mike Block.
    • Bright Shiny Things.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    G major Suite BWV1007: Sarabande

    Performer: Mike Block.
    • Bright Shiny Things.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No.5, Part III: V. Rondo-Finale. Allegro - Allegro giocoso. Frisch

    Orchestra: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Harding.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 5.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No.5, Part III: IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam

    Orchestra: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Harding.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 5.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 4.

Record Review

9.00am

Rossini: Overtures
Orchestra del Teatro comunale di Bologna
Michele Mariotti (conductor)
Pentatone PTC 5186 719
Ìý

Ìý

‘The Ear of Theodoor van Loon’ – Music from 16th & 17th century composers including Francesco Soriano, Paolo Quagliati, Felice Anerio, Giuseppe Zamponi and others
Huelgas Ensemble
Paul van Nevel
Cypres CYP1679

Ìý

‘Estrellita’ – miniatures for violin by Kreisler, Dvorak, Liszt, Gluck, Debussy, Elgar, Gershwin and others
Elena Urioste (violin)
Tom Poster (piano)
BIS-2428 SACD (SACD)

Ìý

Rossini: Piano Music, Vol.11 - Péchés de vieillesse; Chamber Music and Rarities, Vol.4
Laura Giordano (soprano)
Maria Candela Scalabrini (soprano)
Giuseppina Bridelli (mezzo-soprano)
Alessandro Luciano (tenor)
Bruno Taddia (baritone)
Vittorio Prato (baritone)
Alessandro Marangoni (piano)
Naxos 8.573964

9.30am – Building a Library – Harriet Smith on Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No.2 in A minor, Op.13

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn
Reviewer: Harriet Smith

Recommended Recording:

Elias Quartet
Alto ALC1303

Other Recommended Recording:

Leipzig Quartet
MDG 307 1055-2

Chiaroscuro Quartet – Top period-instrument recording
APARTÉ AP092

Quatuor Mosaiques
ASTRÉE E8622

Alban Berg Quartet
EMI 5 57167 2

Tetzlaff Quartet
AVI MUSIC 8553266

Ìý

10.20am – New Releases

Mass in C minor: Sanctus & Benedictus
Christina Landshamer (soprano)
Anke Vondung (mezzo)
Steve Davislim (tenor)
Tobias Berndt (baritone)
Bavarian radio Choir
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (orchestra)
Howard Arman (conductor)
BR Klassik 900917


Schubert: Piano Sonata nos.19, 20 & 21; Klavierstucke, D.946
Alexander Lonquich (piano)
Alpha 433


Copland: Symphony No.3, Connotations, Letter from Home & Down a Country Lane
´óÏó´«Ã½ Philharmonic
John Wilson (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 5222

Ìý

10.50am New Releases: Suzanne Aspden on Baroque New Releases

Handel, Vinci: Didone abbandonata
Polina Artsis (mezzo-soprano)
Namwon Huh (tenor)
Antonio Giovannini (countertenor)
Robin Johannsen (soprano)
Olivia Vermeulen (mezzo-soprano)
Julia Böhme (alto)
Lautten Compagney (orchestra)
Wolfgang Katschner (conductor)
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi DHM 88985415082

Handel: Ode for St Cecilia’s Day
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Ian Bostridge (tenor)
Dunedin Consort (ensemble)
John Butt (conductor)
Linn Records CKD 578


‘Giulio Cesare: a Baroque Hero’ – Baroque opera arias by Handel, Bianchi, Giacomelli, Piccinni & Pollarolo
Raffaele Pe (countertenor)
La Lira di Orfeo (ensemble)
Glossa GCD 923516

Antonio Soler: Latin vocal works
La Grande Chapelle (choir)
Albert Recasens (conductor)
Lauda LAU 018

Music for solo cello by Bach, Ligeti, Saygun, Gabrielli & Sollima
Mike Block (cello)
Bright Shiny Things BSTC-0124

11.45am – Disc of the Week

Mahler: Symphony No.5
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding (conductor)
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902366

Broadcast

  • Sat 24 Nov 2018 09:00

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.

Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.

Why the music we love as teens stays with us for life

Cognitive neuropyschology can explain why we return to old favourites again and again.