Andrew McGregor with William Mival
A round-up of the best 2018 new classical releases, and in Building a Library William Mival picks a favourite recording of Richard Strauss's orchestral showpiece Till Eulenspiegel.
Throughout today's programme Andrew McGregor is joined by Record Review regulars Katy Hamilton, Jeremy Sams, Harriet Smith to hear them round up and play their top recordings of 2018.
09.30
Building a Library: William Mival picks a personal favourite from among the recordings of Richard Strauss's Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche (Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks).
In an exhilarating tour de force of orchestral writing and musical form, Strauss's 1895 symphonic poem depicts the exploits of the 14th century Till Eulenspiegel. Rascally, foolish and mischievous, courageous and scornful, Till rampages through medieval German society, leaving destruction and outrage in his wake as he confronts and exposes pomposity and hypocrisy. By identifying himself through musical brilliance as an anarchic devil-may-care hero, Strauss was at least in part giving the finger to the musical establishment after the critical dubbing of his recently premiered first opera Guntram. Late in life, Strauss said of Till 'I just wanted to give the people in the concert hall a good laugh for once.' Or was that, too, just another prank...?
Last on
More episodes
Music Played
-
![]()
Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto No. 3 'Autumn' Op.8 No.2: III. Allegro
Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.- Channel Classics.
-
![]()
John Christopher Smith
'It comes! It comes! It must be death!'
Singer: Ruby Hughes. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Laurence Cummings.- Chandos.
-
![]()
John Adams
Doctor Atomic: Act 1. 'Am I in your light?'
Singer: Julia Bullock. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Adams.- Nonesuch.
-
![]()
Sergey Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, Op.40: I. Allegro vivace (Alla breve)
Performer: Daniil Trifonov. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick N茅zet鈥怱茅guin.- DG.
-
![]()
Joseph Haydn
Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:21: II. Molto andante
Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.- Haydn: Piano Trios, HOB. XV:14, 18, 21, 26 & 31.
- harmonia mundi.
- 8.
-
![]()
Joseph Haydn
Piano Trio in E-Flat Minor, Hob. XV:27: II. Allegro [Jacob's Dream]
Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.- Haydn: Piano Trios, HOB. XV:14, 18, 21, 26 & 31.
- harmonia mundi.
- 14.
-
![]()
William Cornysh
Ave Maria mater Dei
Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.- Coro.
-
![]()
Philip Cooke
Ave Maria, mater Dei
Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers. Singer: Emilia Morton. Singer: Julie Cooper.- Coro.
-
![]()
Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65: II. Scherzo
Performer: D茅nes V谩rjon. Performer: Steven Isserlis.- Hyperion.
-
![]()
Franz Schubert
Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D821: I. Allegro moderato
Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: D茅nes V谩rjon.- Hyperion.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Acis and Galatea: Act I. 'Oh, the pleasure of the plains!
Ensemble: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.- Chandos.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Acis and Galatea: Act II. 'Wretched Lovers! Fate Has Past'
Singer: Neal Davies. Ensemble: Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.- Chandos.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fughetta in G major, BWV902: Prelude
Performer: V铆kingur 脫lafsson.- DG.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Chorale Prelude, BWV734 'Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein'
Performer: V铆kingur 脫lafsson.- DG.
-
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
'Widerstehe doch der S眉nde, BWV54 (transcribed 脫lafsson)
Performer: V铆kingur 脫lafsson.- DG.
-
![]()
Ruth Gipps
Symphony No.2 in B major, Op. 30: IX. Tempo di Marcia; X. Adagio
Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Orchestra: 大象传媒 National Orchestra of Wales.- Chandos.
-
![]()
Ruth Gipps
Symphony No.4, Op.61: I.Moderato - Allegro molto
Orchestra: 大象传媒 National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.- Chandos.
Record Review
9.00am 鈥� Best of 2018 with Harriet Smith, Katy Hamilton & Jeremy Sams 鈥� Part 1
Vivaldi: Four Seasons; Il riposo per il Santissimo Natale; L鈥檃moroso & Il grosso mogul
Rachel Podger (violin)
Brecon Baroque (ensemble)
With:
Johannes Pramsohler (violin)
Sabine Stoffer (violin)
Jane Rogers (viola)
Alison McGillivray (violoncello)
Jan Spencer (violone)
Daniele Caminiti (theorbo)
Marcin Swiatkiewicz (harpsichord / Chamber organ)
Channel Classics CCS SA 40318 (Hybrid SACD)
鈥楬andel鈥檚 Last Prima Donna / Giulia Frasi in London鈥� 鈥� operatic arias for soprano by Handel, Ciampi, Arne, John C. Smith & Hayes
Ruby Hughes (soprano)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Laurence Cummings (conductor)
CHANDOS Chaconne CHSA0403 (Hybrid SACD)
John Adams: Doctor Atomic
Gerald Finley (Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer)
Brindley Sherratt (Edward Teller)
Andrew Staples (Robert Wilson)
Julia Bullock (Kitty Oppenheimer)
Jennifer Johnston (Pasqualita)
Aubrey Allicock (General Leslie Groves)
Marcus Farnsworth (Frank Hubbard)
Samuel Sakker (Captain James Nolan)
大象传媒 Singers
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra
John Adams (conductor)
Nonesuch 7559793107 (2 CDs)
鈥楧estination Rachmaninov, Departure鈥� 鈥� Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 2 & 4 + JS Bach: Partita for Violin Solo No.3 in E Major arr. Piano by Rachmaninov
Daniil Trifonov (piano)
Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin (conductor)
DG 4835335
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� William Mival on R. Strauss鈥檚 Till Eulenspiegel鈥檚 lustige Streiche
Composer: Richard Strauss
Reviewer: William Mival
Recommended Recording:
Staatskapelle Dresden
Rudolf Kempe (conductor)
Warner Classics 5747562 (download)
Warner Classics 4317802 (9 CD听 Box Set)
Other Recommended Recording:
Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra
David Zinman
Arte Nova 74321870712
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Ivan Fischer
Hungaroton HCD12899
Cleveland Orchestra
George Szell
Sony Classical SBK48272
10.20am 鈥� Best of 2018 with Harriet Smith, Katy Hamilton & Jeremy Sams 鈥� Part 2
Haydn: Piano Trios Hob.XV:21 in A flat major, XV:18 in A major, XV:21 in C major, XV:26 in F sharp major, XV:31 in E flat minor
Trio Wanderer
Harmonia Mundi HMM902321
鈥楽tar of Heavem 鈥� The Eton Choirbook Legacy鈥�: Choral music by Cooke, Cornysh, Galvani, Hough, Lambe, MacMillan, Phibbs & Wylkynson
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers (conductor)
Coro COR16166
Chopin: Cello Sonata & Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata
Steven Isserlis (cello)
D茅nes V谩rjon (piano)
Hyperion CDA68227
Handel: Acis and Galatea
Lucy Crowe (Galatea)
Allan Clayton (Acis)
Benjamin Hulett (Damon)
Neal Davies (Polyphemus)
Jeremy Budd (Coridon)
Rowan Pierce (Chorus)
Early Opera Company
Christian Curnyn (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 0404 (2 hybrid SACDs)
Solo piano works and transcriptions by JS Bach
V铆kingur 脫lafsson (piano)
DG 4835022
Ruth Gipps: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4, Song for Orchestra & Knight in Armour
大象传媒 National Orchestra of Wales
Rumon Gamba (conductor)
Chandos CHAN20078
Broadcast
- Sat 15 Dec 2018 09:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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
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.