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Andrew MacGregor with Roger Parker and Anna Picard

Andrew McGregor rounds up the best recent releases and, in Building a Library, Roger Parker compares recordings of Handel's opera Ariodante.

with Andrew McGregor.

09.30
Building a Library: Roger Parker listens to and compares the available recordings of Handel's opera Ariodante.

Handel's operas were the talk of the smart set in early 18th Century London. The exotic mix of temperamental prima donnas and castrati with Handel's sublime music was a potent combination. And Ariodante was one of the very best of his operas. It contains a series of extraordinary arias for the title role from the mournful aria, "Scherza infida" to the joyful "Dopo notte" with exciting vocal acrobatics.

10.30
Andrew is joined by Anna Picard to discuss a group of recent orchestral releases by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Mozart; including a cycle of the Beethoven Piano Concertos from soloist Mitsuko Uchida and the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle.

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

3 hours, 13 minutes

Last on

Sat 19 Jan 2019 09:00

Music Played

  • Hector Berlioz

    Marche au supplice (Symphonie fantatstique)

    Performer: Jean鈥怓ran莽ois Heisser. Performer: Marie鈥怞os猫phe Jude.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Fran莽ois Couperin

    Les Nations, Second Ordre, L'Espagnole: I. Sonade

    Orchestra: Les Talens Lyriques. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • Couperin: Les Nations.
    • 础辫补谤迟茅.
    • 10.
  • Stef Conner

    O splendissima gemma

    Performer: Hannah Lawrence. Choir: The Blossom Street Singers. Conductor: Hilary Campbell.
    • Naxos.
  • Darius Milhaud

    Cello Concerto No.1 Op. 136: III. Joyeux

    Performer: Hee-Young Lim. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Scott Yoo.
    • Sony.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No.3 in C major Op.52: II. Andantino

    Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris 鈥 Philharmonie. Conductor: Paavo J盲rvi.
    • Sony.
  • Armas J盲rnefelt

    Song of the Scarlet Flower (Soundtrack): Chapter 4. A Young Man's Daring-Do

    Orchestra: G盲vle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Jaakko Kuusisto.
    • Ondine.
  • Kevin Malone

    The People Protesting Drum Out Bigly Covfefe

    Performer: Adam Swayne.
    • Coviello Classics.
  • Morton Gould

    Boogie Woogie Etude

    Performer: Adam Swayne.
    • Coviello Classics.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto No.1 in B flat: III. Presto

    Performer: Nikolaj Znaider. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • LSO Live.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto No.3 in G major: II. Adagio

    Performer: Nikolaj Znaider. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • LSO Live.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Rondo Brillant in E flat major, Op.29

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Die K枚lner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • BIS.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Piano Concerto No.2 in D minor: I. Allegro appasionato

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Die K枚lner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • BIS.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No.2: II. Scherzo

    Performer: Eric Lu. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No.4: II. Andante con moto

    Performer: Eric Lu. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No.3: II. Largo

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No.4: III. Rondo

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No.5: I. Allegro

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No.1: III. Rondo. Molto allegro

    Performer: Mitsuko Uchida. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quintet No.5 in D major K593

    Performer: Harald Schoneweg. Ensemble: Klenke Quartett.
    • Accentus Music.

Record Review Listings

9.00am

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (Transcribed for two pianos by J-F Heisser)
Jean-Francois Heisser and Marie-Josephe Jude (Pleyel vis-脿-vis piano, 1928)
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902503

Couperin: Les Nations
Les Talens Lyriques (ensemble)
Christophe Rousset (director)
Aparte AP197 (2 CDs)

鈥楾his Day 鈥 celebrating a century of British women鈥檚 right to vote鈥 鈥 Songs by women composers including Weir, Bingham, Clarke, I. Holst and R. Panufnik + others
Vanessa Bowers (soprano)
Melissa Davies (soprano)
Ellie Martin (soprano)
Emily Wenman (soprano)
Phillipa Thomas (mezzo-soprano)
Hannah Lawrence (clarinet)
Annabel Thwaite (piano)
Anna Lapwood (organ)
Blossom Street (choir)
Hilary Campbell (conductor)
Naxos 8.573991

Cello Concertos by Saitn-Saens, Lalo & Milhaud + Offenbach: Les larmes de Jacqueline & Massenet: Meditation from Thais
Hee-Young Lim (cello)
London Symphony Orchestra
Scott Yoo (conductor)
Sony 80358118425听

9.30am 鈥 Building a Library 鈥 Roger Parker on Handel鈥檚 Ariodante

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Reviewer: Roger Parker

Recommended Recording:


Joyce DiDonato (Ariodante)
Karina Gauvin (Ginevra)
Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Polinesso)
Sabina Pu茅rtolas (Dalinda)
Topi Lehtipuu (Lurcanio)
Matthew Brook (King of Scotland)
Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani (Odoardo)
Il Complesso Barocco (orchestra)
Alan Curtis (conductor)
Erato 0708442 (3 CDs)

Other Recommended Recording:

Dame Janet Baker (Ariodante)
Edith Mathis (Ginevre)
Norma Burrowes (Dalinda)
James Bowman (Polinesso)
David Rendall (Lurcanio)
Samuel Ramey (Il Re di Scozia)
Alexander Oliver (Odoardo)
English Chamber Orchestra
London Voices (choir)
Raymond Leppard (conductor)
Philips 4420962听

10.20am 鈥 New Releases

Sibelius: Complete Symphonies
Orchestre de Paris
Paavo Jarvi (conductor)
Sony 19075924512 (3 CDs)

Armas Jarnefelt: Song of the Scarlet Flower (full score to the 1919 film)
Gavle Symphony Orchestra
Jaakko Kuusisto (conductor)
Ondine ODE 1328-2D听

鈥(Speak to me) New Music, New Politics鈥 鈥 Gershwin: Preludes; Gould: Boogie Woogie Etude; Amy Beth Kirsten: (speak to me); Kevin Malone: The People Protesting Drum Out Bigly Covfefe & Frederic Rzewski: North American Ballads
Adam Swayne (piano)
Coviello Classics COV91818

10.50am 鈥 New Releases: Anna Picard on orchestral music & concertos

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos.1, 2 & 3
Nikolaj Znaider (violin & direction)
London Symphony Orchestra
LSO Live LSO0804


Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2, Rondo brilliant in E flat major, Capriccio brilliant in B minor & Serenade and Allegro giojoso
Ronald Brautigam (piano)
Die Kolner Akademie (orchestra)
Michael Alexander Willens (conductor)
BIS BIS2264


Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.4, Chopin: Piano Sonata No.2 & Ballade No.4
Eric Lu (piano)
Hall茅 Orchestra
Edward Gardner (conductor)
Warner Classics 0190295552152


Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1-5
Mitsuko Uchida (piano)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Simon Rattle (conductor)
Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR 180241 (3 CDs + Blu-Ray Video)

11.45am 鈥 Disc of the Week

Mozart: The String Quintets
Klenke Quartett
Harald Schoneweg (viola)
Accentus Music ACC 80467 (3 CDs)

Broadcast

  • Sat 19 Jan 2019 09:00

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