Andrew McGregor with Stephen Johnson and Sara Mohr-Pietsch
Andrew McGregor rounds up the best new and recent releases, and in Building a Library Stephen Johnson compares recordings of Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, Op 70.
with Andrew McGregor.
09.30
Building a Library: Stephen Johnson listens to and compares some of the available recordings of Tchaikovsky's string sextet Souvenir de Florence, Op.70.
Tchaikovsky subtitled his String Sextet in D minor, Op.70, 'Souvenir de Florence' because he sketched one of the work's main themes during the 3-month visit he made to Florence in Italy in 1890 during which he mainly devoted his energy to composing his opera, The Queen of Spades. Despite its conception in Italy, the Souvenir de Florence is decidedly Russian in character. It's not a work that Tchaikovsky found easy to complete, partly because of the scoring for 2 violins, 2 violas and 2 cellos, a texture that he found sometimes more orchestral than comprising 6 independent contrapuntal voices. Tchaikovsky composed the Sextet in 31 days and it received its first public performance in December 1890 at the St Petersburg Chamber Music Society, which had commissioned the work. Tchaikovsky was not entirely happy and revised the work during the following 2 years. Its final version was premiered in 1892 at the St Petersburg Imperial Russian Musical Society, by a sextet led by Leopold Auer.
11.00
In the run-up to International Women's Day, Sara Mohr-Pietsch reviews some of the most exciting new releases of the female composers.
11.45
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
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Knud氓ge Riisager
Etudes after Czerny
Orchestra: Aarhus Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Andreas Delfs.- DaCapo.
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Jean Sibelius
Symphony No.1 in E minor, Op.39: II. Andante
Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Santtu-Matias Rouvali.- Alpha.
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Johanna Senfter
Violin Sonata in G minor, Op.32: III. Gem盲chlich
Performer: Friedemann Eichhorn. Performer: Paul Rivinius.- Paladino Music.
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Will Todd
Songs of Renewal: Me renovare
Choir: Bath Camerata. Director: Benjamin Goodson.- Somm Recordings.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Festive Overture, Op.96
Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Jo毛l Bons
Nomaden: No.10, 'Duel'
Performer: Jean鈥怗uihen Queyras. Performer: Wu Wei.- Jo毛l Bons: Nomaden.
- BIS.
- 10.
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Jo毛l Bons
Nomaden: No.11, 'Azertet'
Ensemble: Atlas Ensemble. Conductor: Ed Spanjaard.- Jo毛l Bons: Nomaden.
- BIS.
- 11.
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Henry Purcell
Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Z. 792: I. [Sans indication] . Adagio
Ensemble: La R锚veuse. Conductor: Florence Bolton. Conductor: Benjamin Perrot.- Circa 1700: Purcell & his Generation.
- Mirare.
- 1.
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Henry Purcell
Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Z. 792: II. Canzona. [Allegro] - Adagio
Ensemble: La R锚veuse. Conductor: Florence Bolton. Conductor: Benjamin Perrot.- Circa 1700: Purcell & his Generation.
- Mirare.
- 2.
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Henry Purcell
Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Z. 792: III. Poco largo. Allegro
Ensemble: La R锚veuse. Conductor: Florence Bolton. Conductor: Benjamin Perrot.- Circa 1700: Purcell & his Generation.
- Mirare.
- 3.
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Henry Purcell
From silent shades (Bess of Bedlam Z.370)
Performer: Richard Egarr. Performer: William Carter. Singer: Rowan Pierce. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music.- Linn.
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Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Aequilibria
Ensemble: International Contemporary Ensemble. Conductor: Steven Schick.- Sono Luminus.
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Ethel Smyth
Violin sonata Op.7: III. scherzo
Performer: Tasmin Little. Performer: John Lenehan.- Chandos.
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Charlotte Bray
Invisible Cities: II. Unnerved, intimate
Performer: Barbara Buntrock. Performer: Huw Watkins.- RTF Classical.
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Cassandra Miller
Leaving
Ensemble: Quatuor Bozzini.- Another Timbre.
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Elizabeth Maconchy
String Quartet No.13 (Quartetto Corto, 1984)
Ensemble: Mistry Quartet. Conductor: John Jeter.- Unicorn.
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Florence Price
Symphony No.4 in D minor: IV Scherzo
Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony. Conductor: John Jeter.- Naxos.
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Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 3, Part I: No. 1. Kr盲ftig. Entschieden
Orchestra: G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.- Mahler: Symphony No. 3.
- harmonia mundi.
- 1.
Record Review
Knudage Riisager: Violin Concerto & Etudes for violin
Ian van Rensburg (violin)
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra
Andreas Delfs (conductor)
DaCapo 8.226145
Sibelius: Symphony No.1 & En Saga
Gothenburg Symphony
Santtu-Matias Rouvali (conductor)
Alpha 440
Johanna Senfter: Violin Sonata in G minor, Violin Sonata in A major, Two Suites for two violins, Op.91
Friedemann Eichhorn (violin)
Alexia Eichhorn (violin)
Paul Rivinius (piano)
Paladino Music PMR0101 (2 CDs)
鈥楽ongs of Renewal鈥� 鈥� Jonathan Dove: The Passing Year; Will Todd: Songs of Renewal plus choral songs by Judith Weir, Tarik O鈥橰egan, Cecilia McDowall, Huw Watkins & Roderick Williams
Bath Camerata (choir)
Benjamin Goodson (conductor)
Somm Recordings SOMMCD 0195
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Stephen Johnson on Tchaikovsky鈥檚 Souvenir de Florence
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Reviewer: Stephen Johnson
Recommended Recording:
Borodin Quartet
Alto ALC1295
Other Recommended Recordings:
Chamber orchestra
Norwegian Chamber Orchestra
Iona Brown (conductor)
Chandos CHAN 9708
听
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
鈥楧mitri Shostakovich: Under Stalin鈥檚 Shadow鈥� 鈥� Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos.6 & 7; Incidental music to 鈥楰ing Lear鈥�; Festive Overture
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Andris Nelsons (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 6728
Jo毛l Bons: Nomaden
Jean-Guihen Queyras (cello)
Atlas Ensemble
Ed Spanjaard (conductor)
BIS-2073 (Hybrid SACD)
鈥楲ondon (Circa 1700)鈥� 鈥� Instsrumental music by Purcell, Godfrey Finger, Giovanni Draghi, John Blow & William Croft
La R锚veuse (ensemble)
Benjamin Perrot (theorbo)
Florence Bolton (viola da gamba)
Mirare MIR368
鈥楾he Cares of Lovers鈥� 鈥� Songs by Purcell
Rowan Pierce (soprano)
William Carter (lute/theorbo)
Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
Linn CKD592
10.50am 鈥� International Women鈥檚 Day composers with Sara Mohr-Pietsch
Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Aequa
International Contemporary Ensemble
Steven Schick (director)
Sono Luminus DSL-92227
Amy Beach: Violin Sonata in A minor, Romance in A major & Invocation; Clara Schumann: Three Romances; Smyth: Violin Sonata in A minor
Tasmin Little (violin)
John Lenehan (piano)
Chandos CHAN20030
Charlotte Bray: Chamber and Solo Works - 鈥榋ustande鈥� for piano quartet, 鈥楤eyond鈥� for solo violin, 鈥業nvisible Cities鈥� for violin and piano, 鈥極n the Other Shore鈥� for solo cello , 鈥楾he Sun was Chasing Venus鈥� for String Quintet
Philipp Bohnen (violin)
Barbara Buntrock (viola)
Peter-Philipp Staemmler (cello)
Huw Watkins (piano)
Mariani Klavierquartett
Amaryllis Quartett
RTF Classical IBU 08
Cassandra Miller: 鈥楯ust So, 鈥榃arblework鈥� About Bach & 鈥楲eaving鈥� for string quartet
Quatuor Bozzini
Another Timbre AT129
Elizabeth Maconchy: Complete String Quartets
Hanson String Quartet
Bingham String Quartet
Mistry Quartet
Unicorn DKPCD9080/2 (3 CDs)
Florence Price: Symphonies Nos.1 & 4
Fort Smith Symphony
John Jeter (conductor)
Naxos 8.559827
11.45am 鈥� Disc of the Week
Mahler: Symphony No.3
G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚lner
Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth (conductor)
Harmonia Mundi HMM 9053 1415 (2 CDs)
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