Andrew McGregor with Nicholas Baragwanath and Sarah Walker
Andrew McGregor rounds up the best new and recent releases and, in Building a Library, Nicholas Baragwanath compares recordings of Mahler's Symphony No 4. Plus, the LA Phil at 100.
with Andrew McGregor.
09.30
Building a Library: Nicholas Baragwanath listens to and compares some of the available recordings of Mahler's 4th Symphony.
Mahler wrote his 4th Symphony on the very cusp of the Twentieth Century and it was premiered in Munich on 25th November 1901. Since Mahler's death, his 4th Symphony has come to be recognised as one of his most 'classical' and approachable of his symphonic works, although it was considered to be a sacrilegious modernist work at the time of its premiere. It completes the tetralogy of his first four symphonies, his 'Wunderhorn' symphonies, so called because they each reversion music from his orchestral Wunderhorn songs. In the case of the Fourth Symphony, it is the disquieting song 'Das himmlische leben' that permeates the entire work and then comes to the fore when solo soprano joins forces with the orchestra for the final movement.
Mahler's 4th Symphony is not scored for a very large orchestra and includes neither trombones nor tuba. In it, Mahler also makes wonderful use of 'Klangfarben', voices emerging from one another within the orchestra.
1050
Sarah Walker reviews the new DG 35-CD box set 'LA Phil Centenary Edition', which includes recordings from Stravinsky to Dudamel and Giulini to Esa-Pekka Salonen.
11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
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John Williams
Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra
Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic. Conductor: Gustavo Dudamel.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Antonio Lotti
Crucifixus a 8
Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.- The Music of King's: Choral Favourites from Cambridge.
- Kings College Cambridge.
- 4.
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John Tavener
They are all gone into the world of light
Choir: Winchester Cathedral Choir. Conductor: Andrew Lumsden.- Hyperion.
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Charles Gounod
Symphony No.2 in E flat: III. Scherzo
Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier.- Chandos.
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Gaspare Spontini
Olimpie (1826 version): Act III - Finale
Singer: Karina Gauvin. Singer: Kate Aldrich. Singer: Mathias Vidal. Singer: Patrick Bolleire. Choir: Vlaams Radiokoor. Orchestra: Le Cercle de l'Harmonie. Conductor: J茅r茅mie Rhorer.- Bru Zane.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 'Path茅tique': I. Grave...
Performer: Jonathan Biss.- Meyer Media.
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Paul Hindemith
Kleine Sonata Op.25, No.2: II. Sehr langsam
Performer: Roman Mints. Performer: Alexander Kobrin.- Quartz.
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Charles鈥怣arie Widor
Organ Symphony No.9, Op.70 'Gothique': III. Allegro
Performer: Christian Schmitt.- Widor: Organ Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8-10.
- CPO.
- 8.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a (arr. Pletnev)
Performer: Alexander Ullman. Music Arranger: Mikhail Pletnev.- The Nutcracker, Petrushka, Cinderella & The Firebird.
- Rubicon Classics.
- 1.
Record Review
9.00am
鈥楥elebrating John Williams鈥� 鈥� Music by John Williams from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Harry Potter, Schindler鈥檚 List, E.T., Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Memoirs of听 Geisha, Star Wars & Superman + Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Gustavo Dudamel (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 6647 (2 CDs)
鈥楾he Music of King鈥檚: Choral Favourites from Cambridge鈥� 鈥� Choral music by Monteverdi, Schedt, Palestrina, Faur茅, Mozart, Franck, Parry, Goss, Walford Davies, L. Berkely, O. Gjeilo, F. Martin, M. Lauridsen & S. Paulus
The Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge
Stephen Cleobury (conductor)
Kings KGS 0034
Tavener: Five anthems from the Veil of the Temple, Angels, As one who has slept, Song for Athene, The Lamb & others
Winchester Cathedral Choir
George Castle (Winchester cathedral organ)
Andrew Lumsden (conductor)
Hyperion CDA68255
Gounod: Symphonies Nos.1 & 2
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Yan Pascal Tortelier (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 5231 (Hybrid SACD)
Spontini: Olimpie (1826 revision)
Olimpie听听听听听听听听听听 Karina Gauvin (soprano)
Statira听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Kate Aldrich (mezzo soprano)
Cassandre听听听听听听听 Mathias Vidal (tenor)
Antigone听听听听听听听听 Josef Wagner (baritone)
L鈥橦i茅rophante Patrick Bolleire (bass)
Hermas听听听听听听听听听听听 Philippe Souvagie (baritone)
Flemish Radio Choir
Le Cercle de l鈥橦armonie (orchestra)
J茅r茅mie Rhorer (conductor)
Bru Zane BZ1035 (2 CDs + 168pg book)
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Nicholas Baragwanath on Mahler鈥檚 Symphony No.4
Composer: Gustav Mahler
Reviewer: Nicholas Baragwanath
Recommended Recording:
Miah Persson (soprano)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Ivan Fischer (conductor)
Channel Classics CCSSA26109 (hybrid SACD)
Other Recommended Recordings:
Elsie Morison (soprano)
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Raphael Kubelik (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 4696372
Jo Vincent (soprano)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Willem Mengelberg (conductor)
DG 0289 426 1082 8
Kathleen Battle (soprano)
Vienna Philharmonic
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
Sony G0100036945084
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
鈥楤eethoven Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8鈥� 鈥� Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 鈥楶ath茅tique鈥�, 10, 22 & 31
Jonathan Biss (piano)
Meyer Media MM19040
Hindemith: Complete works for violin & piano + Kleine Sonata for viola d鈥檃more & piano
Roman Mints (violin & viola d鈥檃more)
Alexander Kobrin (piano)
Quartz QTZ 2132
Widor: Organ Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10
Christian Schmitt (Cavaill茅-Coll organ of St Ouen, Rouen)
CPO 777 706-2 (3 hybrid SACDs)
10.45am 鈥� Sarah Walker on the LA Philharmonic Centenary Box
LA Phil 鈥� 100 Years
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Various others
Deutsche Grammophon 00289 483 6107 (32 CDs & 3 DVDs + 120-page booklet)
11.20am 鈥� Record of the Week
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (arr. Pletnev); Stravinsky: Petrushka (arr. Stravinsky) & The Firebird (arr. Agosti); Prokofiev: Cinderella (arr. Prokofiev)
Alexander Ullman (piano)
Rubicon Classics RCD1029
Record Review
9.00am
鈥楥elebrating John Williams鈥� 鈥� Music by John Williams from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Harry Potter, Schindler鈥檚 List, E.T., Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Memoirs of听 Geisha, Star Wars & Superman + Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra
Gustavo Dudamel (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 6647 (2 CDs)
鈥楾he Music of King鈥檚: Choral Favourites from Cambridge鈥� 鈥� Choral music by Monteverdi, Schedt, Palestrina, Faur茅, Mozart, Franck, Parry, Goss, Walford Davies, L. Berkely, O. Gjeilo, F. Martin, M. Lauridsen & S. Paulus
The Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge
Stephen Cleobury (conductor)
Kings KGS 0034
Tavener: Five anthems from the Veil of the Temple, Angels, As one who has slept, Song for Athene, The Lamb & others
Winchester Cathedral Choir
George Castle (Winchester cathedral organ)
Andrew Lumsden (conductor)
Hyperion CDA68255
Gounod: Symphonies Nos.1 & 2
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Yan Pascal Tortelier (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 5231 (Hybrid SACD)
Spontini: Olimpie (1826 revision)
Olimpie听听听听听听听听听听 Karina Gauvin (soprano)
Statira听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Kate Aldrich (mezzo soprano)
Cassandre听听听听听听听 Mathias Vidal (tenor)
Antigone听听听听听听听听 Josef Wagner (baritone)
L鈥橦i茅rophante Patrick Bolleire (bass)
Hermas听听听听听听听听听听听 Philippe Souvagie (baritone)
Flemish Radio Choir
Le Cercle de l鈥橦armonie (orchestra)
J茅r茅mie Rhorer (conductor)
Bru Zane BZ1035 (2 CDs + 168pg book)
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Nicholas Baragwanath on Mahler鈥檚 Symphony No.4
Composer: Gustav Mahler
Reviewer: Nicholas Baragwanath
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
鈥楤eethoven Piano Sonatas, Vol. 8鈥� 鈥� Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8 鈥楶ath茅tique鈥�, 10, 22 & 31
Jonathan Biss (piano)
Meyer Media MM19040
Hindemith: Complete works for violin & piano + Kleine Sonata for viola d鈥檃more & piano
Roman Mints (violin & viola d鈥檃more)
Alexander Kobrin (piano)
Quartz QTZ 2132
Widor: Organ Symphonies Nos. 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10
Christian Schmitt (Cavaill茅-Coll organ of St Ouen, Rouen)
CPO 777 706-2 (3 hybrid SACDs)
10.45am 鈥� Sarah Walker on the LA Philharmonic Centenary Box
LA Phil 鈥� 100 Years
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Various others
Deutsche Grammophon 00289 483 6107 (32 CDs & 3 DVDs + 120-page booklet)
11.20am 鈥� Record of the Week
Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (arr. Pletnev); Stravinsky: Petrushka (arr. Stravinsky) & The Firebird (arr. Agosti); Prokofiev: Cinderella (arr. Prokofiev)
Alexander Ullman (piano)
Rubicon Classics RCD1029
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