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Andrew McGregor with Edward Seckerson and Harriet Smith

Latest recordings with Andrew McGregor, Building a Library on Gershwin's Porgy and Bess from Edward Seckerson, and new releases of chamber music from Harriet Smith.

with Andrew McGregor.

09.30
Building a Library: Edward Seckerson listens to and compares recordings of Gershwin's opera, Porgy and Bess.

Porgy and Bess is an opera by George Gershwin. First performed in 1935 it featured a cast of classically trained African-American singers. After a slow start, the work has gradually gained popularity, and it is now one of the more frequently performed operas.

The story tells of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar and his attempts to rescue Bess from Crown, her violent lover, and Sportin' Life, her drug dealer. Some of the numbers in the opera, such as "Summertime", have become popular, frequently recorded songs. In recent times the trend has been toward productions more faithful to Gershwin's original intentions.

10.50
Andrew McGregor talks to Harriet Smith about recent releases of chamber music by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms and Britten.

11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.

2 hours, 44 minutes

Music Played

  • Richard Strauss

    Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 (opening)

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vasily Petrenko.
    • Oslo Philharmonic + Petrenko: Richard Strauss.
    • LAWO.
    • 002.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations BWV988: Aria; Variations 1 - 4

    Ensemble: Arundo Quartet.
    • BACH Goldberg Variations.
    • Supraphon.
    • 001.
  • Jacques Dutronc

    Il est cinq heures, Paris s'茅veille

    Choir: Choeur de l'Arm茅e fran莽aise. Orchestra: Orchestre de la Garde r茅publicaine. Conductor: Aurore Tillac.
    • PARIS Je t'aime.
    • Erato.
    • 003.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 40: iii - Finale

    Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Pablo Heras鈥怌asado.
    • Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 2.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 007.
  • Dieterich Buxtehude

    Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75: vi - Ad Cor

    Ensemble: Ricercar Consort. Director: Philippe Pierlot.
    • Buxtehude, Membra Jesu nostri.
    • Mirare.
    • 032.
  • Gra偶yna Bacewicz

    Concert Krakowiak

    Performer: Morta Grigaliunait猫.
    • Bacewicz: Piano Music.
    • Piano Classics.
    • 004.
  • Leopold Mozart

    Missa Solemnis: Crucifixus; Et resurrexit

    Singer: Arianna Vendittelli. Singer: Sophie Rennert. Singer: Patrick Grahl. Singer: Ludwig Mittelhammer. Choir: Das Vokalprojekt. Orchestra: Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie. Conductor: Alessandro De Marchi.
    • Leopold Mozart: Missa Solemnis.
    • Aparte.
    • 10.
  • Ernest Chausson

    Po猫me de l'amour et de la mer, Op. 19: Interlude; La Mort De L'amour

    Singer: V茅ronique Gens. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch.
    • Chausson: Po猫me De L'Amour et de la Mer; Symphonie Op.20.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 2.

Record Review

9.00am

R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 & Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Vasily Petrenko (conductor)
LAWO Classics LWC1166

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV988

Arundo Quartet (ensemble)

Supraphon SU4261-2


Paris Je t鈥檃ime

Choeur de l鈥橝rm茅e Fran莽aise (choir)

Orchestre de la Garde R茅publicaine

Aurore Tillac (conductor)

Warner Classics 0190295484842

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 40 & Symphony No. 1, Op. 11

Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano)

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

Pablo Heras-Casado (conductor)

9.30am 鈥 Building a Library 鈥 Edward Seckerson on Gershwin鈥檚 Porgy and Bess

Composer: George Gershwin

Reviewer: Edward Seckerson

Recommended Recording:

Donnie Ray Albert (Porgy), Clamma Dale (Bess), Wilma Shakesnider (Serena), Carol Brice (Maria), Andrew Smith (Crown), Alexander B. Smalls (Jake), Betty Lane (Clara), Larry Marshall (Sportin鈥 Life)

Houston Grand Opera
John DeMain (conductor)
RCA RD 82109

Other Recommended Recordings:

Willard White (Porgy), Leona Mitchell (Bess), McHenry Boatwright (Crown), Florence Quivar (Serena), Barbara Hendricks (Clara), Barbara Conrad (Maria), Arthur Thompson (Jake), Fran莽ois Clemmons (Sporting Life)
Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus

Lorin Maazel (conductor)

Decca 414 559-2

Willard White (Porgy), Cynthia Haymon (Bess), Gregg Baker (Crown), Harolyn Blackwell (Clara), Cynthia Clarey (Serena), Marietta Simpson (Maria), Damon Evans (Sportin' Life), Bruce Hubbard (Jake)
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Glyndebourne Chorus

Simon Rattle (conductor)

EMI CDS 49568-2


10.20am 鈥 New Releases

Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri
Maria Keohane, Hanna Bayodi-Hirt (sopranos)

Carlos Mena (alto)

Jeffrey Thompson (tenor)

Matthias Vieweg (bass)

Ricercar Consort

Philippe Pierlot (direction)

Mirare MIR444



Gra偶yna Bacewicz: Piano Music

Morta Grigali奴nait臈 (piano)

Piano Classics PCL10183


Leopold Mozart: Missa Solemnis

Arianna Vendittelli (soprano)

Sophie Rennert (alto)

Patrick Grahl (tenor)

Ludwig Mittelhammer (bass)

Das Vokalprojekt

Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie

Alessandro De Marchi (conductor)

Aparte AP205




10.49am 鈥 New Releases 鈥 Harriet Smith鈥檚 chamber music

Schumann: Complete Piano Trios

Horszowski Trio

AVIE AV2405


Mozart, Brahms, Mahler

Skride Piano Quartet

Orfeo C946191
听听听听听听听听


Faur茅, Debussy, Szymanowski, Chopin

Bomsori Kim (violin)

Rafal Blechacz (piano)

DG 483 6467


Britten: String Quartets, etc.

Doric Quartet

Chandos CHAN 20124




11.20am 鈥 Record of the Week

Chausson: Po猫me de l鈥檃mour et de la mer & Symphonie, Op. 20

V茅ronique Gens (soprano)

Orchestre National de Lille

Alexandre Bloch (conductor)

Alpha ALPHA441

Broadcast

  • Sat 27 Apr 2019 09:00

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