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Andrew McGregor with Tom McKinney and Jeremy Summerly

The best new classical releases, plus in Building a Library Tom McKinney compares recordings of Poulenc's Concerto for two pianos, and Jeremy Summerly reviews new choral recordings

with Andrew McGregor.

09.30
Building a Library: Tom McKinney picks a favourite from among the available recordings of Poulenc's Concerto for two pianos.

Francis Poulenc, darling of the most fashionable French aristocratic salons, described himself as 'wildly eclectic', an epithet that exactly fits his 1932 Concerto for two pianos. With its combination of influences including Stravinsky, Balinese gamelan and music-hall, the Concerto's moods range from zany slapstick in the outer two movements to, in the middle Larghetto, a heartfelt homage to Mozart, the composer Poulenc preferred above all others.

10.50
Jeremy Summerly reviews a wide-ranging selection of new choral recordings.

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

2 hours, 44 minutes

Music Played

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Piano Concerto No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103 "Egyptian": III. Molto allegro

    Performer: Alexandre Kantorow. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta. Conductor: Jean鈥怞acques Kantorow.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Piano Concertos Nos. 3-5.
    • BIS.
    • 8.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Elegiac Trio No. 2 in D Minor: I. Moderato (1917 version)

    Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.
    • Rachmaninov: Piano Trios.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 2.
  • Kenneth Leighton

    Mass, Op.44: I. Kyrie

    Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, London. Conductor: Joseph Fort.
    • Delphian.
  • Arcangelo Corelli

    Sonata in D minor Op.5 No.7: IV. Giga

    Performer: Sophie Yates.
    • Chaconne.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No.9 in D minor: III. Scherzo

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • Kaija Saariaho

    True Fire: III. Proposition II; IV. Lullaby

    Singer: Gerald Finley. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Hannu Lintu.
    • Kaija Saariaho: True Fire, Ciel d'hiver & Trans (Live).
    • Ondine.
    • 3.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata No.8 in A Minor, K. 310: I. Allegro maestoso

    Performer: Lars Vogt.
    • Mozart: Piano Sonatas K280, K281, K310 & K333.
    • Ondine.
    • 7.
  • Jan Zelenka-Hajsk媒

    Kyrie II

    Choir: laBarocca. Director: Ruben Jais.
    • Glossa.
  • Byttering

    En Katerine solennia

    Choir: Binchois Consort. Conductor: Andrew Kirkman.
    • Hyperion.
  • Gabriel Faur茅

    Requiem: Sanctus

    Ensemble: Ensemble Vocal Aedes. Choir: Les Si猫clea. Conductor: Mathieu Romano.
    • Aparte Music.
  • Francis Poulenc

    尝颈产别谤迟茅

    Ensemble: Ensemble Vocal Aedes. Choir: Les Si猫clea. Conductor: Mathieu Romano.
    • Aparte Music.
  • Perttu Haapanen

    Readymade Alice

    Choir: Helsingin kamarikuoro. Conductor: Nils Schweckendiek.
    • BIS.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Requiem: Tuba mirum

    Choir: Staatskapelle Dresden. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Profil.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Requiem: Libera me

    Choir: Staatskapelle Dresden. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Profil.
  • Mieczyslaw Weinberg

    Symphony No.21 'Kaddish': I. Largo

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mirga Gra啪inyt臈鈥怲yla.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

Record Review

9.00am

Saint-Sa毛ns: Piano Concertos Nos. 3-5
Alexandre Kantorow (piano)
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Jean-Jacques Kantorow (conductor)
BIS 2300 (SACD Hybrid)


Rachmaninov: Piano Trios Nos.1 & 2 + Grieg: Andante con moto & Suk: Elegie, Op.23
Trio Wanderer (piano tro)
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902338


Masses for Double Choir by Kenneth Leighton & Frank Martin
The Choir of King鈥檚 College, London
Joseph Fort (director)
James Orford (organ)
Delphian DCD 34211


鈥業l cembalo transalpino鈥 鈥 Keyboard music from the Fitzwilliam Collection by Sabbatini, Corelli, Arresti, Frescobaldi etc.
Sophie Yates (early 17th century harpsichord by G. B. Boni)
Chaconne CHAN 0819

9.30am 鈥 Building a Library 鈥 Tom McKinney on Poulenc鈥檚 Concerto for Two Pianos

Composer: Francis Poulenc

Reviewer: Tom McKinney

Recommended Recording:

Eric le Sage & Frank Braley (pianos)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Liege (orchestra)
Stephane Deneve (conductor)
Sony G010003457479A (download)

Other Recommended Recordings:

Sylviane Deferne & Pascal Rog茅 (pianos)
Philharmonia (orchestra)
Charles Dutoit (conductor)
Decca 4365462

Francis Poulenc & Jacques F茅vrier (pianos)
Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
Pierre Dervaux (conductor)
Erato 6955842

10.20am 鈥 New Releases

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos.6 & 9 + Wagner: Siegfried Idyll & Parsifal Prelude
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Andris Nelsons (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 6659 (2 CDs)


Saariaho: 鈥楾rue Fire鈥 for baritone and orchestra, 鈥楥iel d鈥檋iver鈥 for orchestra & 鈥楾rans鈥 for harp and orchestra
Gerald Finley (bass-baritone)
Xavier de Maistre (harp)
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Hannu Lintu (conductor)
Ondine ODE 1309-2


Mozart: Piano Sonatas K280, K281, K310 & K333
Lars Vogt (piano)
Ondine ODE 1318-2


10.20am 鈥 New Releases 鈥 Jeremy Summerly on Choral Releases

Zelenka: Missa omnium sanctorum

Carlotta Colombo (soprano)
Filippo Mineccia (alto)
Cyril Auvity (tenor)
Lukas Zeman (bass)
LaBarocca (ensemble)
Ruben Jais (conductor)
Glossa GCD 924103


鈥楳usic for Saint Katherine of Alexandria鈥 鈥 Sacred choral music by Frye, Byttering, Dunstaple & Driffelde + Anonymous works
The Binchois Consort (choir)
Andrew Kirkman (director)
Hyperion CDA 68274


Faur茅: Requiem; Poulenc: Figure humaine; Debussy: Trois Chansons de Charles d鈥橭rl茅ans
Ensemble Aedes (choir)
Les Si猫clea (ensemble)
Mathieu Romano (director)
Aparte Music AP 201

鈥楻eports鈥 鈥 Choral works by Perttu Haapanen
Helsinki Chamber Choir
Nils Schweckendiek (conductor)
BIS 2452


Verdi: Messa da Requiem
Krassimira Stoyanova (soprano)
Marina Prudenskaja (mezzo-soprano)
Charles Castronovo (tenor)
Georg Zeppenfeld (bass)
Staatskapelle Dresden (orchestra)
Sachsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden (choir)
Christian Thielemann (conductor)
H盲nssler PH 16075

11.20am 鈥 Record of the Week

Mieczys艂aw Weinberg: Symphonies Nos.2 & 21 鈥楰addish鈥
Gidon Kremer (violin)
Kremerata Baltica (orchestra)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Mirga Gra啪inyt臈-Tyla (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 656

Broadcast

  • Sat 11 May 2019 09:00

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