Andrew McGregor with Tom Service and Erica Jeal
The best new classical releases, and Tom Service compares recordings of Richard Strauss's orchestral epic Ein Heldenleben - A Hero's Life in Building a Library.
09.30
Building a Library: Tom Service compares recordings of Richard Strauss's orchestral epic Ein Heldenleben - A Hero's Life - and picks a favourite.
From the mid-1880s until 1915 Richard Strauss established his credentials as one of Europe's leading composers with a series of ten descriptive orchestral tone poems. His subjects ranged from a picture postcard of his Italian summer holidays, through to literary and folk characters and, by 1898, to his favourite subject of all (although he half-heartedly denied it): himself. Strauss's apparently boundless egotism and effrontery outraged contemporary critics, especially when they heard their carping lampooned and then brushed aside by The Hero on his way to more significant and hard-fought victories on life's journey. But it's difficult not to be seduced by the work's swagger and wonderful orchestration, including eight soaring and thrillingly heroic horns, which even today stretches every orchestral player's technique.
Recording Ein Heldenleben has been on every self-respecting Straussian's to-do list, ensuring a never-ending stream of recordings, many from some of the world's great orchestra-conductor partnerships.
10.50
Carnegie Hall, 9 May, 1965. After a 12-year absence from the concert platform, piano legend Vladimir Horowitz makes a triumphant return. The hotly-anticipated recital had been meticulously planned with a series of private concerts at the Hall in the preceding months, given before a handful of friends and family. Erica Jeal has been sifting through Sony's sumptuously presented box set documenting Horowitz's journey to Carnegie Hall, including never-previously-released recordings of the private recitals, to find out if it's worth its 拢100 price tag.
11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Recording of the Week.
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Music Played
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Eric Coates
The Merrymakers
- Chandos.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 2 in A minor - Allegretto
Performer: Andrey Gugnin.- Hyperion.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 3 in G major - Andante
Performer: Andrey Gugnin.- Hyperion.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 4 in E minor - Moderato
Performer: Andrey Gugnin.- Hyperion.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 5 in D major - Allegro vivace
Performer: Andrey Gugnin.- Hyperion.
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Joseph Haydn
Symphonie No. 87 en La Majeur, Hob. I:87 "L'Impatiente": IV. Finale. Vivace
Orchestra: Le Concert de la Loge. Conductor: Julien Chauvin.- Haydn: L'Impatiente.
- 础辫补谤迟茅.
- 104.
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Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne
Ph猫dre: "Il va venir"
Singer: Sophie Karth盲user. Orchestra: Le Concert de la Loge. Conductor: Julien Chauvin.- Haydn: L'Impatiente.
- 础辫补谤迟茅.
- 107.
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Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Impromptu No. 4 in C sharp minor, Op. 66 'Fantaisie-Impromptu'
Performer: Pavel Kolesnikov.- Hyperion.
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Barbara Strozzi
Begli Occhi
Ensemble: Fieri Consort.- Fieri Records.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Septet in E flat major, Op. 20 iii) Tempo di menuetto & Trio
Music Arranger: Carl Czerny. Ensemble: Boxwood & Brass.- Resonus Classics.
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Hubert Parry
I Was Glad
Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Performer: Henry Websdale. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.- Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles.
- Kings College Cambridge.
- 101.
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Pauline Kim Harris
Ambient Chaconne (After Bach's BWV 1004):
Composer: Spencer Topel. Performer: Pauline Kim Harris. Performer: Spencer Topel.- Heroine.
- Sono Luminus.
- 101.
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Vladimir Horowitz
Horowitz improvising
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Moritz Moszkowski
脡tude in A-Flat Major, Op. 72, No. 11
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Alexander Scriabin
Study in C sharp minor, Op.2 no.1
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3 ii) Largo e mesto
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Domenico Scarlatti
Piano Sonata in F Minor, K. 481
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23
Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.- Sony Classical.
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Dame Ethel Mary Smyth
Mass in D - Gloria
Conductor: Sakari Oramo. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra. Choir: 大象传媒 Symphony Chorus. Singer: Susanna Hurrell. Singer: Catriona Morison. Singer: Ben Johnson. Singer: Duncan Rock.- Chandos.
Record Review
9.00am
Eric Coates: Orchestral Works Vol. 1
大象传媒 Philharmonic
John Wilson (conductor)
Chandos CHAN20036
听
听
Shostakovich: Preludes Op. 31 & Piano Sonatas
Andrey Gugnin (piano)
Hyperion CDA68267
听
KOTTOS: Songs & Dances 鈥� arrangements of works by Bart贸k, Grieg, Vivaldi et al inspired by songs and dances of European folk music
Kottos
Orchid Classics ORC100105
听
听
Haydn: Symphony No. 87 'L'Impatiente', plus arias and instrumental music by Gr茅try, Lemoyne, Ragu茅 etc
Sophie Karth盲user (soprano)
Le Concert de la Loge
Julien Chauvin (violin and director)
Apart茅 AP210
听
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Tom Service on Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben
听
Composer: Richard Strauss
Reviewer: Tom Service
听
Recommended Recording:
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Mariss Jansons (conductor)
BR Klassik 900127
听
Other Recommended Recordings:
听
Wiener Philharmoniker
Sir Georg Solti (conductor)
Decca 4406182
听
听
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestera
Simon Rattle (conductor)
Warner Classics 3393392
听
听
Bavarian State Orchestra
Richard Strauss (conductor)
DG 4299252
听
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
Chopin: Impromptus, waltzes & mazurkas
Pavel Kolesnikov (piano)
Hyperion CDA68273
听
听
Barbara Strozzi: Virtuosa of Venice 鈥� works by Barbara Strozzi as well as Nicol貌 Fontei, Benedetto Ferrari, Giovanni Girolamo Kasperger and Claudio Monteverdi.
Fieri Consort
Fieri Records FIER003VOV
听
听
Beethoven Transformed, Volume 1 鈥� Beethoven's Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20 and Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 71 arranged for wind ensemble by Carl Czerny
Boxwood & Brass
Resonus Classics RES10249
听
听
Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles - A celebration of British choral music including works by William Byrd, Nicholas Maw, Judith Weir etc
Choir of King's College Cambridge
Stephen Cleobury, Ben Parry and Christopher Robinson (conductor)
Kings College KGS0038
听
听
Heroine: Reimaginings of the Chaconne from J.S Bach's Partita in D minor BWV. 1004 and Ockeghem鈥檚 Deo Gratias
Pauline Kim Harris (violin)
Spencer Topel (electronics)
Dorian Sono Luminus DSL92235
听
听
Ernst von Dohn谩nyi: Symphony No. 1 & Symphonic Minutes
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz
Roberto Paternostro (conductor)
Capriccio C5386
听
10.45am 鈥� New Releases 鈥� Erica Jeal on Vladimir Horowitz - The Great Comeback
Vladimir Horowitz - The Great Comeback
Vladimir Horowitz (piano)
Sony 19075935332 (15 CDs)
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11.30am 鈥� Disc of the Week
听
Dame Ethel Smyth: Mass in D & Overture to 'The Wreckers'
Susanna Hurrell (soprano)
Catriona Morison (mezzo)
Ben Johnson (tenor)
Duncan Rock (baritone)
大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Sakari Oramo (conductor)
Chandos CHSA5240 (Hybrid SACD)
Broadcast
- Sat 5 Oct 2019 09:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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