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Stravinsky's Pulcinella

Jonathan Cross discusses Stravinsky's delightful blast-from-the-past ballet with Andrew and settles on the must-have recording to buy, download or stream.

Jonathan Cross discusses Stravinsky's delightful blast-from-the-past ballet with Andrew and settles on the must-have recording to buy, download or stream. Plus the very best of the latest classical releases.

Presented by Andrew McGregor

9.30am
Building a Library
For Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Igor Stravinsky travelled back in time and rediscovered music by 18th-century composer Pergolesi and his contemporaries, weaving a brand new ballet but nevertheless giving it a distinctive 20th-century tang. Jonathan Cross has been listening to recordings of the ballet - and of the suite Stravinsky crafted therefrom - and joins Andrew to work his way towards choosing the ultimate Pulcinella.

10.40am
Laura Tunbridge talks to Andrew about a revealing selection of string quartet recordings, including late Haydn and early Beethoven.

11.15am
Record of the Week
Andrew's pick of the best new release of the last week.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Harpsichord Concerto No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1054: I. Allegro

    Ensemble: Il Pomo d鈥橭ro.
    • J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos, Vol. 2.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 101.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Chamber Symphony In F Op. 73a

    Orchestra: Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Joshua Weilerstein.
    • Fuga Libera.
  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Impromptu No 1 in A flat Op 29

    Performer: Anna Vinnitskaya.
    • ALPHA.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No 2 in C minor (1877), iii. Scherzo

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Deutsche Grammaphon.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia Concertante in Eflat major, K364 - iii. Presto

    Performer: Aisslinn Nosky. Performer: Max Mandel. Orchestra: Handel and Haydn Society. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Coro.
  • Hans G谩l

    顿盲尘尘别谤蝉迟耻苍诲别

    • Hidden Treasure.
    • BIS.
    • 1101.
  • Hans G谩l

    Waldseligkeit

    • Hidden Treasure.
    • BIS.
    • 1501.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Rite of Spring (closing section)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Franz Schubert

    String Quartet in A Minor 'Rosamunde', D.804: 4) Allegro moderato

    Ensemble: Festetics Quartet.
    • Outthere.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in D, Op.76/5: 1) Allegretto and Allegro

    Ensemble: London Haydn Quartet.
    • Hyperion.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in B Flat Op.76`4 'Sunrise' (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.
    • Bis.
  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in G minor, Op.74/3 'Rider': 1) Allegro

    Ensemble: Maxwell String Quartet.
    • Linn.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet in C minor, Op.18/4: 4) Allegro - Prestissimo

    Ensemble: Dover Quartet.
    • Cedille.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Missa Solemnis Op 123, ii Gloria

    Singer: Polina Pastirchak. Singer: Sophie Harmsen. Singer: Steve Davislim. Singer: Johannes Weisser. Choir: RIAS Chamber Choir. Ensemble: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ren茅 Jacobs.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.

Record Review

9.00am

Bach: Harpsichord Concerts, Part II

Francesco Corti (harpsichord)

Il Pomo d鈥橭ro

Pentatone PTC5186889

Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony Op 73a and Op 83a (arr. Barshai)

Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne

Joshua Weilerstein (conductor)

Fuga Libera FUG769

Chopin: 4 Ballades and 4 Impromptus

Anna Vinnitskaya (piano)

Alpha 728

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos 6 and 9

Gewandhausorchester

Andris Nelsons (conductor)

Deutsche Grammophon 4839834 2 CDs

9.30am 鈥 Building a Library 鈥 Jonathan Cross on Stravinsky鈥檚 Pulcinella

Recommended Recording (suite):
Kammerorchester Basel

Christopher Hogwood (conductor)

Arte Nova G010001717934R (download only)

(c/w Malipiero & Casella)

Alternative/hybrid-SACD recommendation:

Tapiola Sinfonietta

Masaaki Suzuki (conductor)

Bis BIS2211 (hybrid-SACD)

(c/w Apollon musag猫te and Concerto in D)

Recommended Recording (complete ballet):
London Symphony Orchestra

Claudio Abbado (conductor)

DG 4530852 (2-CD)

(c/w The Rite of Spring, Petrushka, Jeu de cartes and The Firebird suite)

10.15am 鈥 New Releases

Mozart: Violin Concertos, Vol 1

Aisslinn Nosky (violin)

Max Mandel (viola)

Handel and Haydn Society

Coro COR16183

Hidden Treasure: Hans Gal鈥檚 unpublished Lieder

Christian Immler (baritone)

Helmut Deutsch (piano)

BIS BIS2543 SACD Hybrid

Settecento: Baroque International Music from the Italian States

Tabea Debus (recorder)

La Serenissima

Adrian Chandler (violin and conductor)

Signum SIGCD663

Leonard Bernstein conducts Stravinsky: (The Rite of Spring, Symphony of Psalms) and Poulenc: Gloria

Judith Blegen (soprano)

English Bach Festival Chorus

Westminster Choir

London Symphony Orchestra

New York Philharmonic

Leonard Bernstein (conductor)

Dutton CDLX7383 SACD Hybrid

10.40am 鈥 Laura Tunbridge on Chamber Music

Schubert: String Quartets D46 and 鈥淩osamunde鈥 D804

The Festetics Quartet

Arcana A907

Haydn: String Quartets Op 76

The London Haydn Quartet

Hyperion CDA68335 2 CDs

Haydn: String Quartets Op 76, Nos 4 -6

Chiaroscuro Quartet
BIS-2358 SACD Hybrid

Haydn: String Quartets Op 74, and Folk Music from Scotland

Maxwell Quartet
Linn CKD641

Beethoven: Complete String Quartets, Vol 1

Dover Quartet
Cedille CDR90000198

11.20am 鈥 Record of the Week

Beethoven: Missa Solemnis, Op 132

Polina Pasztircs谩k (soprano)

Sophie Harmsen (mezzo)

Steve Davislim (tenor)

Johannes Weisser (baritone)

Akademie f眉r Alte Musik Berlin

RIAS Kammerchor

Ren茅 Jacobs (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMM902427

Broadcast

  • Sat 13 Feb 2021 09:00

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