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Ravel's Introduction and Allegro in Building a Library with Jeremy Sams and Andrew McGregor

A trawl through the best of this the week's classical music releases, and in Building a Library, Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Ravel's Introduction and Allegro.

with Andrew McGregor

9.30 Building a Library
Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Ravel Introduction & Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet.

In turn-of-the-century Paris harp wars raged between two rival harp manufacturers. But what could have been an arcane foot note in the history of an often dull solo instrument left the repertoire enriched by two of the leading French composers of the day. Claude Debussy's 1904 Danses sacrée et profane for solo harp was written for Pleyel. A year later Maurice Ravel's commission came from the firm of Érard and the result was his Introduction & Allegro 'pour Harpe avec accompagnement de Quatuor à cordes, Flûte et Clarinette', as the score puts it. Ravel's genius is in the amazing variety he gets out of the 'accompanying' instruments, from the barest whisper to the richest and most sumptuous textures. And whatever the relative merits of Ravel's and Debussy's music, of the two it's Ravel's Introduction & Allegro which has become the most frequently recorded repertoire staple (and it was the Érard instrument which triumphed over its rival).

10.15
Record of the Week: an outstanding new release.

1 hour, 30 minutes

Music Played

  • Anton Bruckner

    Ave Maria

    Choir: MDR Leipzig Radio Choir. Conductor: Philipp Ahmann.
    • Motets: Music by Anton Bruckner; Michael Haydn.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 7.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Piano Sonata No. 52 in G major, Hob. XVI:39 III. Prestissimo

    Performer: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.
    • Haydn: Piano Sonatas Vol. 9.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 15.
  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Dal mio Permesso amato (Prologue: L'Orfeo, SV 318)

    Singer: Anna Lucia Richter. Ensemble: Ensemble Claudiana. Director: Luca Pianca.
    • Monteverdi: Il Delirio Della Passione.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 1.
  • György Ligeti

    Études for Piano, Book 1: IV. Fanfares

    Performer: Danny Driver.
    • Ligeti: The 18 Études.
    • Hyperion.
    • 4.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19: II. Scherzo. Vivacissimo

    Performer: Hilary Hahn. Orchestra: Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France. Conductor: Mikko Franck.
    • Hilary Hahn - Paris.
    • Deutsche Gammophon.
    • 3.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Brockes-Passion, HWV 48 [opening]

    Performer: Jonathan Cohen. Singer: Sandrine Piau. Singer: Stuart Jackson. Singer: Konstantin Krimmel. Choir: Vocal Consort. Ensemble: Arcangelo.
    • Handel: Brockes-Passion.
    • ALPHA.
    • 1-8.

Record Review

9.00am

Ìý

Motets: Music by Anton Bruckner and Michael Haydn

MDR Leipzig Radio Choir

Philipp Ahmann (director)

Pentatone PTC5186868 (hybrid SACD)

Ìý

Haydn: Piano Sonatas Vol. 9

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)

Chandos CHAN20131

Ìý

Monteverdi: Il Delirio Della Passione

Anna Lucia Richter (soprano)

Ensemble Claudiana

Luca Pianca (director)

Pentatone PTC5186845

Ìý

Ligeti: The 18 Études

Danny Driver (piano)

Hyperion CDA68286

Ìý

Hilary Hahn – Paris: Music by Chausson, Prokofiev and Rautavaara

Hilary Hahn (violin)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Mikko Franck (conductor)

Deutsche Grammophon 4839847

https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/paris-hilary-hahn-12227

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

9.30am – Building a Library – Jeremy Sams on Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro, M.46

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Recommended Recording:

Ìý

Emannuel Pahud (flute)

Wenzel Fuchs (clarinet)

Marie-Pierre Langlamet (harp)

Christophe Horak (violin)

Simon Roturier (violin)

Ignacy Miecznikowski (viola)

Bruno Delepaire (violoncello)

Indésens INDE139

Ìý

Also recommended:

Ìý

James Galway (flute)

Richard Stoltzman (clarinet)

Heidi Lehwalder (harp)

Tokyo String Quartet

RCA RCA62552

Ìý

Ìý

Melos Ensemble

Decca 4602472

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.16am – Record of the Week

Ìý

Handel: Brockes-Passion

Sandrine Piau (soprano)

Stuart Jackson (tenor)

Konstantin Krimmel (baritone)

Arcangelo

Jonathan Cohen (harpsichord/director)

Alpha ALPHA644 (2 CDs)

Broadcast

  • Sat 13 Mar 2021 09:00

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