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Liszt Piano Sonata in B Minor in Building a Library with Katy Hamilton and Andrew McGregor

Katy Hamilton chooses her favourite recording of Liszt's Sonata in B minor and Flora Willson reviews Krystian Zimerman's new set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos with Simon Rattle.

with Andrew McGregor

9.30 Building a Library
Katy Hamilton chooses her favourite recording of Liszt's Sonata in B minor.

When Clara Schumann described Liszt's 1854 Piano Sonata in B minor as 'truly terrible' it reflected an influential school of 19th-century thought (Brahms fell asleep when he first heard it). But for Liszt himself it was his breakthrough piece which established him as a 'proper' composer, one for whom musically-driven formal organisation and inspired ingenuity were paramount, rather than a mere pianist whose music was generated by the need to demonstrate his transcendent technique.

Posterity has sided with Liszt, not Clara – and so have successive generations of performers, reflected in a recorded legacy that is a veritable Who's Who of the great pianists of the last century and our own.

10.40
Flora Willson shares her thoughts on Krystian Zimerman's new set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Simon Rattle.

11.20
Record of the Week: an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Overture Suite in F Major, TWV 55:F11 "Alster": II. Die canonierende Pallas

    Conductor: Carin van Heerden. Orchestra: L'Orfeo Bläserensemble.
    • Wind Overtures, Vol. 2.
    • CPO.
    • 8.
  • William Grant Still

    Suite for Violin and Piano: I. African Dancer

    Performer: Randall Goosby. Performer: Zhu Wang.
    • Randall Goosby - Roots.
    • Decca.
  • Grayston Ives

    Requiem: V. Pie Jesu

    Orchestra: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Richard Pinel. Choir: Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge.
    • Grayston Ives: Requiem.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 5.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Nachtigall, Op. 97 No. 1 & 4 Songs from Hafez: No. 1, Nightingale

    Performer: Andrew West. Singer: Roderick Williams.
    • Birdsong.
    • SOMM Recordings.
    • 7.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Fidelio, Op. 72, Act I: Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?

    Conductor: Marek Janowski. Orchestra: Dresdner Philharmonie.
    • Beethoven: Fidelio, Op. 72.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 14.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 25: II. Andante religioso

    Performer: Alasdair Beatson.
    • Aus Wien.
    • Pentatone.
    • 21.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Oboe Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1059R (Arr. for Horn & Orchestra)

    Performer: Radek Baborák. Orchestra: Berliner Barock Solisten.
    • J.S. Bach: Horn Concertos.
    • haenssler CLASSIC.
    • 2.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major op. 19: 1. Allegro con brio

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos.
    • DG.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    RR170621 02 Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major op. 58: 2. Andante con moto

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos.
    • DG.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major op. 15 - 3. Rondo

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos.
    • DG.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor op. 37 - 2. Largo

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos.
    • DG.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major "Emperor" op. 73 - 1. Allegro

    Performer: Krystian Zimerman. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos.
    • DG.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 3 in D Minor: VI. Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden (Live)

    Conductor: Mariss Jansons. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor (Live).
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 6.

Record Review


9.00am

Ìý

Ìý

Telemann: Wind Overtures, Vol. 2

L'Orfeo Bläserensemble

Carin van Heerden (director/oboe)Ìý

CPO 555 212-2Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Randall Goosby – Roots

Randall Goosby (violin)

Zhu Wang (piano)

Xavier Dubois Foley (double bass)

Decca 4851664

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Grayston Ives: RequiemÌý

Ronan Busfield,

Dewi Rees

The Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge,

Britten Sinfonia

Richard Pinel (conductor)Ìý

Signum SIGCD682

Ìý

Ìý

Birdsong:Ìý Music by Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann & Sally Beamish

Roderick Williams (baritone)

Andrew West (piano)

Somm SOMMCD0633

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Handel: Organ Concertos Op. 4 & Op. 7

Wiener Akademie

Jeremy Joseph & Martin Haselböck (organ)

AlphaÌý ALPHA742 (2 CDs)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

9.30am – Building a Library – Katy Hamilton on Liszt’s B minor Sonata

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Recommended Recording: Ìý

Martha ArgerichÌý (piano)Ìý

DGÌý 4474302

Ìý

Ìý

Other recommendations:Ìý

Nelson Freire (piano)

SonyÌý 88875002282Ìý

Ìý

Krystian Zimerman

DGÌý 4779697

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.15am – New Releases

Ìý

Ìý

Beethoven: Fidelio

Lise Davidsen (Leonore / soprano)

Christian Elsner (Florestan / tenor)

Georg Zeppenfeld (Rocco / bass)

Johannes Martin Kränzle (Don Pizarro / bass baritone)

Christina Landshamer (Marzelline / soprano)

Cornel Frey (Jaquino / tenor)

Günther Groissböck (Don Fernando / bass)

Dresdner Philharmoniker

Marek Janowski (conductor)

PentatoneÌý PTC5186880Ìý (2 Hybrid SACDs)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Aus Wien – Music by Korngold, Ravel, Schumann, Schoenberg & SchubertÌý

Alasdair Beatson (piano)

PentatoneÌý PTC5186871

Ìý

Ìý

J.S. Bach: Horn ConcertosÌý

Radek Baborák (horn)

Berlin Barock Solisten

HänsslerÌý HC21000Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.40am – Flora Willson on Beethoven Piano ConcertosÌý

Ìý

Ìý

Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos

Krystian Zimerman (piano)

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Simon Rattle (conductor)Ìý

DGÌý 4839971 (3 CDs)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

11.20am – Record of the Week

Ìý

Ìý

Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor

Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto)Ìý

Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Tölzer Knabenchor, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Mariss Jansons (conductor)ÌýÌý

BR KlassikÌý 900194

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Jul 2021 09:00

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