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Puccini's Tosca in Building a Library with Roger Parker and Andrew McGregor

Roger Parker's recommendation for the ultimate recording of Puccini's dramatic opera Tosca.

Roger Parker's recommendation for the ultimate recording of Puccini's dramatic opera Tosca, plus a personal selection of new releases from tenor Ben Johnson.

Presented by Andrew McGregor

9.30am
Tenor Ben Johnson has been let loose in the virtual record store and picks both his favourite new releases and the track he goes back to and back to - "On Repeat".

10.30
Building a Library
Puccini's Tosca - described by one critic as "a shabby little shocker" has nevertheless enthralled audiences for over a century. It has been no stranger to the recording studio, and Roger Parker talks to Andrew about the huge range of approaches that have been made and settles on the ultimate recording to buy, download or stream.

11.15
Record of the Week
Andrew's personal choice of the best release of the last seven days.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Wilhelm Friedemann Bach

    Sinfonia in F major F.67 'Dissonant' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg. Director: Jurgen Gross.
    • More Bach.
    • Challenge Classics.
    • 10.
  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    Sc猫ne derni猫re - Marche triomphante (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Ga毛tan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    Joignez 脿 vos exploits l'honneur du diad猫me (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Ga毛tan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    Du plus grand des H茅ros chantons la gloire (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Ga毛tan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Piano Trio no.3 in F minor Op.65 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Shaham-Erez-Wallfisch.
    • Nimbus.
  • Albert Ket猫lbey

    A Passing Storm-Cloud on a Summer Day (3 Fanciful Etchings - Suite)

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Les Soir茅es de Nazelles (Final)

    Performer: Emmanuel Despax.
    • Signum.
  • Johann Christian Bach

    Herr, nun L盲ssest du deiner in friede fahen

    Ensemble: Solomon's Knot.
    • Prospero.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony no.4 in A Op.90 'Italian' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Ambassadeurs ~ La Grande 脡curie. Conductor: Alexis Kossenko.
    • Aparte.
  • Frank Martin

    Piano Quintet in D minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Martin Klett. Ensemble: Armida Quartett.
    • Avi.
  • Maurice Ravel

    L'heure Espagnole: Un financier

    Orchestra: Les Si猫cles. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Benjamin Britten

    We committed his body to the deep (Billy Budd)

    Singer: John Mark Ainsley. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • Glyndebourne.
  • George Frideric Handel

    The Harmonius Blacksmith (Harpsichord Suite no.5 )

    Performer: Sviatoslav Richter.
    • The Very Best of Sviatoslav Richter.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 104.
  • Leos Jan谩膷ek

    Violin Sonata (1st mvt)

    Performer: Benjamin Baker. Performer: Daniel Lebhardt.
    • 1919: Boulanger, Jan谩膷ek, Elgar, Debussy.
    • Delphian.
    • 1.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Mass in G minor (Credo)

    Choir: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Conductor: James O鈥橠onnell.
    • HYPERION.
    • 3.
  • Johanna M眉ller-Hermann

    Piano Quintet in A minor Op.31 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Oliver Triendl. Performer: Daniel Gaede. Performer: Nina Karmon. Performer: Benedikt Schneider. Performer: Antoaneta Emanuilova.
    • Johanna M眉ller-Hermann: Piano Quintet Op. 31 鈥 Violin Sonata Op. 5.
    • HAENSSLER CLASSIC.
    • 1.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Bolero

    Orchestra: Les Si猫cles. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Quartet in E flat major Op.33`2 'Joke'

    Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.
    • Haydn: String Quartets Op. 33 Nos 1-3.
    • BIS.

Record Review

9.00am


More Bach. Works by JS, CPE and WF Bach

Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg

J眉rgen Gro脽 (violin & director)

Challenge Classics CC72960

Charpentier: David & Jonathas

Reinoud Van Mechelen (tenor)

Caroline Arnaud (soprano)

David Witczak (baritone)

Francois-Olivier Jean (tenor)

Antonin Rondepierre (tenor)

Geoffroy Buffiere (bass)

Virgile Ancely (bass)

Ensemble Marguerite Louise

Gaetan Jarry (conductor)

Chateau de Versailles CVS102 (2CDs + DVD + BLU-RAY)

Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k: Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor

Shaham Erez Wallfisch Trio

Nimbus NI5952

Albert Ketelby 鈥 orchestral music

大象传媒 Concert Orchestra

Martin Yates (conductor)

Dutton Epoch CDLX 7407 (Hybrid Multi-Channel SACD)

Apr猫s un r锚ve: Belle 脡poque: Nights at the piano. Music by Faure, Poulenc, Debussy etc.

Emmanuel Despax (piano)

Signum SIGCD747

09.30am 鈥Ben Johnson: New Releases

Bach Motets

Solomon鈥檚 Knot

Prospero PROSP0073

Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5

Les Ambassadeurs ~ La Grande 脡curie

Alexis Kossenko (conductor)

Apart茅 AP315

Franck & Martin: Piano Quintets

Armida Quartett

Martin Klett (piano)

C-Avi AVI8553527

Maurice Ravel: L鈥檋eure espagnol, Bolero

Isabelle Druet (mezzo-soprano)

Julien Behr (tenor)

Lo茂c F茅lix (tenor)

Thomas Doli茅 (baritone)

Jean Teitgen (bass)

Les Si猫cles

Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMM905361



Ben Johnson: On Repeat

Britten: Billy Budd (Glyndebourne Festival 2010)

John Mark Ainsley (tenor - Captain Vere)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Mark Elder (conductor)

Glyndebourne GFOCD017-10 (3 CDs)

Listener On Repeat

Handel - Keyboard Suites I

Sviatoslav Richter & Andrei Gavrilov (piano)

Warner Classics 5865402



10.10am 鈥 New Releases


1919: Coda - Janacek, Boulanger, Debussy, Elgar.

Benjamin Baker (violin)/Daniel Lebhardt (piano)

Delphian DCD34288

Vaughan Williams, MacMillan & Tavener: Choral works

The Choir of Westminster Abbey

James O鈥橠onnell (conductor)

Hyperion CDA68420

10.30am 鈥 Building a Library: Roger Parker on Puccini鈥檚 Tosca


Recommended recording:

Leontyne Price (soprano 鈥 Tosca)

Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor 鈥 Cavaradossi)

Piero De Palma (tenor 鈥 Spoletta)

Herbert Weiss (treble 鈥 Pastore)

Giuseppe Taddei (baritone 鈥 Scarpia)

Carlo Cava (bass 鈥 Angelotti)

Alfredo Mariotti (bass 鈥 Carceriere)

Fernando Corena (bass 鈥 Sagrestano)

Leonardo Monreale (bass 鈥 Sciarrone)

Vienna State Opera Chorus

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

Decca 421 670-2 (2 CDs)



11.15am 鈥 New Releases

Johanna M眉ller-Hermann: Piano Quintet Op.31 & Violin Sonata Op.5

Oliver Triendl (piano)

Daniel Gaede (violin)

Nina Karmon (violin)

Benedikt Schneider (viola)

Antoaneta Emanuilova (cello)

H盲nssler Classic HC22082

Maurice Ravel: L鈥檋eure espagnol, Bolero

Isabelle Druet (mezzo-soprano)

Julien Behr (tenor)

Lo茂c F茅lix (tenor)

Thomas Doli茅 (baritone)

Jean Teitgen (bass)

Les Si猫cles

Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMM905361

11.25am 鈥 Record of the Week

Haydn: String Quartets Op. 33 Nos 1-3

Chiaroscuro Quartet

BIS BIS-2588 SACD (Hybrid SACD)


Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Jun 2023 09:00

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