5 April 2008

Listen to this episode for up to 7 days after broadcast

Saturday 5 April 2008 Radio 3)

Andrew McGregor introduces Radio 3's weekly programme devoted to all that's new in the world of recorded music.

On this week's programme:
09.05am

MOZART: Sonata in A KV 305 from disc Complete sonatas for keyboard and violin Vol 5

(c/w Sonata in C KV 403 (385c); Sonata in B flat KV31; Sonata in D KV 306)

Rachel Podger (violin); Gary Cooper (fortepiano)

Channel Classics CCS SA 25608 (Hybrid SACD)


MICHAEL NYMAN: In Re Don Giovanni




(c/w Revisiting the Don ; Trysting Fields; Not Knowing the Ropess, Wedding Tango; Wheelbarrow Walk; Fish Beach; Knowing the Ropes; O my Dear Papa; I am an unusual thing;
Profit and Loss)

Michael Nyman Band

Mn Records MNRCD 113 (CD)


MOZART: Cosi fan tutte or The School for Lovers

English version by Marmaduke Browne, adapted by John Cox
Fiordiligi, Janice Watson (soprano)
Dorabella, Diana Montague (mezzo soprano)
Guglielmo, Christopher Maltman (baritone)
Ferrando, Toby Spence (tenor)
Despina, Lesley Garrett (soprano)
Don Alfonso, Thomas Allen (baritone)
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Gareth Hancock (assistant conductor), Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)

Chandos Opera in English CHAN 3152(3) (3 CDs) (Mid Price)


MOZART: Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (K339)

(c/w MOZART Ave verum Corpus; FAURE: Requiem)

Elin Manahan Thomas (soprano); Ruth Massey (alto); Mark Dobell (tenor); Roderick Williams (baritone);
The Sixteen; Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Harry Christophers (conductor)

CORO Live COR 16057 (CD)

Building a Library Recommendation

SCRIABIN: Le Poeme de l'extase

Reviewer - William Mival

New Releases - Vaughan Williams and Finzi

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: On Wenlock Edge - From far, from eve and morning

(c/w IVOR GURNEY: Ludlow and Teme; IAN VENABLES: Songs of Eternity and Sorrow, Op.36)

Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano), Dante Quartet

Signum Classics SIGCD112 (CD)


VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: On Wenlock Edge - Is my team ploughing?

(c/w Piano Quintet in C minor; Romance and Pastorale - two pieces for violin and piano)

Mark Padmore (tenor); Schubert Ensemble with Alison Dods (violin)

Chandos CHAN 10465 (CD)


VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: On Wenlock Edge - Clun

(c/w WARLOCK: The Curlew; BLISS: Elegiac Sonnet; IVOR GURNEY: Ludlow and Teme)

James Gilchrist (tenor); Anna Tilbrook (piano); Michael Cox (flute) Gareth Hulse (cor anglais)
The Fitzwilliam String Quartet

LINN CKD 296 (CD)


FINZI: Dies Natalis, Op.8 - The Rapture

(c/w FINZI: Romance for string orchestra Op.11; WALTON: Sonata for string orchestra (l972)

Toby Spence (tenor); Scottish Ensemble; Jonathan Morton (artistic director)

WIGMORE HALL WHLive0021 (CD)


FINZI: Dies Natalis, Op.8 - Wonder

(c/w Prelude for String Orchestra; The Fall of the Leaf (Elegy) (compl. Howard Ferguson); Two sonnets for Tenor and Orchestra; Nocturne (New Year Music); Farewell to Arms)

James Gilchrist (tenor), Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, David Hill (conductor)

NAXOS 8.570417 (CD)

New Recordings

Wiebke Thormahlen talks to Andrew about recent releases of Baroque violin and cello repertoire, on both period and modern instruments. With extracts from the following discs:

CPE BACH: Gamba Sonatas & Fantasias

Solo a Viola da Gamba e Basso in D major H 559
Fantasie in A major H.278; Fantasie in C minor H.75; La Stahl H.94; Solo a Viola da Gamba e Basso in C major H 558; Les Langueurs Tendres H.110

Lorenzo Ghielmi (fortepiano), Vittorio Ghielmi
(viola da gamba), Gianluca Buratto (bass-baritone)

WINTER & WINTER910 140-2 (CD)


CPE BACH: Viola da gamba Sonatas

Sonatas in C major, Wq.136, H.558; D major, Wq.137, H559; Trio sonata in G minor, Wq.88 H.510

Dmitry Kouzov (cello), Peter Laul (harpsichord and piano)

NAXOS 8.570740 (CD)


JS BACH: Unaccompanied Sonata No.2 in A minor;
BARTOK: Sonata No.1 for violin and piano Sz.75 BB84

Midori (violin), Robert McDonald (piano)

SONY 82796977452 (CD)


Boccherini : Sei Quartetti per Archi, Op.2
QuartettI Nos. I to VI
Alea Ensemble

STRADIVARIUS STR 33758 (CD)


BUXTEHUDE : Sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and cembalo Op.1 (buxWV 252-258)

L'Estravagante: Stefano Montanari (violin), Rodney Prada (viola da gamba), Maurizio Salerno (cembalo)

ARTS 47731-8 (SACD)


BUXTEHUDE: Six Sonatas (Complete Chamber Music 3)

Sonatas in G major, BuxWV 271; A minor, BuxWV 272; F major, BuxWV 269; D major BuxWV 267; B flat major BuxWV 273; C major BuxWV 266

John Holloway and Ursula Weiss (violins), Jaap ter Linden and Mogens Rasmussen (viola da gamba), Lars Ulrik Mortensen (harpsichord and organ)

Naxos 8.557250 (CD)


BIBER: Mensa Sonora, seu Musica instrumentalis' Pars I to VI

Purcell Quartet

CHAN 0784 (CD)

Disc of the Week

HAYDN: The Creation (Part 1 played)

Sandrine Piau (soprano),Miah Persson (soprano), Ruth Massey (contralto), Peter Harvey (baritone), Mark Padmore (tenor), Neal Davies (bass), Chetham's Chamber Choir, Gabrieli Consort & Players, Paul McCreesh (conductor)

Archiv 477 7361 (2 CDs, Mid Price)

Album Description
Acclaimed for their recordings of large-scale masterpieces including Bach's St Matthew Passion, Handel's Saul and Mozart's Mass in C Minor, Paul McCreesh and his Gabrieli Consort turn their attention to Haydn's greatest work: The Creation
Paul McCreesh has revised large parts of the text of the English-language version, also rewriting the recitatives "as Haydn might have done had he been more familiar with the English language"

Not only is this the world premiere recording of this newly revised version, it is also the first release of Die Schoepfung in its equally authentic English version in the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue

Employing a luxuriously large cast of five soloists, almost 100 singers and 113 players as used by Haydn for the premiere of the German version, this promises to be the English-language recording of The Creation

McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort are regarded as highly acclaimed experts in recreating large-scale orchestral/choral works as they might have been performed historically; here they bring their unique insight to Haydn's well-loved masterwork

Next Week

On next week's programme David Fanning examines recordings of Schumann's Piano Quintet in E flat Op.44 and Jonathan Swain picks out some highlights from EMI's bumper set of re-issues of recordings from some of the leading musicians of the stereo age.

29 March 2008

Listen to this episode for up to 7 days after broadcast
Saturday 29 March 2008 (Radio 3)

Andrew McGregor introduces Radio 3's weekly programme devoted to all that's new in the world of recorded music.

On this week's programme:

VENABLES: Songs of Eternity and Sorrow Op. 36 (Easter Hymn) from disc On Wenlock Edge

(c/w VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: On Wenlock Edge; GURNEY: Ludlow and Teme)

Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Simon Crawford-Philips (piano), Dante Quartet

Signum Classics SIGCD 112 (CD, Mid Price)


R. STRAUSS: Standchen (Op. 17 No. 2) from disc Richard Strauss: The Complete Songs Volume 3

(c/w Nichts Op 10 No 2; Die Zeitlose Op 10 No 7; Die Verschwiegenen Op 10 No 6; Seitdem dein Aug' in meines schaute Op 17 No 1; Das Geheimnis Op 17 No 3; Aus den Liedern der Trauer Op 17 No 4; Nur Mut! Op 17 No 5; Barkarole Op 17 No 6; Wozu noch, Madchen, soll es frommen Op 19 No 1; Schon sind, doch kalt die Himmelssterne Op 19 No 3; Hoffen und wieder verzagen Op 19 No 5; Ach weh mir ungluckhaftem Mann Op 21 No 4; Die Frauen sind oft fromm und still Op 21 No 5; Heimliche Aufforderung Op 27 No 3; Ich trage meine Minne Op 32 No 1; Sehnsucht Op 32 No 2; Liebeshymnus Op 32 No 3; O su?er Mai! Op 32 No 4; Himmelsboten Op 32 No 5; Fur funfzehn Pfennige Op 36 No 2; Anbetung Op 36 No 4; Winterweihe Op 48 No 4; Winterliebe Op 48 No 5; Freundliche Vision Op 48 No 1)

Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Roger Vignoles (piano)

Hyperion CDA67602 (CD)


RACHMANINOV: Khristos Voskres (Christ is Risen)

(c/w My otdokhnyom Op. 26/3 ; Noch ; Koltso Op. 26/14 ; Ya zhdu tebya Op. 14/1 ; Duma Op. 8/3 ; O net, molyu, ne ukhodi! Op. 4/1 ; O ne grusti Op. 14/8 ; Prokhodit vsyo Op. 26/15 ; Kak mne bolno Op. 21/12 ; V moyei dushe Op. 14/10 ; Utro Op. 4/2; Son Op. 8/5 ; V molchanii nochi tainoi Op. 4/3 ; SHOSTAKOVICH : Spanish Songs Op. 100)

Iris Oja (mezzo-soprano), Roger Vignoles (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMU907449 (CD)


SCHUBERT: Das Weinen D. 926

(c/w Fahrt zum Hades D526; Freiwilliges Versinken D700; Des Fischers Liebesgluck D933; Der Winterabend D938; Memnon D541; Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren D360; Der Schiffer D536;
Sehnsucht D636; Der Jungling am Bache D638; An Emma D113; Der Pilgrim D794; Gruppe aus dem Tartarus D583; Hoffnung D295; Grenzen der Menschenheit D716)

Matthias Goerne (baritone), Elisabeth Leonskaja (piano)

Harmonia Mundi HMC901988 (CD)


SCHUBERT: Die schone Mullerin D795 (Das Wandern)

Christoph Pregardien (tenor), Michael Gees (piano)

Challenge Classics CC72292 (Hybrid SACD)

Building a Library Recommendation

HAYDN: The Seasons

Reviewer - Simon Heighes

First Choice:

Marlis Petersen (soprano), Werner Gura (tenor), Dietrich Henschel (baritone), RIAS-Kammerchor,
Freiburger Barockorchester, Rene Jacobs (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMC901829-30 (2 CDs) or HMC801829-30 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

Listener Requests

MOZART: Piano Concerto in A K488*

(c/w Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K466; Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat K482; Symphony No. 28 in C K200; Piano Concerto No. 21 in C K467)

Geza Anda (piano/director)*, Camerata Academica Salzburg*

Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Constantin Silvestri (conductor), Joseph Keilberth (conductor)

Audite 23.407 (2CDs, Mid Price)

New Recordings

Andrew talks to Alyn Shipton about new recordings of American minimalist works. With extracts from the following discs:

GLASS: Booking of Longing (A Song Cycle based on the Poetry and Images of Leonard Cohen)

Leonard Cohen (spoken text), Dominique Plaisant, Tara Hugo, Will Erat & Daniel Keeling (singers); Philip Glass Ensemble (including Philip Glass keyboard); Michael Riesman (conductor)

Orange Mountain Music OMM0043 (2 CDs)


GLASS: Complete String Quartets

The Smith Quartet

Signum Classics SIGCD117 (2 CDs, Mid Price)


RILEY: The Cusp of Magic

Kronos Quartet, Wu Man (pipa)

Nonesuch 7559 79959 8 (CD, Mid Price)


GLASS: The Piano Music

(Opening (from "Glassworks") "Trilogy Sonata" (arranged by Paul Barnes); Knee Play no. 4 (from Einstein on the Beach); Satyagraha (conclusion Act 3); Dance (from Akhnaten scene 3); The Poet Acts; Morning Passages; Something She Has To Do; I'm Going to Make a Cake; An Unwelcome Friend; Dead Things; Why Does Someone Have to Die; Tearing Herself Away; Escapei; Choosing Life; The Hours)

John Lenehan (piano)

Sony 88697 119572 (CD)


Minimal Piano Collection, Volumes I-IX

Jeroen van Veen (piano)

Brilliant Classics 8551 (9 CDs, Budget)

Listener Requests

BEETHOVEN: Bagatelles Op. 126

(c/w Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 15)

Piotr Anderszewski (piano/director), Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Virgin Classics 50211128 (CD, Mid Price)

Disc of the Week

JS BACH: Cantata BWV 30a 'Angenehmes Wiederau'

(c/w Vereinigte Zwietracht BWV207)

Monika Frimmer (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter tenor), Markus Schafer (tenor), Stephan MacLeod (bass), Les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, Cafe Zimmermann, Gustav Leonhardt (conductor)

Next Week

On next week's programme William Mival recommends a recording of Scriabin's Poeme de l'extase (Building a Library) and Wiebke Thormahlen discusses new Baroque releases with Andrew