Andrew McGregor with Marina Frolova-Walker
A round-up of the best new classical releases, and in Building a Library Marina Frolova-Walker picks her favourite from among the recordings of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2.
with Andrew McGregor
09.30
Building a Library: Marina Frolova-Walker picks her favourite from among the recordings of Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor.
After the disastrous 1897 premiere of his First Symphony Rachmaninov had a nervous breakdown and went into years of depression, unable to compose. In 1900 his doctor prescribed intensive courses of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy and the Second Piano Concerto was the breakthrough piece. Premiered in 1901 it's become one of the most popular of all piano concertos, represented in the catalogue by a seemingly never-ending list of performers, a veritable who's who of pianists, beginning with the composer himself.
11.45
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.
Last on
More episodes
Music Played
-
![]()
Cole Porter
High society (Overture)
Orchestra: John Wilson Orchestra. Conductor: John Wilson.- Warner Classics.
-
![]()
Richard Strauss
4 Lieder, Op. 27, TrV 170: No. 4, Morgen! (Arr. for Voice, Violin, Harp & Organ)
Performer: Nils鈥怑rik Sparf. Performer: Margareta Nilsson. Performer: Bengt Forsberg. Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter.- A Simple Song.
- BIS.
- 7.
-
![]()
Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k
Quartet No.12 in F Major, Op.96: I. Allegro ma non troppo (Arr. for Wind Quint
Conductor: Amaury Viduvier. Ensemble: Ensemble Ouranos.- Ligeti, Nielsen & Dvorak: Woodwind Quintets.
- NoMadMusic.
- 10.
-
![]()
Manuel Cardoso
Missa pro Defunctis a 4: I. Introitus: Requiem aeternam
Choir: Cupertinos. Director: Luis Toscano.- Hyperion.
-
![]()
Francesco Geminiani
Concerto Grosso Op.7 No.3 in C major H. 117
Performer: Caf茅 Zimmermann.- Alpha.
-
![]()
Frank Bridge
Cello sonata: I. Allegro ben moderato
Performer: Natalie Clein. Performer: Christian Ihle Hadland.- Hyperion.
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Estampes, CD 108: II. La soir茅e dans Grenade. Mouvement de habanera
Performer: Javier Perianes.- Debussy: Pr茅ludes du 1er Livre.
- harmonia mundi.
- 14.
-
![]()
Havergal Brian
The vision of Cleopatra (conclusion)
Singer: Claudia Huckle. Choir: English National Opera Chorus. Orchestra: The English National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.- Dutton Epoch.
-
![]()
Franz Liszt
Soir茅es de Vienne S427, No. 6
Performer: William Youn.- Sony.
-
![]()
Alexander von Zemlinsky
Albumblatt (Errinerungen aus Wien)
Performer: William Youn.- Sony.
-
![]()
Johann Strauss II
Aschenbrodel: (Act 1 opening)
Orchestra: ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ernst Theis.- CPO.
-
![]()
Maurice Ravel
String Quartet in F: II. Assez vif
Ensemble: Tesla Quartet.- Orchid Classics.
-
![]()
Johannes Brahms
Scherzo in E flat minor, Op.4
Performer: Garrick Ohlsson.- Hyperion.
-
![]()
Aaron Jay Kernis
Violin Concerto: III. Toccatini
Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Seattle Symphony. Conductor: Ludovic Morlot.- Onyx Classics.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Serse: Overture & Act 1 Scenes 1-6
Performer: Maxim Emelyanychev. Singer: Franco Fagioli. Singer: Vivica Genaux. Singer: Inga Kalna. Singer: Biagio Pizzuti. Singer: Francesca Aspromonte. Ensemble: Il Pomo d鈥橭ro.- DG.
Record Review
9.00am
听
Songs and music by Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kern & Berlin
John Wilson Orchestra
John Wilson (conductor)
Warner Classics 0190295551230
Ligeti: Six Bagatelles for wind quintet; Nielsen: Woodwind Quintet; Dvorak: Quartet No.12 in F Major, Op.96 arr. for wind quintet
Ensemble Ouranos
NoMadMusic NMM056D
鈥楢 Simple Song鈥� 鈥� songs by Bernstein, Copland, Ives, Mahler, Strauss, Part, Durufl茅, Messiaen, Poulence, Martin, Liszt & Rodgers
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo soprano)
Bengt Forsberg (piano)
BIS 2327 SACD
Manuel Cardoso: Requiem, Lamentations, Magnificat & Motets
Cupertinos (choir)
Louis Toscano (conductor)
Hyperion CDA68252
听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Marina Frolova-Walker on Rachmaninov鈥檚 Piano Concerto No.2
听
Composer: Sergei Rachmaninov
Reviewer: Marina Frolova-Walker
听
Recommended Recording:
Leif Ove Andsnes (piano)
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Antonio Pappano (conductor)
Warner Classics 4 74813 2
Other Recommended Recording:
听
Daniil Trifonov (piano)
Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nezet-Seguin (conductor)
DG 483 5335 4
听
Lang Lang (piano)
Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre
Valery Gergiev (conductor)
DG 477 5231 8
Nikolai Lugansky (piano)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo (conductor)
Warner Classics 2564619462
听
听
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
Francesco Geminiani: Concerti Grossi, Op.7
Caf茅 Zimmerman (ensemble)
Alpha 396
听
Clarke: Viola Sonata; Bridge: Cello Sonata, Serenade, Spring Song, Scherzo; Vaughan Williams: Six Studies in English Folk Song
Natalie Clein (cello)
Christian Ihle Hadland (piano)
Hyperion CDA68253
听
听
Debussy: Pr茅ludes (book 1) & Estampes
Javier Perianes
Harmonia Mundi HMM902301
听
Havergal Brian: The Vision of Cleopatra, Two Choral Pieces, Concert Overture, Fantastic Variations on an Old Rhyme
Claudia Boyle (soprano)
Angharad Lyddon (mezzo soprano)
Claudia Huckle (contralto)
Peter Auty (tenor)
Dutton Epoch CDLX 7348 (SACD Hybrid)
听
Piano music by Schumann, Schubert & Liszt
William Youn (piano)
Sony 1907586 0902
听
Johann Strauss II: Aschenbr枚del听(Cinderella)
ORF Radio Symphonieorchester Wien
Ernst Theis (conductor)
CPO 777 950-2
听
Ravel: String Quartet in F major, Menuet sur le nom d鈥橦aydn, Menuet antique, Menuet in C sharp minor; Haydn: String Quartet in C major, Op.54 No.2; Stravinsky: Concertino for string quartet
Tesla Quartet
Orchid Classics ORC100085
听
Brahms: Fantasias Op.116, Intermezzos Op.117, Klavierstucke Op.118, Scherzo in E flat minor Op.4
Hyperion CDA68226
Kernis: Violin Concerto, Howard: Violin Concerto, Tovey: Stream of Limelight
James Ehnes (violin)
Seattle Symphony
Ludovic Morlot (conductor)
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Cristian Macelaru (conductor)
Andrew Armstrong (piano)
Onyx Classics ONYX 4189
听
听
听
听
11.45am 鈥� Disc of the Week
Handel: Serse
Franco Fagioli (countertenor)
Inga Kalna (soprano)
Vivica Genaux (mezzo soprano)
Francesca Aspromonte (soprano)
Delphine Galou (contralto)
Andrea Mastroni (bass)
Biagio Pizzuti (baritone)
Il Pomo D'Oro (ensemble)
Maxim Emelyanychev (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 483 5784
听
听
Broadcast
- Sat 29 Dec 2018 09:00成人快手 Radio 3
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.
Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast
All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.
Why the music we love as teens stays with us for life
Cognitive neuropyschology can explain why we return to old favourites again and again.