Andrew McGregor with Edward Seckerson and Harriet Smith
Latest recordings with Andrew McGregor, Building a Library on Gershwin's Porgy and Bess from Edward Seckerson, and new releases of chamber music from Harriet Smith.
with Andrew McGregor.
09.30
Building a Library: Edward Seckerson listens to and compares recordings of Gershwin's opera, Porgy and Bess.
Porgy and Bess is an opera by George Gershwin. First performed in 1935 it featured a cast of classically trained African-American singers. After a slow start, the work has gradually gained popularity, and it is now one of the more frequently performed operas.
The story tells of Porgy, a disabled black street-beggar and his attempts to rescue Bess from Crown, her violent lover, and Sportin' Life, her drug dealer. Some of the numbers in the opera, such as "Summertime", have become popular, frequently recorded songs. In recent times the trend has been toward productions more faithful to Gershwin's original intentions.
10.50
Andrew McGregor talks to Harriet Smith about recent releases of chamber music by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms and Britten.
11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
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Richard Strauss
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 (opening)
Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vasily Petrenko.- Oslo Philharmonic + Petrenko: Richard Strauss.
- LAWO.
- 002.
-
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Goldberg Variations BWV988: Aria; Variations 1 - 4
Ensemble: Arundo Quartet.- BACH Goldberg Variations.
- Supraphon.
- 001.
-
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Jacques Dutronc
Il est cinq heures, Paris s'茅veille
Choir: Choeur de l'Arm茅e fran莽aise. Orchestra: Orchestre de la Garde r茅publicaine. Conductor: Aurore Tillac.- PARIS Je t'aime.
- Erato.
- 003.
-
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Felix Mendelssohn
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 40: iii - Finale
Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Pablo Heras鈥怌asado.- Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 2.
- Harmonia Mundi.
- 007.
-
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Dieterich Buxtehude
Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75: vi - Ad Cor
Ensemble: Ricercar Consort. Director: Philippe Pierlot.- Buxtehude, Membra Jesu nostri.
- Mirare.
- 032.
-
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Gra偶yna Bacewicz
Concert Krakowiak
Performer: Morta Grigaliunait猫.- Bacewicz: Piano Music.
- Piano Classics.
- 004.
-
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Leopold Mozart
Missa Solemnis: Crucifixus; Et resurrexit
Singer: Arianna Vendittelli. Singer: Sophie Rennert. Singer: Patrick Grahl. Singer: Ludwig Mittelhammer. Choir: Das Vokalprojekt. Orchestra: Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie. Conductor: Alessandro De Marchi.- Leopold Mozart: Missa Solemnis.
- Aparte.
- 10.
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Ernest Chausson
Po猫me de l'amour et de la mer, Op. 19: Interlude; La Mort De L'amour
Singer: V茅ronique Gens. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch.- Chausson: Po猫me De L'Amour et de la Mer; Symphonie Op.20.
- Alpha Classics.
- 2.
Record Review
9.00am
R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40 & Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko (conductor)
LAWO Classics LWC1166
J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV988
Arundo Quartet (ensemble)
Supraphon SU4261-2
Paris Je t鈥檃ime
Choeur de l鈥橝rm茅e Fran莽aise (choir)
Orchestre de la Garde R茅publicaine
Aurore Tillac (conductor)
Warner Classics 0190295484842
Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 40 & Symphony No. 1, Op. 11
Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano)
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
Pablo Heras-Casado (conductor)
听听
9.30am 鈥� Building a Library 鈥� Edward Seckerson on Gershwin鈥檚 Porgy and Bess
Composer: George Gershwin
Reviewer: Edward Seckerson
Recommended Recording:
Donnie Ray Albert (Porgy), Clamma Dale (Bess), Wilma Shakesnider (Serena), Carol Brice (Maria), Andrew Smith (Crown), Alexander B. Smalls (Jake), Betty Lane (Clara), Larry Marshall (Sportin鈥� Life)
Houston Grand Opera
John DeMain (conductor)
RCA RD 82109
Other Recommended Recordings:
Willard White (Porgy), Leona Mitchell (Bess), McHenry
Boatwright (Crown), Florence Quivar (Serena), Barbara Hendricks (Clara),
Barbara Conrad (Maria), Arthur Thompson (Jake), Fran莽ois Clemmons (Sporting
Life)
Cleveland
Orchestra and Chorus
Lorin Maazel (conductor)
Decca 414 559-2
Willard White (Porgy), Cynthia Haymon (Bess), Gregg Baker
(Crown), Harolyn Blackwell (Clara), Cynthia Clarey (Serena), Marietta Simpson
(Maria), Damon Evans (Sportin' Life), Bruce Hubbard (Jake)
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Glyndebourne Chorus
Simon Rattle (conductor)
EMI CDS 49568-2
10.20am 鈥� New Releases
Buxtehude: Membra Jesu nostri
Maria Keohane, Hanna Bayodi-Hirt (sopranos)
Carlos Mena (alto)
Jeffrey Thompson (tenor)
Matthias Vieweg (bass)
Ricercar Consort
Philippe Pierlot (direction)
Mirare MIR444
Gra偶yna Bacewicz: Piano Music
Morta Grigali奴nait臈 (piano)
Piano Classics PCL10183
Leopold Mozart: Missa Solemnis
Arianna Vendittelli (soprano)
Sophie Rennert (alto)
Patrick Grahl (tenor)
Ludwig Mittelhammer (bass)
Das Vokalprojekt
Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie
Alessandro De Marchi (conductor)
Aparte AP205
10.49am
鈥� New Releases 鈥� Harriet Smith鈥檚 chamber music
Schumann: Complete Piano Trios
Horszowski Trio
AVIE AV2405
Mozart, Brahms, Mahler
Skride Piano Quartet
Orfeo C946191
听听听听听听听听
Faur茅, Debussy, Szymanowski, Chopin
Bomsori Kim (violin)
Rafal Blechacz (piano)
DG 483 6467
Britten: String Quartets,
etc.
Doric Quartet
Chandos CHAN 20124
11.20am 鈥� Record of the Week
Chausson: Po猫me de l鈥檃mour et de la mer & Symphonie, Op. 20
V茅ronique Gens (soprano)
Orchestre National de Lille
Alexandre Bloch (conductor)
Alpha ALPHA441
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