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Andrew McGregor with Tom Service and Erica Jeal

The best new classical releases, and Tom Service compares recordings of Richard Strauss's orchestral epic Ein Heldenleben - A Hero's Life in Building a Library.

09.30
Building a Library: Tom Service compares recordings of Richard Strauss's orchestral epic Ein Heldenleben - A Hero's Life - and picks a favourite.

From the mid-1880s until 1915 Richard Strauss established his credentials as one of Europe's leading composers with a series of ten descriptive orchestral tone poems. His subjects ranged from a picture postcard of his Italian summer holidays, through to literary and folk characters and, by 1898, to his favourite subject of all (although he half-heartedly denied it): himself. Strauss's apparently boundless egotism and effrontery outraged contemporary critics, especially when they heard their carping lampooned and then brushed aside by The Hero on his way to more significant and hard-fought victories on life's journey. But it's difficult not to be seduced by the work's swagger and wonderful orchestration, including eight soaring and thrillingly heroic horns, which even today stretches every orchestral player's technique.

Recording Ein Heldenleben has been on every self-respecting Straussian's to-do list, ensuring a never-ending stream of recordings, many from some of the world's great orchestra-conductor partnerships.

10.50
Carnegie Hall, 9 May, 1965. After a 12-year absence from the concert platform, piano legend Vladimir Horowitz makes a triumphant return. The hotly-anticipated recital had been meticulously planned with a series of private concerts at the Hall in the preceding months, given before a handful of friends and family. Erica Jeal has been sifting through Sony's sumptuously presented box set documenting Horowitz's journey to Carnegie Hall, including never-previously-released recordings of the private recitals, to find out if it's worth its £100 price tag.

11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Recording of the Week.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Eric Coates

    The Merrymakers

    • Chandos.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 2 in A minor - Allegretto

    Performer: Andrey Gugnin.
    • Hyperion.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 3 in G major - Andante

    Performer: Andrey Gugnin.
    • Hyperion.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 4 in E minor - Moderato

    Performer: Andrey Gugnin.
    • Hyperion.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Preludes for piano, Op. 34: No 5 in D major - Allegro vivace

    Performer: Andrey Gugnin.
    • Hyperion.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphonie No. 87 en La Majeur, Hob. I:87 "L'Impatiente": IV. Finale. Vivace

    Orchestra: Le Concert de la Loge. Conductor: Julien Chauvin.
    • Haydn: L'Impatiente.
    • ´¡±è²¹°ù³Ùé.
    • 104.
  • Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne

    Phèdre: "Il va venir"

    Singer: Sophie Karthäuser. Orchestra: Le Concert de la Loge. Conductor: Julien Chauvin.
    • Haydn: L'Impatiente.
    • ´¡±è²¹°ù³Ùé.
    • 107.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Impromptu No. 4 in C sharp minor, Op. 66 'Fantaisie-Impromptu'

    Performer: Pavel Kolesnikov.
    • Hyperion.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Begli Occhi

    Ensemble: Fieri Consort.
    • Fieri Records.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Septet in E flat major, Op. 20 iii) Tempo di menuetto & Trio

    Music Arranger: Carl Czerny. Ensemble: Boxwood & Brass.
    • Resonus Classics.
  • Hubert Parry

    I Was Glad

    Choir: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Performer: Henry Websdale. Conductor: Stephen Cleobury.
    • Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles.
    • Kings College Cambridge.
    • 101.
  • Pauline Kim Harris

    Ambient Chaconne (After Bach's BWV 1004):

    Composer: Spencer Topel. Performer: Pauline Kim Harris. Performer: Spencer Topel.
    • Heroine.
    • Sono Luminus.
    • 101.
  • Vladimir Horowitz

    Horowitz improvising

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Moritz Moszkowski

    Étude in A-Flat Major, Op. 72, No. 11

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Alexander Scriabin

    Study in C sharp minor, Op.2 no.1

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3 ii) Largo e mesto

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Piano Sonata in F Minor, K. 481

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Dame Ethel Mary Smyth

    Mass in D - Gloria

    Conductor: Sakari Oramo. Orchestra: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Orchestra. Choir: ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Chorus. Singer: Susanna Hurrell. Singer: Catriona Morison. Singer: Ben Johnson. Singer: Duncan Rock.
    • Chandos.

Record Review

9.00am

Eric Coates: Orchestral Works Vol. 1

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Philharmonic

John Wilson (conductor)

Chandos CHAN20036

Ìý

Ìý

Shostakovich: Preludes Op. 31 & Piano Sonatas

Andrey Gugnin (piano)

Hyperion CDA68267

Ìý


KOTTOS: Songs & Dances – arrangements of works by Bartók, Grieg, Vivaldi et al inspired by songs and dances of European folk music

Kottos

Orchid Classics ORC100105

Ìý

Ìý

Haydn: Symphony No. 87 'L'Impatiente', plus arias and instrumental music by Grétry, Lemoyne, Ragué etc

Sophie Karthäuser (soprano)

Le Concert de la Loge

Julien Chauvin (violin and director)

Aparté AP210

Ìý

Ìý

9.30am – Building a Library – Tom Service on Richard Strauss' Ein Heldenleben

Ìý

Composer: Richard Strauss

Reviewer: Tom Service

Ìý

Recommended Recording:

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Mariss Jansons (conductor)

BR Klassik 900127

Ìý

Other Recommended Recordings:

Ìý

Wiener Philharmoniker

Sir Georg Solti (conductor)

Decca 4406182

Ìý

Ìý

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestera

Simon Rattle (conductor)

Warner Classics 3393392

Ìý

Ìý

Bavarian State Orchestra

Richard Strauss (conductor)

DG 4299252

Ìý

10.20am – New Releases

Chopin: Impromptus, waltzes & mazurkas

Pavel Kolesnikov (piano)

Hyperion CDA68273

Ìý

Ìý

Barbara Strozzi: Virtuosa of Venice – works by Barbara Strozzi as well as Nicolò Fontei, Benedetto Ferrari, Giovanni Girolamo Kasperger and Claudio Monteverdi.

Fieri Consort

Fieri Records FIER003VOV

Ìý

Ìý

Beethoven Transformed, Volume 1 – Beethoven's Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20 and Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 71 arranged for wind ensemble by Carl Czerny

Boxwood & Brass

Resonus Classics RES10249

Ìý

Ìý

Evensong Live 2019: Anthems and Canticles - A celebration of British choral music including works by William Byrd, Nicholas Maw, Judith Weir etc

Choir of King's College Cambridge

Stephen Cleobury, Ben Parry and Christopher Robinson (conductor)

Kings College KGS0038

Ìý

Ìý

Heroine: Reimaginings of the Chaconne from J.S Bach's Partita in D minor BWV. 1004 and Ockeghem’s Deo Gratias

Pauline Kim Harris (violin)

Spencer Topel (electronics)

Dorian Sono Luminus DSL92235

Ìý

Ìý

Ernst von Dohnányi: Symphony No. 1 & Symphonic Minutes

Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz

Roberto Paternostro (conductor)

Capriccio C5386

Ìý


10.45am – New Releases – Erica Jeal on Vladimir Horowitz - The Great Comeback


Vladimir Horowitz - The Great Comeback

Vladimir Horowitz (piano)

Sony 19075935332 (15 CDs)

Ìý


11.30am – Disc of the Week

Ìý

Dame Ethel Smyth: Mass in D & Overture to 'The Wreckers'

Susanna Hurrell (soprano)

Catriona Morison (mezzo)

Ben Johnson (tenor)

Duncan Rock (baritone)

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Sakari Oramo (conductor)

Chandos CHSA5240 (Hybrid SACD)



Broadcast

  • Sat 5 Oct 2019 09:00

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