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Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata', in Building a Library with Erik Levi and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, Erik Levi chooses his favourite recording of Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata', plus a round-up of the best new classical releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Emily MacGregor discusses some new releases that have caught her ear and shares her 'On Repeat' track 鈥 a recording which she is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Building a Library: Erik Levi chooses his favourite recording of Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1 'Kreutzer Sonata'

Composed in only nine days in 1923, Jan谩膷ek's compact, emotionally supercharged String Quartet No 1 takes its title from Leo Tolstoy鈥檚 1889 novella where a wife and her violinist lover play Beethoven鈥檚 'Kreutzer' Sonata together before the jealous husband murders his adulterous wife. Jan谩膷ek's music roils with the conflicted passions of tormented love, desire and jealously of Tolstoy's story. But there was emotional turmoil in Jan谩膷ek's life, too. Long-fed up with his wife, in 1915 Jan谩膷ek had fallen deeply in love with Kamila St枚sslov谩 who, happily married and 40 years his junior, made sure that Jan谩膷ek's love remained unrequited. And if that was unfortunate for Jan谩膷ek, it was surely lucky for us as he poured his feelings for St枚sslov谩 into music which blazes with a truly exceptional emotional intensity.

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @成人快手Radio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in D, Op. 4 No. 11, RV 204: I. Allegro

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Arte dei Suonatori.
    • CHANNEL CLASSICS.
  • Franz Schubert

    Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, D 417 "Tragic": III. Menuetto

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 3.
    • Chandos.
    • 107.
  • Francesco Scarlatti

    Dixit Dominus: VIII. Gloria

    Ensemble: Armonico Consort. Conductor: Christopher Monks.
    • Francesco Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus 鈥 Mass.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 108.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op 135: I. Allegretto

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • Prism V.
    • ECM.
    • 1.
  • Richard Strauss

    Sonatina No. 2 in E-Flat Major, "Fr枚hliche Werkstatt": III. Menuet

    Ensemble: Members of Berlin Staatskapelle. Conductor: Gregori Witt.
    • Richard Strauss Wind Music.
    • Capriccio.
    • 112.
  • Richard M. Sherman

    Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (from Mary Poppins)

    Composer: Robert B. Sherman. Ensemble: The King鈥檚 Singers.
    • When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40 (1941 Version): III. Allegro vivace

    Performer: Boris Giltburg. Orchestra: Brussels Philharmonic. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.
    • Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
    • Naxos.
    • 132.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony no.8 in C minor Op.65 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Kirill Petrenko.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.
  • Samantha Fernando

    Balconies

    Performer: Olivia de Prato.
    • Panorama.
    • New Focus Recordings.
    • FCR368.
  • John Tavener

    The Protecting Veil (excerpt)

    Performer: Lionel Martin. Orchestra: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Conductor: Corinna Niemeyer.
    • Lionel Martin performs Tavener.
    • SWR Classic.
    • 104.
  • Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

    Coleridge-Taylor: Ballade in A Minor, Op. 33: I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo

    Conductor: Kalena Bovell. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.
    • Coleridge-Taylor.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 13.
  • Christoph Willibald Gluck

    Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Euridice)

    Music Arranger: Giovanni Sgambati. Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • Fantasia.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 6.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 9: II. Im Tempo eines gem盲chlichen L盲ndlers

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo V盲nsk盲.
    • Mahler: Symphony No.鈥9.
    • BIS.
    • 102.
  • Harrison Birtwistle

    Oockooing Bird

    Performer: Joonas Ahonen.
    • Symmetria Pario: Creation.
    • Yarlung Records.
    • 107.
  • Missy Mazzoli

    Dissolve, O my Heart

    Performer: Pekka Kuusisto.
    • Symmetria Pario: Creation.
    • Yarlung Records.
    • 108.
  • Jan Dismas Zelenka

    Missa Charitatis

    Singer: Gabriela Eibenov谩. Singer: Jonathan Mayenschein. Singer: Tobias Hunger. Singer: Martin Schicketanz. Singer: Wolf Matthias Friedrich. Singer: Jiri Miroslav Proch谩zka. Ensemble: Ensemble In茅gal. Conductor: Adam Viktora.
    • Zelenka: Missa Charitatis & Litaniae Xaverianae.
    • NIBIRU.
  • Andreas Scharmann

    Gedenke, Herr, wie es uns gehet

    Performer: Lionel Meunier. Choir: Vox Luminis.
    • Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem.
    • RICERCAR.
  • Franz Berwald

    Septet in B flat major (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Wigmore Soloists.
    • Beethoven and Berwald: Septets.
    • BIS.
    • 203.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major (1874), "Romantic": I. Allegro

    Orchestra: G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 4.
    • Myrios Classics.
    • 101.

Record Review

The link below each recording takes you directly to the label鈥檚 website. Please be aware that non-UK labels may be cheaper via a record store or an online retailer.

9.00am

Vivaldi: Concertos

Rachel Podger (violin)

Holland Baroque

Brecon Baroque

Arte dei Suonatori

Channel Classics CCSBOX7423 (7 CDs)

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Edward Gardner

Chandos CHSA5265

Francesco Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus 鈥 Mass

Armonico Consort

Christopher Monks

Signum SIGCD740


Prism V - Beethoven, Webern, Bach

Danish String Quartet

ECM 4858469

Richard Strauss Wind Music

Members of Staatskapelle Berlin

Gregori Witt

Capriccio C5497 (2 CDs)

When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs

The King鈥檚 Singers

Joyce DiDonato (mezzo)

Pene Pati (tenor)

Edgar Moreau (cello)

Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet)

Warner Classics 5419736740

09.30am 鈥 Emily MacGregor: New Releases

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

Boris Giltburg (piano)

Brussels Philharmonic

Vassily Sinaisky

Naxos 8574528

Shostakovich: Symphony Nos. 8, 9, 10

Berliner Philharmoniker

Kirill Petrenko

Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR 220421 (2 CDs + Blu-ray)

Panorama

Olivia de Prato (violin)

New Focus Recordings FCR368


Lionel Martin Performs John Tavener

Lionel Martin (cello)

Stuttgarter Kammerorchester

Corinna Niemeyer

SWR Music SWR19122CD

Emily MacGregor: On Repeat

Coleridge-Taylor

Elena Urioste (violin)

Chineke! Orchestra

Decca 4853322 (2 CDs)

Listener On Repeat

Yuja Wang: Fantasia

Yuja Wang (piano)

Deutsche Grammophon 4790052

10.10am 鈥 New Releases

Mahler: Symphony No.鈥9

Minnesota Orchestra

Osmo V盲nsk盲

BIS BIS2476 (Hybrid SACD)

Symmetria Pario: Creation

Pekka Kuusisto (violin)

Joonas Ahonen (piano)

Yarlung Records YAR84165

Zelenka: Missa Charitatis & Litaniae Xaverianae

Gabriela Eibenova (soprano)

Jonathan Mayenschein (counter-tenor)

Tobias Hunger (tenor)

Martin Schicketanz (bass)

Wolf Matthias Friedrich (bass)

Jiri Miroslav Prochazka (bass)

Ensemble Inegal

Adam Viktora

Nibiru 01732231


10.30am 鈥 Building a Library: Erik Levi on Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata'

Recommended recording:

Jan谩膷ek: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 & Sonata for Violin and Piano

Praz谩k Quartet (string quartet)

Praga PRD250108D

Also recommended:

Tak谩cs Quartet

Hyperion CDA67997

Pavel Haas Quartet

Supraphon SU39222

11:15 am

Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem

Vox Luminis

Lionel Meunier

Ricercar RIC445

Beethoven and Berwald: Septets

Wigmore Soloists

BIS BIS2707 (Hybrid SACD)

11.25am 鈥 Record of the Week

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (1874 Version)

G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln

Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth

Myrios MYR032

Broadcast

  • Sat 15 Apr 2023 09:00

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