Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Beethoven Symphony No. 8 in Building a Library with Richard Wigmore and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, Richard Wigmore chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Symphony No 8 in F, and pianist Charles Owen shares a clutch of exciting new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Pianist Charles Owen is in the studio with a clutch of exciting new releases and shares his 'On Repeat' track 鈥 a recording which he is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Richard Wigmore chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 has often suffered in comparison to its immediate symphonic neighbours (when asked why people favoured the Seventh symphony over the Eighth, Beethoven replied 鈥淏ecause the Eighth is so much better鈥). In one sense the Eighth is just like all Beethoven's symphonies, each one of which is revolutionary and breaks new musical ground compared to its predecessor. This time, Beethoven's preoccupations were concision, formal subversion, ebullient energy and musical humour. Beethoven's instrumental writing is remarkable, too, and well over a century after its 1814 premiere, the Eighth impressed no less a judge than Igor Stravinsky, who knew a thing or two about orchestration.

Richard's recommended recording:
Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Paavo J盲rvi (conductor)
RCA 88697006552

Recommended period instrument recording:
London Classical Players
Roger Norrington (conductor)
Erato 0834232

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

  • Maurice Ravel

    Cinq m茅lodies populaires grecques: No. 4, Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques

    Singer: Magdalena Ko啪en谩. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Pentatone.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in D major, RV 229: I. Allegro

    Performer: Fabio Biondi. Orchestra: Europa Galante.
    • Naive.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: II. Courante & III. Sarabande

    Performer: Mahan Esfahani.
    • Bach: The French Suites.
    • Decca (UMO) (Classics).
    • 10.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No. 31 in D, K297 'Paris': I. Allegro assai

    Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Conductor: Bernhard Forck.
    • Pentatone.
  • James McMillan

    I Saw Eternity the Other Night

    Ensemble: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Bach & Macmillan: Motets and Sacred Songs (Live).
    • Signum Records.
    • 7.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 97 in C Major: IV. Finale

    Orchestra: DR UnderholdningsOrkestret. Conductor: 8 Bit.
    • Naxos.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in B Minor, RV 580 III. Allegro

    Performer: Milo拧 Karadagli膰. Music Arranger: Michael Lewin. Ensemble: Arcangelo. Conductor: Jonathan Cohen.
    • Sony.
  • Fran莽ois Couperin

    Les baricades mist茅rieuses

    Performer: Milo拧 Karadagli膰.
    • Sony.
  • Thomas Ad猫s

    Alchymia: I. A Sea-Change (...Those Are Pearls...)

    Performer: Mark Simpson. Ensemble: Quatuor Diotima.
    • Orchid Classics.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Piano Concerto in G Major: III. Presto

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Louis Langr茅e.
    • Erato.
  • George Frideric Handel

    As steals the morn upon the night (L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato)

    Singer: Christine Brandes. Singer: Ian Bostridge. Orchestra: Ensemble orchestral de Paris. Conductor: John Nelson.
    • HANDEL.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 214.
  • Richard Strauss

    R. Strauss: Festliches Pr盲ludium, Op. 61, TrV 229

    Performer: Olivier Latry. Conductor: Andris Nelsons. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig.
    • Strauss.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 93.
  • Nicola Matteis

    Ayres for the Violin, Book I: Scaramuccia

    Performer: Oph茅lie Gaillard. Orchestra: Pulcinella Orchestra.
    • Napoli!.
    • 础辫补谤迟茅.
    • 103.
  • Franz Schubert

    Die Sch枚ne Mu虉llerin, D. 795: No. 6, Der Neugierige

    Performer: Daniel Heide. Singer: Konstantin Krimmel.
    • Schubert: Die Sch枚ne M眉llerin.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 6.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations, BWV988

    Performer: V铆kingur 脫lafsson.
    • DG.
  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Concerto for Orchestra: II. Presentando le coppie

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch.
    • Bart贸k: Concerto pour orchestre - Concerto pour alto.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 2.
  • John Sheppard

    Gaude gaude gaude Maria

    Ensemble: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimell.

Broadcast

  • Sat 14 Oct 2023 09:00

Composers A to Z

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

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.