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Andrew McGregor with Suzanne Aspden and William Mival

A round-up of the best new classical recordings plus, in Building a Library, Suzanne Aspden compares recordings of Handel's Israel in Egypt and picks a favourite.

with Andrew McGregor.

09.30
Building a Library: Suzanne Aspden compares recordings of Handel's Israel in Egypt and picks a favourite.

Handel was a very successful composer of Italian opera until a rival opera company split the audience for Italian opera in London. So Handel started looking for new audiences by writing oratorios in English. Israel in Egypt along with Messiah has texts compiled from Biblical verses. Also, like Messiah, it contains more choruses than his other oratorios. This may explain its initial lack of success. In fact, Handel revised the work, adding Italian-style arias of the kind contemporary audiences enjoyed. Today it is these very dramatic and pictorial choruses which ensure its continued popularity with choirs and audiences alike.

10.40
William Mival has been listening to new releases of orchestral music by Bartok, Richard Strauss and Schoenberg, including a new recording of Suk's monumental Asrael Symphony

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

2 hours, 44 minutes

Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto for Violin and Traverso in E Minor, TWV 52:e3

    Performer: Jean Brégnac. Ensemble: Les Accents. Director: Thibault Noally.
    • Bach & Co.
    • 貹é.
    • 102.
  • Herbert Howells

    Cello Concerto ii) Threnody. Lento calmato - Assai teneramente

    Performer: Guy Johnston. Ensemble: Britten Sinfonia. Conductor: Christopher Seaman.
    • Howells: Cello Concerto, An English Mass.
    • Kings College Cambridge.
    • 202.
  • Thomas Arne

    Recitative: Saturnia (The Judgment Of Paris)

    Singer: Mary Bevan. Singer: Susanna Fairbairn. Singer: Gillian Ramm. Ensemble: The Brook Street Band. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Thomas Arne

    Air: Gentle swain! (The Judgment Of Paris)

    Singer: Mary Bevan. Singer: Susanna Fairbairn. Singer: Gillian Ramm. Ensemble: The Brook Street Band. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Stewart Goodyear

    Callaloo, II Mento

    Performer: Stewart Goodyear. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Wayne Marshall.
    • Orchid Classics.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Piano Quintet in B minor Op. 115 iv) Con moto

    Performer: Reto Bieri. Ensemble: Meta4.
    • ECM.
  • Gérard Pesson

    Բü

    Performer: Reto Bieri. Ensemble: Meta4.
    • ECM.
  • Max Richter

    The Four Seasons Recomposed: Autumn I

    Composer: Antonio Vivaldi. Performer: Fenella Humphreys. Conductor: Ben Palmer. Orchestra: Covent Garden Sinfonia.
    • Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter.
    • Rubicon Classics.
    • 107.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Ich Bin Der Welt Abhanden Gekommen (Rückert)

    Singer: Renée Fleming. Orchestra: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Christian Thielemann.
    • Decca.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Couplets de la lettre "Ô mon cher amant, je te jure" (La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Finale: "Oh ! là ! hé !... holà ! de là-bas"(La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Couplets de la griserie "Ah ! quel dîner je viens de faire !" (La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Suite du Finale "Ah ! les autres étaient bien gris" (La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Duetto du mariage "Je dois vous prévenir, madame" (La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Suite du Finale "Mon Dieu !... que de cérémonie !..." (La Périchole)

    Ensemble: Cast. Choir: Chorus of the National Opera of Bordeaux. Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Bru Zane.

Record Review

9.00am

Bach & Co – Music by J S Bach, Graun, Telemann etc

Claire Sottovia (violin)

Jean Brégnac (traverso)

Emmanuel Laporte (oboe)

Sébastien Marq (recorder)

Les Accents

Thibault Noally (violin and direction)

Aparté AP 206

Howells: Cello Concerto & An English Mass

Guy Johnston (cello)

Stephen Cleobury (organ)

King's College Choir Cambridge

King's Voices

Britten Sinfonia

Christopher Seaman (conductor)

Kings College KGS0032 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

Arne: The Judgment of Paris

Mary Bevan (Venus)

Susanna Fairbairn (Pallas)

Gillian Ramm (Juno)

Ed Lyon (Paris)

Anthony Gregory (Mercury)

Andrew Mahon (bass)

The Brook Street Band

John Andrews

Dutton Epoch CDLX 7361 (Hybrid SACD)

Gershwin & Goodyear – Goodyear: Callaloo, Piano Sonata and Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Stewart Goodyear (piano)

Chineke! Orchestra

Wayne Marshall (conductor)

Orchid Classics ORC 100100

9.30am – Building a Library – Suzanne Aspden on Handel's Israel in Egypt, HWV54

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Reviewer: Suzanne Aspden

Recommended Recording:

Nancy Argenta (soprano)

Emily van Evera (soprano)

Timothy Wilson (counter-tenor)

Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor)

David Thomas (bass)

Jeremy White (bass)
Taverner Choir & Players

Andrew Parrott (conductor)

Erato 5621552 (2 CDs)

Other Recommended Recording:

Julia Doyle (soprano)

Maria Valdmaa (soprano)

David Allsopp (counter tenor)

James Gilchrist (tenor)

Roderick Williams (bass)

Peter Harvey (bass)

Netherlands Chamber Choir & Le Concert Lorrain

Roy Goodman (conductor)

Etcetera KTC1517 (2 CDs)

10.20am – New Releases

Max Richter: Recomposed - The Four Seasons, Vasks, Pärt

Fenella Humphreys (violin)

Covent Garden Sinfonia

Ben Palmer (conductor)

Rubicon RCD1015


Quasi Morendo – Brahms Clarinet Quintet and music by Pesson & Sciarrino

Reto Bieri (clarinet)

Meta4

ECM 4818082

Schumann, Brahms, Mahler - Lieder

Renée Fleming (soprano)

Hartmut Höll (piano)

Münchner Philharmoniker

Christian Thielemann (conductor)

Decca 4832335



10.45 am – New Releases – William Mival on new orchestral releases

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Der Rosenkavalier Suite

Royal Scottish National Orchestra,

Thomas Søndergård (conductor)

Linn CKD 510

Richard Strauss: Concertante Works

Tasmin Little (violin)

Julie Price (bassoon)

Michael McHale (piano)

鶹 Symphony Orchestra

Michael Collins (conductor and clarinet)

Chandos CHAN 20034

Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht & Honegger: Symphony No. 2

Baltic Chamber Orchestra

Emmanuel Leducq –Barôme (conductor)

Rubicon RCD1043

Suk: Asrael & A Fairy Tale

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Jiří Bělohlávek (conductor)

Decca 4834781 (2 CDs)



Bartók: The Wooden Prince & The Miraculous Mandarin Suite

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

Susanna Mälkki (conductor)

BIS BIS2328 ( Hybrid SACD)



11.25am – Record of the Week

Offenbach: La Périchole

Aude Extrémo (La Périchole)

Stanislas de Barbeyrac (Piquillo)

Alexandre Duhamel (Don Andres de Ribeira)

Éric Huchet (Don Miguel de Panatellas)

Marc Mauillon (Don Pedro de Hinoyosa)

Enguerrand de Hys (Premier Notaire/Le Marquis)

François Pardailhé (Second Notaire)

Olivia Doray (Guadalena/Manealita)

Julie Pasturaud (Berginella/Frasquinella)

Mélodie Ruvio (Mastrilla/Ninetta)

Adriana Bignagni Lesca (Brambilla)

Jean Sclavis (Un Prionnier)

Les Musiciens du Louvre

Chœur de l’Opéra National de Bordeaux

Marc Minkowski (conductor)

Zane BZ1036 (2 CDs)


Broadcast

  • Sat 22 Jun 2019 09:00

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