Andrew McGregor with Flora Wilson and Jan Smaczny
Andrew McGregor with Delibes's Lakme plus reissues of Czech pianist Rudolf Firkusny.
with Andrew McGregor
09.30
Building a Library: Flora Willson choose her favourite recordings of Delibes' opera Lakme
Written in the early 1880s and set in the British India of the mid-19th century, Lakmé is based on the novel Le Mariage de Loti by Pierre Loti. The opera includes the ever-popular Flower Duet sung by Lakmé, the daughter of a Brahmin priest, and her servant Mallika. It's most famous aria is the Bell Song in Act 2. Like other French operas of the 19th Century, Lakmé projects a view of the Orient seen through Western eyes. However as a piece of well-crafted escapism with gorgeous tunes and lavish scenic backdrop it is an opera well worth discovering.
10.50
Jan Smaczny joins Andrew to discuss resissues of the great Czech pianist Rudolf Firkusny who studied with the composers Janáček and Suk, and later with the legendary pianists Alfred Cortot and Artur Schnabel. He escaped the Nazis in 1939, fled to Paris, later settled in New York and eventually became a U.S. citizen. He had a broad repertoire and became known especially for his performances of the Czech composers Smetana, Dvořák, Janáček, and Martinů.
11.25
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Recording of the Week
Last on
Music Played
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony in E-Flat Major, K. 16: I. Molto allegro
Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Gottfried von der Goltz.- Mozart, Youth Symphonies.
- 貹é.
- 1.
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Claude Balbastre
Où s'en vont ces gays bergers
Performer: Gaëtan Jarry. Choir: Les Pages du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versaille.- Chateau de Versailles.
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Arthur Bliss
Mary of Magdala, IX. Mary, Mother Was the Pleasant Blower
Singer: Dame Sarah Connolly. Orchestra: 鶹Լ Symphony Orchestra. Choir: 鶹Լ Symphony Chorus. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.- Chandos.
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Frédéric Chopin
Introduction and Polonaise Brillante in C, Op. 3
Performer: Gautier Capuçon. Performer: Yuja Wang.- Erato.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo
Performer: Johan Dalene. Orchestra: Norrköpings Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Daniel Blendulf.- Tchaikovsky & Barber: Violin Concertos.
- BIS.
- 3.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée des peuples des climats glacés (Act VI, Isis LWV 54)
Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.- 貹é.
- AP216.
- 24.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
"L'hiver qui nous tourmente" (Act IV, Isis LWV 54)
Choir: Chœur de Chambre de Namur. Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.- 貹é.
- AP216.
- 25.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
"Laissez-moi, cruelle Furie" (Act IV, Isis LWV 54)
Performer: Eve-Maud Hubeaux. Performer: Cyril Auvity. Choir: Chœur de Chambre de Namur. Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.- 貹é.
- AP216.
- 26.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
"Tôt, tôt, tôt…" (Act IV, Isis LWV 54)
Performer: Fabien Hyon. Performer: Aimery Lefèvre. Choir: Chœur de Chambre de Namur. Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.- 貹é.
- AP216.
- 27.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée des forgerons (Act IV, Isis LWV 54)
Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.- 貹é.
- AP216.
- 28.
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Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 8 in E-Flat Major, Part I: Hymnus Veni Creator. Spiritus Allegro impetuoso
Singer: Manuela Uhl. Singer: Fatma Said. Orchestra: Düsseldorfer Symphoniker. Conductor: 8 Bit.- Mahler: Symphonie No. 8.
- CAvi-music.
- 1.
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Leos Janáček
Frydecka panna Maria (On an overgrown path, Book 1, no. 4)
Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony.
- 19075922812.
- 6.
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Leos Janáček
They chattered like swallows (On an Overgrown Path, Book 1, no. 5)
Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony.
- 19075922812.
- 7.
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Franz Schubert
Impromptu no.4 in F minor D935
Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony Classical.
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Bohuslav Martinů
Rosicka [Dew] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 1)
Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony.
- 19075922812.
- 12.
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Bohuslav Martinů
Chodnícek [The Path] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 4)
Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony.
- 19075922812.
- 15.
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Bohuslav Martinů
Rozmaryn [Rosemary] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 7)
Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony.
- 19075922812.
- 18.
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Samuel Barber
Excursions Op. 20 - no.4. Allegro molto
Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.- Sony Classical.
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Antonín Dvořák
Piano Concerto in G minor Op. 33 - iii. Allegro con fuoco
Performer: Rudolf Firkušný. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Václav Neumann.- Sony Classical.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Leonore, Act 2 No. 10, duet: "Um in der Ehe froh zu lebe"
Singer: Robin Johannsen. Singer: Marlis Petersen. Choir: Zürcher Sing-Akademie. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: René Jacobs.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Leonore Act 2 No. 11. "Ach, brich noch nicht, du mattes Herz!"
Performer: Marlis Petersen. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: René Jacobs.- Harmonia Mundi.
- HMM90241415.
- 22.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Leonore Act 2 No. 12. Finale "O, welche Lust, in freier Luft"
Performer: Robin Johannsen. Performer: Marlis Petersen. Choir: Zürcher Sing-Akademie. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: René Jacobs.- Harmonia Mundi.
- HMM90241415.
- 1.
Record Review
9.00am
Mozart: Youth Symphonies
Freiburger Barockorchester
Gottfried von der Goltz (conductor)
Aparté AP215
Noëls Baroques à Versailles: Golden Age of French Organ Collection, vol. 3
Gaétan Jarry (organ and conductor)
Les Pages du Centre de musique baroque de Versailles
Château de Versailles Spectacles CVS025
Bliss: Mary of Magdala, The Enchantress & Meditations of a Theme by John Blow
Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano)
James Platt (bass)
鶹Լ Symphony Chorus
鶹Լ Symphony Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis (conductor)
Chandos CHSA5242 (Hybrid SACD)
Franck - Chopin
Gautier Capuçon (cello)
Yuja Wang (piano)
Erato 9029539226
9.30am – Building a Library – Flora Willson on Delibe’s Lakmé
Composer: Léo Delibes
Reviewer: Flora Willson
Recommended Recording:
Mady Mesplé (soprano)
Danielle Millet (mezzo-soprano)
Charles Burles (tenor)
Roger Soyer (bass-baritone)
Jean-Christophe Benoit (baritone)
Bernadette Antoine (soprano)
Monique Linval (soprano)
Agnès Disney (mezzo-soprano)
Joseph Peyron (tenor)
Chœurs et Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique
Alain Lombard (conductor)
Erato 9029573486 (2CDs)
Other Recommended Recordings:
Natalie Dessay (soprano)
Patricia Petibon (soprano)
Xenia Konsek (soprano)
Delphine Haida (mezzo-soprano)
Gregory Kunde (tenor)
Franck Leguérinel (baritone)
José van Dam (bass-baritone)
Orchestre Du Capitole De Toulouse
Michel Plasson (conductor)
Erato 5565692 (2CDs)
10.20am – New Releases
Tchaikovsky & Barber: Violin Concertos
Johan Dalene (violin)
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Blendulf (conductor)
BIS BIS2440 (Hybrid SACD)
Lully: Isis
Julie Calbète (soprano)
Julie Vercauteren (soprano)
Bénédicte Tauran (soprano)
Ambroisine Bré (mezzo-soprano)
Eve-Maud Hubeaux (mezzo-soprano)
Cyril Auvity (tenor)
Fabien Hyon (tenor)
Aimery Lefèvre (baritone)
Philippe Estèphe (baritone)
Edwin Crossley-Mercer (bass-baritone)
Chœur de Chambre de Namur
Les Talens Lyriques
Christophe Rousset (conductor)
Aparté AP216 (2CDs)
Mahler: Symphony No. 8
Manuela Uhl (soprano)
Polina Pasztircsák (soprano)
Fatma Said (soprano)
Katrin Wundsam (mezzo-soprano)
Katharina Magiera (alto)
Neal Cooper, Tenor / Doctor Marianus
Hanno Müller-Brachmann (baritone)
Peter Rose (bas)s
Choir of the Städtischer Musikverein zu Düsseldorf
Philharmonischer Chor, Bonn
Kartäuserkantorei Köln
Youth Choir of the Clara-Schumann Musikschule, Düsseldorf
Düsseldorfer Symphoniker
Ádám Fischer (conductor)
Avi Music AVI8553474
10.45am – New Releases – Jan Smaczny on Sony’s Rudolf Firkušný collection
Rudolf Firkušný - The Complete RCA and Columbia Album Collection
Gabriela Beňačková (soprano)
Tossy Spivakovsky (violin)
Gregor Piatigorsky (cello)
Janos Starker (cello)
Juilliard Quartet
Rudolf Firkušný (piano)
Claus Peter Flor (conductor)
Howard Hanson (conductor)
Libor Pešek (conductor)
George Szell (conductor)
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Eastman-Rochester Symphony
Sony 19075922812 (18CDs)
11.15am – Record of the Week
Beethoven: Leonore
Marlis Petersen (soprano)
Robin Johannsen (soprano)
Johannes Chum (tenor)
Florian Feth (tenor)
Maximilian Schmitt (tenor)
Johannes Weisser (baritone)
Dimitry Ivashchenko (bass)
Tareq Nazmi (bass)
Julian Popken (bass)
Zürcher Sing-Akademie
Freiburger Barockorchester
René Jacobs (conductor)
Harmonia Mundi HMM90241415 (2CDs)
Broadcast
- Sat 7 Dec 2019 09:00鶹Լ Radio 3
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