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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

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Introduction and Polonaise Brillante in C, Op. 3

    Performer: Gautier Capuçon. Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • Erato.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Entrée des forgerons (Act IV, Isis LWV 54)

    Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Director: Christophe Rousset.
    • 貹é.
    • AP216.
    • 28.
  • 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.
  • Leos Janáček

    Frydecka panna Maria (On an overgrown path, Book 1, no. 4)

    Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony.
    • 19075922812.
    • 6.
  • Leos Janáček

    They chattered like swallows (On an Overgrown Path, Book 1, no. 5)

    Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony.
    • 19075922812.
    • 7.
  • Franz Schubert

    Impromptu no.4 in F minor D935

    Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Rosicka [Dew] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 1)

    Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony.
    • 19075922812.
    • 12.
  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Chodnícek [The Path] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 4)

    Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony.
    • 19075922812.
    • 15.
  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Rozmaryn [Rosemary] (Songs on One Page, H. 294, no. 7)

    Performer: Gabriela Beňačková. Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony.
    • 19075922812.
    • 18.
  • Samuel Barber

    Excursions Op. 20 - no.4. Allegro molto

    Performer: Rudolf Firkušný.
    • Sony Classical.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Piano Concerto in G minor Op. 33 - iii. Allegro con fuoco

    Performer: Rudolf Firkušný. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Václav Neumann.
    • Sony Classical.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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

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