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Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata with Natasha Loges and Andrew McGregor

Natasha Loges chooses her favourite recording of Beethoven's Violin Sonata No 9 in A, Op 47, 'Kreutzer', plus Andrew McGregor reviews the new Riccardo Muti set with William Mival.

9.30 Building a Library
Natasha Loges chooses her favourite recording of Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata

Beethoven's Violin Sonata in A major, Op.47, more commonly known simply as the Kreutzer Sonata, is one of the most technically challenging pieces in the violin repertoire. Leo Tolstoy immortalised the work in his notorious and daring 1889 novella The Kreutzer Sonata, which was promptly censored by the Russian authorities and, a year later, prohibited in newspapers in the USA.

Beethoven composed his Kreutzer Sonata in 1803 and originally dedicated it to his friend and leading virtuoso of the day, George Bridgetower. They premiered the work together in May 1803 at Vienna's Augarten Theatre, allegedly sight-reading the entire work. Shortly afterwards, the two men fell out and Beethoven changed the dedication to the French violin pedagogue, composer and conductor, Rudolphe Kreutzer. It is said that Kreutzer himself hated the sonata and refused to play it. The dedication, however, has remained.

It is a lengthy three-movement work in which a serene Andante with variations is bookended by two fiery outer movements.

10.45
William Mival joins Andrew to review the new 91-CD box set, Riccardo Muti: The Complete Warner Symphonic Recordings.

11.20
Record of the Week
Andrew recommends an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 3 Jul 2021 09:00
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

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Mozart's Quintet for Piano and Wind in Building a Library with Iain Burnside and Andrew McGregor

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Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Bach Violin Sonatas

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Music Played

  • Percy Grainger

    Irish Tune from County Derry 'Danny Boy'

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Hyperion.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 6 in D major 'Le Matin' - I. Adagio - Allegro

    Ensemble: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Haydn 2032, Vol. 10: Les heures du jour.
    • Alpha.

  • Erik Satie

    Carnet d'esquisses et de croquis: No. 18, Petit prelude de "La mort de Monsieur

    • Satie: Piano Music, Vol. 4.
    • BIS.
    • 18.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3" - IV. Allegro

    Ensemble: Doric String Quartet.
    • Mozart: String Quartets, Vol. 1 – The Prussian Quartets.
    • Chandos.
    • 4.

  • Elizabeth Maconchy

    Concertino for Bassoon and String Orchestra: I. Moderato

    Performer: Laurence Perkins. Ensemble: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William Goodchild.
    • Voyage of a sea-god.
    • Hyperion.
    • 1.

  • André Cardinal Destouches

    Semiramis: Chaconne, Dieu charmant de Cythere & Quelle turbillon de feux

    Singer: Éléonore Pancrazi. Singer: Choeur du Concert Spirituel. Singer: Mathias Vidal. Singer: Emmanuelle de Negri. Ensemble: Les Ombres. Director: Sylvain Sartre.
    • Destouches: Semiramis.
    • Château de Versailles Spectacles.
    • 10.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Piano Trio in A Minor, M. 67: II. Pantoum

    Performer: Alexander Sitkovetsky. Performer: Isang Enders. Performer: Qian Wu. Ensemble: Sitkovetsky Trio.
    • Ravel & Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Morfydd Owen

    Gweddi y Pechadur

    Performer: Andrew Matthews-Owen. Singer: Natalya Romaniw.
    • Taliesin's Songbook.
    • TÅ· Cerdd.
    • 21.

  • Alfred Schnittke

    Choral Concerto (4th mvt)

    Choir: Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoor. Conductor: Kaspars Putniņš.
    • Schnittke & Pärt: Choral Works (2).
    • BIS.
    • 4.

  • Gioachino Rossini

    William Tell - Overture

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian': i. Andante sostenuto - Allegro vivo

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

  • Ottorino Respighi

    Pini di Roma. i. Pini della Via Appia

    Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Requiem: Dies Irae, Tuba Mirum & Mors Stupebit

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Two Rhapsodies (Op. 79): No 1 in B minor & No 2 in G minor

    Performer: Garrick Ohlsson.
    • Brahms: Piano Sonatas & Rhapsodies.
    • Hyperion.

Record Review

DISCS PLAYED & REVIEWED ON RECORD REVIEW:

Saturday 3rd July 2021


Ìý

9.00am

Ìý

Ìý

Love songs – music by Grainger, Liszt, Schumann, R. Strauss, etcÌý

Angela Hewitt (piano)

HyperionÌý CDA68341

ÌýÌý

Ìý

Ìý

Haydn 2032, Vol. 10: Les heures du jour (Haydn Symphonies 6-8, Mozart Serenata Notturna)

Il Giardino Armonico

Giovanni Antonini (conductor)Ìý

AlphaÌý ALPHA686Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Satie Vol. 4: relâche/Cinéma

Noriko Ogawa (Erard piano 1890)

BISÌý BIS2335 (Hybrid SACD)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Mozart: Prussian Quartets

Doric String Quartet

ChandosÌý CHAN 20249(2)Ìý (2CDs)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Voyage of a Sea-God – Music by Prokofiev, Bax, Saint-Saëns, etcÌý

Laurence Perkins (bassoon)

Michael Hancock (piano)

Amy Thompson, Matthew Kitteringham & Catriona McDermid (bassoon)

Eira Lynn Jones (harp)

Susie Mészáros (viola)

Michael Escreet (double bass)

Carducci Quartet

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

William Goodchild (conductor)Ìý

HyperionÌý CDA68371/2 (2 CDs)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

9.30am – Building a Library – Natasha Loges on Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Recommended Recording: Ìý

Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin)

Fazil Say (piano)

NaïveÌý V5146Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Other recommendations:Ìý

Viktoria Mullova (violin)

Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano)

OnyxÌý ONYX4050Ìý

Ìý


Gidon Kremer (violin)

Martha Argerich (piano)Ìý

DGÌý 4767256Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.15am – New Releases

Ìý

Ìý

Destouches: Semiramis

Eleonore Pancrazi Ìý(Sémiramis/mezzo-soprano)

Emmanuelle De Negri Ìý(Amestris/soprano)

Matthias Vidal Ìý(Arsane/tenor)

Choeur du Concert Spirituel

Les Ombres

Sylvain Sartre (director)Ìý

Château de Versailles SpectaclesÌý CVS038Ìý (2 CDs)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ravel & Saint-Saëns: Piano Trios

Sitkovetsky Trio

BISÌý BIS2219 (Hybrid SACD)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Taliesin's Songbook – music by Elwyn-Edwards, Bowden, Mathias, Owen, Williams, etc

Andrew Matthews-Owen (piano)

Rebecca Evans, Susan Bullock, Elin Manahan Thomas, & Natalya Romaniw (soprano)

Elgan LlÅ·r Thomas (tenor)

Gareth Brynmor John (baritone)

Catrin Finch (harp)

TÅ· CerddÌý TCR031Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Schnittke & Pärt: Choral Works (2)

Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Kaspars Putnins (conductor)Ìý

BISÌý BIS2521Ìý (Hybrid SACD)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.40am – Reissues: William Mival on The Complete Recordings of Riccardo Muti

Ìý

Ìý

The Complete Warner Symphonic Recordings

Riccardo Muti (conductor)Ìý

Warner ClassicsÌý 9029500834Ìý (91 CDs)Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

11.20am – Record of the Week

Ìý

Ìý

Brahms: Piano Sonatas & Rhapsodies

Garrick Ohlsson (piano)

HyperionÌý CDA68334

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Broadcast

  • Sat 3 Jul 2021 09:00
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3

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