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Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with Sarah Willis and Andrew McGregor

Sarah Willis picks a favourite recording of Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings. Plus, Tom Service has been listening to the latest recordings of Bruckner's symphonies.

9.30 am
Building a Library
Sarah Willis chooses her favourite recording of Benjamin Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings.

The Serenade's status as a darkly dazzling 20th-century classic is founded on Britten's unerring ear for finding and setting English poetry, coupled with his instinctive sense of instrumental and vocal virtuosity. Its six texts, from Ben Johnson to Tennyson, deal with night and the corruption of innocence, themes which preoccupied Britten throughout his career. Both the solo writing and the interplay between voice and horn are based on the strengths of the two musicians for which it was written, Britten's long-time partner, Peter Pears and the horn player Dennis Brain. They made the first recording in 1944, a year after the premiere, and since then many subsequent recordings, most often featuring British tenors, have followed.

10.40 am
Tom Service has been listening to the latest releases of Bruckner from, among others, the on-going symphony cycles of Andris Nelsons in Leipzig and Christian Thielemann in Vienna.

11.20 am
Record of the Week
An outstanding new release

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Children's Corner, L. 113 (Arr. A. Caplet for Orchestra): I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum

    Music Arranger: André Caplet. Conductor: Pascal Rophé. Orchestra: Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire.
    • Debussy Orchestrated.
    • BIS.
    • 301.
  • Carl Czerny

    Systematische Anleitung zum Fantasieren, Op. 200: No. 51, Capriccio. Allegro vivace

    • Czerny: Systematische Anleitung zum Fantasieren, Op. 200.
    • CPO.
    • 220.
  • Amanda Maier-Rontgen

    Violin Concerto in D minor

    Performer: Cecilia Zilliacus. Ensemble: Västerås Sinfonietta. Conductor: Kristiina Poska.
    • Violin Concertos by Johannes Brahms, Amanda Maier & Julius Rontgen.
    • dB Productions.
    • 1.
  • Rhona Clarke

    Requiem: I. Introit

    Choir: Valsts Akadēmiskais koris "Latvija". Conductor: Māris Sirmais.
    • Rhona Clarke: Sempiternam.
    • Divine Art.
    • 8.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op 67: I. Allegro con brio

    Performer: Leonidas Kavakos. Performer: Yo‐Yo Ma. Performer: Emanuel Ax. Music Arranger: Colin Matthews.
    • Beethoven for Three: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV1012: Gavottes

    Performer: Lucile Boulanger.
    • Solo Bach-Abel.
    • Alpha.
    • 5.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Gigue (After Abel's Allegro in A Major, WKO 212)

    Performer: Lucile Boulanger.
    • Solo Bach-Abel.
    • Alpha.
    • 6.
  • Eleanor Alberga

    Violin Concerto No 2 'Narcissus' (opening)

    Performer: Thomas Bowes. Orchestra: 鶹Լ National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Joseph Swensen.
    • Eleanor Alberga: Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2.
    • Lyrita.
    • 1.
  • Agathe Backer-Grøndahl

    I blaafjellet, Op. 44: No. 2, I trollhallen

    • Backer Grøndahl: Piano Works.
    • Grand Piano.
    • 2101.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, WAB 102: I. Moderato

    Conductor: Christian Thielemann. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No.2.
    • Sony.
    • 1.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 5 in B flat major: IV. Finale. Adagio - Allegro moderato

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5.
    • DG.
    • 4.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 1 in C minor: IV. Finale. Bewegt, feurig

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5.
    • DG.
    • 6.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 0 'die Nullte', III. Scherzo. Presto - Trio. Langsamer und ruhiger

    Orchestra: Bruckner Orchester Linz. Conductor: Markus Poschner.
    • Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 0 'die Nullte'.
    • Capriccio.
    • 3.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 7 in E Major: II. Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam

    Orchestra: Gürzenich-Orchester Köln. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 7.
    • Myrios.
    • 2.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 7 in E Major: IV. Finale. Bewegt, doch nicht schnell

    Orchestra: Gürzenich-Orchester Köln. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 7.
    • Myrios.
    • 4.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Piano Concerto No 1 in G Minor, Op 25

    Orchestra: Orchestre de chambre de Paris.
    • Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos & Capriccio Brillant.
    • Ondine.
    • 1.

Record Review

9.00am

Debussy Orchestrated

Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire

Pascal Rophé

BIS BIS2622 (Hybrid SACD)

Carl Czerny: Systematische Anleitung Zum Fantasieren Op. 200

Kolja Lessing (piano)

CPO 555384-2 (2 CDs)

Violin Concertos by Johannes Brahms, Amanda Maier & Julius Röntgen

Cecilia Zilliacus (violin)

Västerås Sinfonietta

Kristiina Poska

dB Productions DBCD202

Sempiternam: Choral music by Rhona Clarke

State Choir Latvija

Maris Sirmais

Divine Art MSV28614

Deep Heights: Concertos and operatic arrangements for bass trombone

Lisa Hochwimmer (bass trombone)

Kiel Philharmonic Orchestra

Benjamin Reiners

Genuin GEN22774

9.30am - Building A Library: Sarah Willis on Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings

Recommended Recording:

Peter Pears (tenor)

Dennis Brain (horn)

New Symphony Orchestra of London

Eugene Goossens

Naxos 980235

Other Recommendations:

Robert Tear (tenor)

Alan Civil (horn)

Northern Sinfonia

Sir Neville Marriner

Warner Classics 3522862

Philip Langridge (tenor)

Frank Lloyd (horn)

English Chamber Orchestra

Steuart Bedford

Naxos 8557199

Allan Clayton (tenor)

Richard Watkins (horn)

Aldeburgh Strings

Markus Däunert

Linn CKD478

10.15am – New Releases

Beethoven for Three: Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5

Leonidas Kavakos (violin)

Yo-Yo Ma (cello)

Emanuel Ax (piano)

Sony 19439940142

Solo Bach-Abel

Lucile Boulanger (viola da gamba)

Alpha ALPHA783

Eleanor Alberga: Violin Concertos Nos.1 & 2 and The Soul’s Expression

Thomas Bowes (violin)

Morgan Pearse (baritone)

鶹Լ National Orchestra of Wales

Joseph Swensen

Lyrita SRCD405

Agathe Backer Grøndahl: Piano Works

Sara Aimee Smiseth (piano)

Grand Piano GP902

1040am – New Releases: Tom Service on Bruckner Symphonies

Bruckner: Symphony No.2 (Edition Carragan)

Wiener Philharmoniker

Christian Thielemann

Sony 19439914122

Bruckner: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 5

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Andris Nelsons

DG 4862083 (2 CDs)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 0 in D minor 'Die Nullte'
Bruckner Orchestra Linz

Markus Poschner

Capriccio C8082

Bruckner: Symphony No. 7
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln

François-Xavier Roth

Myrios MYR030

11.20am – Record of the Week

Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos & Capriccio Brillant

Lars Vogt (piano/conductor)

Orchestre Chambre de Paris

Ondine ODE1400-2

Broadcast

  • Sat 5 Mar 2022 09:00

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