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Handel's Messiah in Building a Library with Jeremy Summerly and Andrew McGregor

Jeremy Summerly compares recordings of Handel's Messiah and chooses his favourite. Emily MacGregor discusses new orchestral releases.

with Andrew McGregor

9.30 Building a Library
Jeremy Summerly compares recordings of Handel's Messiah and chooses his favourite.

Messiah is Handel's best-known work and one of the most frequently performed choral works in western music. It was composed in 1741 with a text compiled from the King James Bible. It is full of show stoppers such as "For unto us a child is born", "The trumpet shall sound" and the ever-rousing "Hallelujah" chorus.

10.45
Emily MacGregor chats to Andrew about some new recordings of orchestral music she has been listening to including violin concertos by Nielsen and Sibelius, symphonies by Sibelius and ballets by Stravinsky.

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

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Apr 2022 09:00
麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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Mahler's Symphony No 9 in Building a Library with Gillian Moore and Hannah French

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Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony with Erik Levi and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • Gioachino Rossini

    Stabat Mater: Aria "Cujus animam gementem". Allegretto maestoso

    Singer: Maria Agresta. Singer: Daniela Barcellona. Singer: Ren茅 Barbera. Singer: Carlo Lepore. Orchestra: Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: Wiener Singverein. Conductor: Gustavo Gimeno.
    • Rossini: Stabat Mater.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 2.

  • Antonio Lotti

    Crucifixus a 6

    Choir: Choir of King鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Director: Daniel Hyde.
    • Now The Green Blade Riseth.
    • Kings College.
    • 8.

  • Arthur Benjamin

    Concertino: II. Andante poco lento

    Performer: Simon Callaghan. Orchestra: 麻豆约拍 National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • British Piano Concertos.
    • Lyrita.
    • 7.

  • Nicolaus Bruhns

    Mein Herz ist bereit

    Singer: Paul Max Tipton. Ensemble: Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • Bruhns: Cantatas & Organ Works, Vol. 1.
    • BIS.
    • 401.

  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39

    Performer: Valentina Lisitsa.
    • Chopin: Scherzos & Other Piano Works.
    • Naive.
    • 3.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 4 in G Major: I. Bed盲chtig, nicht eilen

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 101.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    On Wenlock Edge: V. Bredon Hill

    Performer: Julius Drake. Performer: Timothy Ridout. Singer: Nicky Spence. Ensemble: Piatti Quartet.
    • On Wenlock Edge & other songs.
    • Hyperion.
    • 18.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Concerto N. 3 in C minor, Op 37: III. Rondo. Allegro

    Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Conductor: Pablo Heras鈥怌asado. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 3.

  • Carl Nielsen

    Violin Concerto, Op 33 (FS61): Ib. Allegro cavalleresco

    Performer: Johan Dalene. Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Storg氓rds.
    • Nielsen & Sibelius: Violin Concertos.
    • BIS.
    • 2.

  • Richard Strauss

    Metamorphosen

    Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Metamorphosen - R. Strauss; Korngold; Schrecker.
    • Chandos.
    • 1.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No 3 in C major, Op 52: II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Klaus M盲kel盲.
    • Sibelius: Complete Symphonies.
    • Decca.
    • 2.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No 5 in E flat major, Op 82: III. Allegro molto

    Orchestra: Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Klaus M盲kel盲.
    • Sibelius: Complete Symphonies.
    • Decca.
    • 3.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Firebird, K010: IX. Danse infernale de tous les sujets de Kastchei

    Performer: London Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Stravinsky Ballets.
    • LSO Live.
    • 9.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Petruskha, K012: Scenes 1 - 3

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Stravinsky Ballets.
    • LSO Live.
    • 1.

Record Review

The link below each recording takes you directly to the label鈥檚 website. Please be aware that non-UK labels may be cheaper via a record store or an online retailer.

听

9.00am

听

Rossini: Stabat Mater

Maria Agresta (soprano)

Daniela Barcellona (mezzo)

Ren茅 Barbera (tenor)

Carlo Lepore (bass-baritone)

Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg

Wiener Singverein

Gustavo Gimeno

Harmonia Mundi HMM905355

听

听

Now the Green Blade Riseth 鈥� music by Byrd, Lotti, Stainer, etc.

Choir of King's College, Cambridge

Daniel Hyde

King鈥檚 College听 KGS0065

听

听

British Piano Concertos 鈥� music by Addison, Benjamin, Maconchy, etc.

Simon Callaghan (piano)

麻豆约拍 National Orchestra of Wales

Martyn Brabbins

听

Lyrita 听SRCD407

听

听

Nicolaus Bruhns: Cantatas and Organ Works, Vol. 1

Yale Institute of Sacred Music

Masaaki Suzuki

BIS听 BIS2271 (Hybrid SACD)

听

听

Chopin: Scherzos & Other Piano Works

Valentina Lisitsa (piano)

Na茂ve 听V7700

听

听

9.30am - Building A Library: Jeremy Summerly on Handel鈥檚 Messiah

听

听

Recommended Recording:听 听

听

Dorothee Mields (soprano)

Benno Schachtner (alto)

Benedikt Kristj谩nsson (tenor)

Tobias Berndt (bass)

Gaechinger Cantorey

Hans-Christoph Rademann

Accentus Music听 ACC30499 (2 CDs)

听

听

Other Recommendations:

听

Jennifer Vyvyan (soprano)

Monica Sinclair (alto)

Jon Vickers (tenor)

Giorgio Tozzi (bass)

Royal Philharmonic Chorus

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Sir Thomas Beecham

RCA Victor Red Seal听 LD 6409 (4 LPs)

听

听

Emma Kirkby (soprano)

Judith Nelson (soprano)

Carolyn Watkinson (alto)

Paul Elliott (tenor)

David Thomas (bass)

Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

The Academy of Ancient Music

Christopher Hogwood

Decca, L鈥橭iseau Lyre听 4788160

听

Susan Hamilton (soprano)

Annie Gill (alto)

Claire Wilkinson (alto)

Nicholas Mulroy (tenor)

Matthew Brook (bass)

Dunedin Consort & Players

John Butt

Linn听 CKD285 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

听

听

听

听

听

10.15am 鈥� New Releases

听

Mahler: Symphony No. 4

Chen Reiss (soprano)

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Semyon Bychkov

Pentatone听 PTC5186972

听

听

Vaughan Williams: On Wenlock Edge & other songs

Nicky Spence (tenor)

Julius Drake (piano)

Timothy Ridout (viola)

Piatti Quartet

Hyperion听 CDA68378

听

听

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3

Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano)

Freiburger Barockorchester

Pablo Heras-Casado

Harmonia Mundi 听HMM902412

听

听

1040am 鈥� New Releases: Emily McGregor on new orchestral releases

听

Nielsen & Sibelius: Violin Concertos

Johan Dalene (violin)

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

John Storg氓rds

BIS听 BIS2620 (Hybrid SACD)

听

听

Metamorphosen - R. Strauss; Korngold; Schrecker

Sinfonia of London

John Wilson

Chandos听 CHSA 5292 (Hybrid SACD)

听

听

Sibelius: Complete Symphonies

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Klaus M盲kel盲

Decca听 4852256 (4 CDs)

听

听

听

听

11.20am 鈥� Record of the Week

听

Stravinsky Ballets

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Simon Rattle

LSO Live听 LSO5096 (2 Hybrid SACDs)

听

Broadcast

  • Sat 16 Apr 2022 09:00
    麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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