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Ravel's Piano Trio in Building a Library with Jeremy Sams and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor, plus some of the best new classical releases assessed.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Sarah Devonald brings a seasonal selection of new releases to the studio, and in On Repeat she shares a track with Andrew and explains her current preoccupation with it.

10.30 am
Building a Library
Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Maurice Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor.

Ravel was living in the Basque country not far from the town where he was born when completed his Piano Trio in 1914, just after the outbreak of World War I, far away from the front line. But there are no grim premonitions in this music and its lush harmonic sound world, full of Basque dance patterns and playful rhythmic sleights of hand, is characterised by the sort of lavish instrumental textures so typical of this master orchestrator. And based on Classical structures (Ravel joked "I’ve written my trio. Now all I need are the themes."), including a haunting passacaglia as its emotional centre of gravity, the Trio is a deeply satisfying musical journey which needs outstanding musicians to meet its exacting demands.

11.20 am
Record of the Week
An exceptional new release.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @鶹ԼRadio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Ernst Wilhelm Wolf

    Willkommen, du sehnlich erbetener Tag: I. Willkommen, du sehnlich erbetener Tag

    Ensemble: Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • Wolf: 4 Christmas Cantatas.
    • CPO.
    • 101.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Piano Quintet in C minor for Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Piano: I. Allegro con fuoco

    Performer: Mark Bebbington. Performer: Duncan Riddell. Performer: Abigail Fenna. Performer: Richard Harwood. Performer: Benjamin Cunningham.
    • Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th, The Lark Ascending.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 1.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Lucia di Lammermoor (Excerpts): Que n'avons-nous des ailes

    Lyricist: Salvadore Cammarano. Singer: Lisette Oropesa. Orchestra: Dresdner Philharmonie. Conductor: Corrado Rovaris.
    • Rossini & Donizetti: French Bel Canto Arias.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 112.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata No 10 in C major, K330: I. Allegro moderato

    Performer: Mao Fujita.
    • Mozart: The Complete Piano Sonatas.
    • Sony.
    • 4.
  • Trad.

    Such Beautiful Little Newborn

    Choir: Ondras Female Choir. Choir: Ondras Children's Choir. Conductor: Jiri Slavik.
    • Path of Light.
    • Supraphon.
    • 7.
  • Kerensa Briggs

    A Tender Shoot

    Choir: Somerville College Choir, Oxford. Conductor: Will Dawes.
    • The Dawn Of Grace.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 6.
  • Tamsin Jones

    Noel: Verbum caro factum est

    Choir: Somerville College Choir, Oxford. Conductor: Will Dawes.
    • The Dawn of Grace.
    • Resonus Classics.
    • 15.
  • John Rutter

    Angels´ Carol

    Performer: Vilem Veverka. Ensemble: Ultimate W Band.
    • Christmas Album.
    • Supraphon.
    • 9.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    The Four Seasons: Concerto No 4:. I. Allegro non molto

    Performer: Vilem Veverka. Ensemble: Ultimate W Band.
    • Christmas Album.
    • Supraphon.
    • 1.
  • Benjamin Britten

    A Ceremony Of Carols: Balulalow - As dew in Aprille - This little babe

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • In Winter's House: Christmas With Tenebrae.
    • Signum.
    • 12.
  • Joseph Phibbs

    Sleep My Pretty One, Sleep

    Choir: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • In Winter's House: Christmas With Tenebrae.
    • Signum.
    • 25.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto for Recorder and Flute in E Minor, TWV 52:e1: II. Allegro

    Performer: Frans Vester. Performer: Frans Brüggen. Performer: Gustav Leonhardt. Performer: André Rieu. Orchestra: Concertgebouw Kamerorkest.
    • Telemann : Suite in A minor, Concertos in E minor & G major & Overture des Natio.
    • Warner Classics International.
    • 9.
  • Franz Schubert

    Ständchen, S 560 (Trans. from Schwanengesang No 4, D 957)

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili.
    • Schubert.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 9.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in C Major: III. Allegro

    Performer: Vadym Makarenko. Ensemble: Infermi d'Amore.
    • Lost In Venice.
    • Eudora Records.
    • 3.
  • Vicente Lusitano

    Praeter rerum seriem

    Choir: Marian Consort.
    • Vicente Lusitano: Motets.
    • Linn.
    • 1.
  • John Blow

    Come shepherds all (from Venus and Adonis)

    Singer: Eugénie Lefebvre. Singer: Clément Debieuvre. Singer: Davy Cornillot. Singer: David Witczak. Ensemble: Ensemble Leviathan.
    • Music For Lady Louise.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 1.
  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Air pour les pêcheurs (from Alceste)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Leviathan.
    • Music For Lady Louise.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 2.
  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Que l'on chante (from Atys)

    Singer: Davy Cornillot. Singer: David Witczak. Ensemble: Ensemble Leviathan.
    • Music For Lady Louise.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 3.
  • Jean‐Baptiste Lully

    Le Grand Divertissement Royal de Versailles, LWV 38: Bourree

    Ensemble: Ensemble Leviathan.
    • Music For Lady Louise.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 4.
  • Matthew Locke

    The Tempest: The Second Musicke - Lilk

    Ensemble: Ensemble Leviathan.
    • The Tempest: The Second Musicke - Lilk.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 5.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Adagio for Cello & Piano, Op. 97bis

    Performer: Gabriel Schwabe. Performer: Roland Pöntinen.
    • Prokofiev, Shostakovich & Kissin: Works for Cello & Piano.
    • Naxos.
    • 110.
  • Johann Wilhelm Wilms

    Piano Concerto in E-Flat Major, Op 55 (Ed. R. Brautigam): I. Adagio - Allegro

    Music Arranger: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Die Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • Wilms: The Piano Concertos, Vol. 2.
    • BIS.
    • 104.

Record Review

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

9.00am

Ernst Wilhelm Wolf: Christmas Cantatas

Beate Mordal (soprano)

Elvira Bill (alto)

Georg Poplutz (tenor)

Matthias Vieweg (baritone)

Andrey Akhmetov (bass)

Kölner Akademie

Michael Alexander Willens

CPO 555524-2

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on the Old 104th, The Lark Ascending

Duncan Riddell (violin)

Abigail Fenna (viola)

Mark Bebbington (piano)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

City Of London Choir

Hilary Davan Wetton

Resonus Classics RES10311

French Bel Canto Arias – music by Rossini, Donizetti

Lisette Oropesa (soprano)

Sachsischer Staatsopernchor

Dresdner Philharmonie

Corrado Rovaris

Pentatone PTC5186955 (Hybrid SACD)

Mozart: The Complete Piano Sonatas

Mao Fujita (piano)

Sony 19658710762 (5 CDs)

09.30am – Sarah Devonald: New Releases

Path of Light (Cesta světla) – nusic by Otradovic, Slavik, traditional

Orchestra of folk instruments of the Ondráš Military art ensemble

Ondráš Female Choir

Ondráš Children ́s Choir

Jiří Slavík

Supraphon SU4321-2

The Dawn of Grace – music by Briggs, Tamsin Jones, Weir, etc.

Somerville College Choir, Oxford

Luca Morgante (piano / organ)

Will Dawes

Resonus Classics RES10310

Christmas Album – music by Vivaldi, Rutter, Handel, etc.

Vilém Veverka (oboe)

Patricia Janečková

Ultimate W Band

Supraphon SU43162

https://www.supraphon.com/album/714997-christmas-album

In Winter's House: Christmas With Tenebrae – music by Vaughan Williams, Britten, Beamish, etc.

Tenebrae

Camilla Pay (harp)

Joshua Davidson (treble)

Nigel Short

Signum SIGCD690

Sarah Devonald: On Repeat

Telemann: Concertos & Overtures

Frans Brüggen (recorder)

Frans Vester (transverse flute)

Gustav Leonhardt (harpsichord)

Chamber Orchestra of Amsterdam

Apex 0927408432

10:10 am

Listener On Repeat

Schubert

Khatia Buniatishvili (piano)

Sony 19075841202

Lost in Venice – music by Vivaldi, Veracini, Marcello

Vadym Makarenko (violin)

Natalie Carducci (violin)

Bruno Hurtado Gosalvez (cello)

Infermi d'Amore

Eudora Records EUD-DR-2206 (Hybrid SACD)

Vicente Lusitano: Motets

Marian Consort

Rory McCleery

Linn CKD694

10.30am – Building a Library: Jeremy Sams on Ravel’s Piano Trio

Recommended recording:

The Florestan Trio

Hyperion CDA67114

Other recommendation:

Trio Dali

Fuga Libera FUG547

11:15 am

Music For Lady Louise – music by Blow, Lully, Locke, etc.

Ensemble Leviathan

Lucile Tessier

Harmonia Mundi HMN916119

Russian Ballads – music by Prokofiev. Shostakovich, Kissin

Gabriel Schwabe (cello)

Roland Pöntinen (piano)

Naxos 8.574377

11.25am – Record of the Week

Johann Wilhelm Wilms: The Piano Concertos, Vol. 2

Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano)

Kölner Akademie

Michael Alexander Willens

BIS BIS2524 (Hybrid SACD)

Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Dec 2022 09:00

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