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Beethoven's Symphony No 9 in Building a Library with Tom Service and Andrew McGregor

Tom Service chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Iain Burnside reviews new releases, including music by Mascagni, Mahler and Bach.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

09.30 am
Iain Burnside reviews new releases including music by Mascagni, Mahler and Bach, and in On Repeat he shares a track with Andrew and explains his current preoccupation with it.

10.30 am
Building a Library
Tom Service chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Symphony No 9.

Beethoven's final complete symphony is one of the summits of classical music. The famous final movement features four vocal soloists and a chorus in a setting of the "Ode to Joy" by Friedrich Schiller. Many of the world's greatest conductors and orchestras have tackled this musical Everest including Furtwangler, Toscanini and Karajan alongside conductors of later generations like Mackerras and Harnoncourt and it still inspires new recordings from today's performers.

11.15 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, 31 minutes

Music Played

  • Johann Christoph Bach

    O Freudenzeit, o Wundernacht

    Ensemble: Clematis Ensemble.
    • O Jesulein... A German Baroque Christmas Oratorio.
    • Ricercar.
    • 20.
  • John Rutter

    Candlelight Carol

    Performer: Simon Hogan. Choir: Girl Choristers of Merton College, Oxford. Conductor: Benjamin Nicholas.
    • In the Stillness: A Merton Christmas.
    • Delphian.
    • 23.
  • William Walton

    String Quartet in A Minor: Iv. Allegro molto

    Ensemble: Albion Quartet.
    • Walton: String Quartet in A Minor – Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 3 in F Majo.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 104.
  • Michel Legrand

    Concertino (From "Summer of '42")

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Cinema.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.
  • Bohuslav Martinů

    Cello Sonata No. 2, H. 286: III. Allegro commodo

    Performer: Johannes Moser. Performer: Andrei Korobeinikov.
    • Martinů: Cello Sonatas.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 103.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony No 10 in E minor, Op. 93: I. Moderato (Live)

    Orchestra: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Jaap van Zweden.
    • Shostakovich; Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 10.
    • Naxos.
    • 3.
  • Pietro Mascagni

    Cavalleria Rusticana (excerpts)

    Performer: Piero Pretti. Performer: Anita Rachvelishvili. Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana (Live).
    • CSO Resound.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations: Variations VI - VIII

    Performer: Fazil Say.
    • JS Bach: Goldberg Variations.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 7.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in G minor, RV 104 'La notte' (excerpts)

    Performer: Bojan Čičić. Ensemble: Illyria Consort.
    • La Notte’: Concertos and Pastorales for Christmas Night.
    • Delphian.
    • 2.
  • Richard Rodney Bennett

    Real Men Don't Eat Quiche

    • Lush Life.
    • Ode Records.
    • 14.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    La Boutique fantasque/GALOP - Arr. Respighi

    Music Arranger: Ottorino Respighi. Conductor: Richard Bonynge. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • Rossini-Respighi: La Boutique fantasque / Britten: Soirées musicales; Matinées m.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 8.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 28 in A Major, Op 101: I. Etwas lebhaf tund mit der innigsten Empfindung. Allegretto ma non troppo

    Performer: Maurizio Pollini.
    • Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 101 & 106.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 1.
  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Selva morale e spirituale

    Conductor: Andrea Marcon. Orchestra: La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. Choir: La Cetra Vocalensemble Basel.
    • Claudio Monteverdi: Vespro di Natale / Christmas Vespers.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 9.

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

O Jesulein... A German Baroque Christmas Oratorio – music by Spiegel, Hammerschmidt, JC Bach, etc.

Clematis

Ricercar RIC444

In the Stillness: A Merton Christmas – music by Wallen, Rutter, Beamish, etc.

The Girl Choristers and Lower Voices of Merton College, Oxford

Benjamin Nicholas

Simon Hogan (organ)

Delphian DCD34262

Walton: String Quartet in A Minor – Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 3 in F Major

Albion Quartet

Signum SIGCD727

Cinema – music by Legrand, Morricone, Hurwitz, etc.

Alexandre Tharaud (piano)

Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia

Antonio Pappano

Warner Classics 5419718461 (2 CDs)

Martinu: Cello Sonatas

Johannes Moser (cello)

Andrei Korobeinikov (piano)

Pentatone PTC5187007

09.30am – Iain Burnside: New Releases

Shostakovich; Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 10

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Jaap van Zweden

Naxos 8.574372

Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana (Live)

Piero Pretti (Turiddu)

Anita Rachvelishvili (Santuzza)

Ronnita Miller (Lucia)

Luca Salsi (Alfio)

Sasha Cooke (Lola)

Alessandra Visconti (A woman)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Symphony Chorus

Riccardo Muti

CSO Resound CSOR9012201

JS Bach: Goldberg Variations

Fazil Say (piano)

Warner Classics 5419723396

‘La Notte’: Concertos and Pastorales for Christmas Night

Bojan Cicic

The Illyria Consort

Delphian DCD34278

Iain Burnside: On Repeat

Lush Life – songs by Gershwin, Kern, Underwood, etc.

Richard Rodney Bennett

Ode Records CDODE1292

10:10 am

Listener On Repeat

Rossini - Respighi: La Boutique Fantasque

National Philharmonic Orchestra

Richard Bonynge

Decca 4101392

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 101 & 106

Maurizio Pollini (piano)

DG 4863014

Claudio Monteverdi: Vespro Di Natale / Christmas Vespers

La Cetra Barockorchester Basel

La Cetra Vocalensemble Basel

Andrea Marcon

DG 4862977 (2 CDs)

10.30am – Building a Library: Tom Service on Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 in D minor

Recommended recording:

Rundfunkchor Berlin

Berliner Philharmoniker

Kirill Petrenko

Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR200351 (5 CDs + 1 Blu-ray Audio + 1 Blu-ray Video)

Other recommendation:

Sara Gouzy (soprano)

Salome Fischer (alto)

Mingjie Lei (tenor)

Manuel Walser (baritone)

Le Concert des Nations

La Capella Reial de Catalunya

Jordi Savall

Alia Vox AVSA9946 (3 Hybrid SACDs)

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano)

Elisabeth Höngen (mezzo-soprano)

Hans Hopf (tenor)

Otto Edelmann (bass-baritone)

Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele

Wilhelm Furtwängler

Warner Classics 5569012 (1951 Bayreuth recording)

Tilla Briem (soprano)

Elisabeth Hongen (contralto)

Peter Anders (tenor)

Rudolf Watzke (bass)

Bruno Kittel Choir

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Wilhelm Furtwängler

Music & Arts MACD1276 (1942 Berlin recording)

11.15am – Record of the Week

Engelbert Humperdinck: Der Blaue Vogel (The Blue Bird)

Juri Tetzlaff (narrator)

Rundfunkchor Berlin

Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin

Steffen Tast

Capriccio C5506 (2 CDs)

Broadcast

  • Christmas Eve 2022 09:00

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