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Beethoven's Piano Sonata No 23, 'Appassionata', in Building a Library with Iain Burnside and Andrew McGregor

The must-have recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F minor, the so-called 'Appassionata, and Nicky Spence's pick of the latest new releases.

The must-have recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F minor, the so-called 'Appassionata', and Nicky Spence's pick of the latest new releases.

Presented by Andrew McGregor

9.30am
Tenor Nicky Spence joins Andrew to discusses his choice of the week's new releases, and reveals his "On Repeat" track.

10.30am
Building a Library
Beethoven's 23rd piano sonata is stormy and intense, so earned the nickname "Appassionata" or "Passionate". Pianist Iain Burnside has been listening to a wide range of recordings, old and new, to pick the ultimate version to buy, download or stream.

11.15am
Record of the Week
Andrew's pick of the best of the best this week

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Triple Violin Concerto in F Major, TWV 53:F1: I. Allegro

    Performer: Asako Takeuchi. Performer: Naomi Burrill. Orchestra: The Wallfisch Band.
    • Telemann: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 8.
    • CPO.
    • 501.
  • Kurt Weill

    Symphony No. 2 "Symphonic Fantasy": III. Allegro vivace - Presto

    Orchestra: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: HK Gruber.
    • Weill: Orchestral Works.
    • BIS.
    • 108.
  • Frank Martin

    Mass for Double Choir: Agnus Dei

    Choir: La Maîtrise de Toulouse. Conductor: Mark Opstad.
    • Regent.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Chamber Symphony No 1 in C Major, Op 49a: I. Moderato

    Orchestra: Deutsche Radio Philharmonie. Conductor: Pietari Inkinen.
    • Shostakovich: Chamber Symphonies & Concerto For Piano, String Orchestra and Trum.
    • SWR Music.
    • 10.
  • Jonathan Dove

    Sappho Sings: 1. From Heaven to here

    Choir: Fairhaven Singers. Orchestra: London Mozart Players. Conductor: Ralph Woodward.
    • Convivium.
  • Johannes Brahms

    49 Deutsche Volkslieder, Book 6, WoO 33: No. 40, Ich weiss mir'n Maidlein hübsch

    Performer: Ulrich Eisenlohr. Lyricist: Trad.. Singer: Kieran Carrel.
    • Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3.
    • Naxos.
    • 105.
  • Johannes Brahms

    15 Volks-Kinderlieder, WoO 31: No 12, Weihnachten

    Performer: Ulrich Eisenlohr. Lyricist: Trad.. Singer: Alina Wunderlin. Singer: Esther Valentin-Fieguth. Singer: Kieran Carrel. Singer: Konstantin Ingenpaß.
    • Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3.
    • Naxos.
    • 126.
  • Trad.

    Sekstur from Vendsyssel/The Peat Dance

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • Naxos Music UK Ltd.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Catone in Utica, RV 705 / Act 2 - "Se mai senti spirarti sul volto"

    Lyricist: Pietro Metastasio. Singer: Cecilia Bartoli. Orchestra: Ensemble Matheus. Conductor: Jean‐Christophe Spinosi.
    • Antonio Vivaldi.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 10.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Fantasia in G major, BWV572

    Music Arranger: Laurence Dreyfus. Ensemble: Phantasm. Conductor: Laurence Dreyfus.
    • Bach: The Well-Tempered Consort – III.
    • Linn.
    • 27.
  • Lotta Wennäkoski

    Sigla: II. SiGLa

    Performer: Sivan Magen. Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Lotta Wennäkoski: Sigla.
    • Ondine.
    • 103.
  • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

    Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis Servientes: Sonata No. 1 a otto, C. 114

    Performer: Hannes Rux. Performer: Astrid Brachtendorf. Performer: Mónica Waisman. Ensemble: Harmonie Universelle. Conductor: Florian Deuter.
    • Sonatae Tam Aris, Quam Aulis Servientes.
    • Accent.
    • 2.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Inventions (selection)

    Performer: Sir András Schiff.
    • ECM.
  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 8 in C minor: II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato - Trio. Langsam (Live)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Bruckner: The 9 Symphonies (Live).
    • Accentus Music.
    • 2.

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

Telemann: Complete Violin Concertos, Vol. 8

Elizabeth Wallfisch (violin / violette / direction)

Anna Curzon (violin)

Asako Takeuchi (violin)

Susan Carpenter-Jacobs (violin)

Naomi Burrill (violin)

Raquel Massadas (violette)

The Wallfisch Band

CPO 777882-2

Weill: Orchestral Works

Swedish Chamber Orchestra

HK Gruber

BIS BIS-2579 (Hybrid SACD)

Toutes les nuits – music by Verdelot, Palestrina, Lennon & McCartney, etc.

Romain Bockler (baritone)

Bor Zuljan (lute)

Dulces Exuviae

Ricercar RIC446

Shostakovich: Chamber Symphonies & Concerto For Piano, String Orchestra and Trumpet No. 1, Op. 35

Maria Meerovitch (piano)

Sergei Nakariakov (trumpet)

Deutsche Radio Philharmonie

Pietari Inkinen

SWR Music SWR19124CD

Frank Martin: Messe pour double choeur & Duruflé: Requiem

Maîtrise de Toulouse

Conservatoire de Toulouse

Mark Opstad

Regent REGCD557

09.30am – Nicky Spence: New Releases

Margaret Bonds: Credo, Simon Bore the Cross

Janinah Burnett (soprano)

Dashon Burton (baritone)

The Dessoff Choirs

Malcolm J. Merriweather

Avie AV2589

Jonathan Dove: Sappho Sings

Fairhaven Singers

London Mozart Players

Ralph Woodward

Convivium CR076

Johannes Brahms: Complete Songs, Vol. 3

Alina Wunderlin (soprano)

Esther Valentin-Fieguth (mezzo-soprano)

Kieran Carrel (tenor)

Konstantin Ingenpaß (baritone)

Ulrich Eisenlohr (fortepiano)

Naxos 8574346

Le Concert Des Oiseaux. Vincent Bouchot: Le Carnaval Des Animaux En Péril – music by Purcell, Saint-Saëns, Bouchot, etc.

La Rêveuse

Florence Bolton

Benjamin Perrot

Harmonia Mundi HMM902709

Nicky Spence: On Repeat

Wood Works: The Danish String Quartet plays Nordic folk music

Mads la Cour (flugelhorn)

Danish String Quartet

Dacapo 8226081

Listener On Repeat

Cecilia Bartoli: Antonio Vivaldi

Cecilia Bartoli (mezzo-soprano)

Ensemble Matheus

Jean-Christophe Spinosi

Decca 4834475

10.10am – New Releases

Bach: The Well-Tempered Consort – III

Phantasm

Laurence Dreyfus

Linn CKD708

Lotta Wennäkoski: Sigla; Flounce; Sedecim

Sivan Magan (harp)

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Nicholas Collon

Ondine ODE1420-2

10.30am – Building a Library: Iain Burnside on Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 23 in F minor ‘Appassionata’

Recommended recording:

Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano)

BIS BISSACD1573 (Hybrid SACD)

Also available on:

BIS BIS2000 (9 Hybrid SACDs)

Also recommended:

Murray Perahia (piano)

Sony G010003877886L (download only)

Igor Levit (piano)

Sony 19075843182 (9 CDs)

11:15 am

J.S. Bach: Clavichord

András Schiff (clavichord)

ECM 4857948 (2 CDs)

Biber: Sonatae Tam Aris, Qual Aulis Servientes

Florian Deuter

Monica Waisman

Harmonie Universelle

Accent ACC24386

11.25am – Record of the Week

Bruckner: The 9 Symphonies (Live)

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Herbert Blomstedt

Accentus Music ACC80575 (10 CDs)

Broadcast

  • Sat 11 Feb 2023 09:00

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