Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata', in Building a Library with Erik Levi and Andrew McGregor
In Building a Library, Erik Levi chooses his favourite recording of Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata', plus a round-up of the best new classical releases.
Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.
9.30 am
Emily MacGregor discusses some new releases that have caught her ear and shares her 'On Repeat' track 鈥� a recording which she is currently listening to again and again.
10.30 am
Building a Library: Erik Levi chooses his favourite recording of Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1 'Kreutzer Sonata'
Composed in only nine days in 1923, Jan谩膷ek's compact, emotionally supercharged String Quartet No 1 takes its title from Leo Tolstoy鈥檚 1889 novella where a wife and her violinist lover play Beethoven鈥檚 'Kreutzer' Sonata together before the jealous husband murders his adulterous wife. Jan谩膷ek's music roils with the conflicted passions of tormented love, desire and jealously of Tolstoy's story. But there was emotional turmoil in Jan谩膷ek's life, too. Long-fed up with his wife, in 1915 Jan谩膷ek had fallen deeply in love with Kamila St枚sslov谩 who, happily married and 40 years his junior, made sure that Jan谩膷ek's love remained unrequited. And if that was unfortunate for Jan谩膷ek, it was surely lucky for us as he poured his feelings for St枚sslov谩 into music which blazes with a truly exceptional emotional intensity.
11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick.
Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @麻豆约拍Radio3
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Antonio Vivaldi
Violin Concerto in D, Op. 4 No. 11, RV 204: I. Allegro
Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Arte dei Suonatori.- CHANNEL CLASSICS.
-
![]()
Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 4 in C Minor, D 417 "Tragic": III. Menuetto
Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 3.
- Chandos.
- 107.
-
![]()
Francesco Scarlatti
Dixit Dominus: VIII. Gloria
Ensemble: Armonico Consort. Conductor: Christopher Monks.- Francesco Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus 鈥� Mass.
- Signum Classics.
- 108.
-
![]()
Ludwig van Beethoven
String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op 135: I. Allegretto
Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.- Prism V.
- ECM.
- 1.
-
![]()
Richard Strauss
Sonatina No. 2 in E-Flat Major, "Fr枚hliche Werkstatt": III. Menuet
Ensemble: Members of Berlin Staatskapelle. Conductor: Gregori Witt.- Richard Strauss Wind Music.
- Capriccio.
- 112.
-
![]()
Richard M. Sherman
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (from Mary Poppins)
Composer: Robert B. Sherman. Ensemble: The King鈥檚 Singers.- When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs.
- Warner Classics.
-
![]()
Sergey Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, Op. 40 (1941 Version): III. Allegro vivace
Performer: Boris Giltburg. Orchestra: Brussels Philharmonic. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.- Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
- Naxos.
- 132.
-
![]()
Dmitry Shostakovich
Symphony no.8 in C minor Op.65 (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Kirill Petrenko.- Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.
-
![]()
Samantha Fernando
Balconies
Performer: Olivia de Prato.- Panorama.
- New Focus Recordings.
- FCR368.
-
![]()
John Tavener
The Protecting Veil (excerpt)
Performer: Lionel Martin. Orchestra: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Conductor: Corinna Niemeyer.- Lionel Martin performs Tavener.
- SWR Classic.
- 104.
-
![]()
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Coleridge-Taylor: Ballade in A Minor, Op. 33: I. Allegro energico, ma non troppo
Conductor: Kalena Bovell. Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra.- Coleridge-Taylor.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 13.
-
![]()
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Dance of the Blessed Spirits (Orfeo ed Euridice)
Music Arranger: Giovanni Sgambati. Performer: Yuja Wang.- Fantasia.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 6.
-
![]()
Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 9: II. Im Tempo eines gem盲chlichen L盲ndlers
Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo V盲nsk盲.- Mahler: Symphony No.鈥�9.
- BIS.
- 102.
-
![]()
Harrison Birtwistle
Oockooing Bird
Performer: Joonas Ahonen.- Symmetria Pario: Creation.
- Yarlung Records.
- 107.
-
![]()
Missy Mazzoli
Dissolve, O my Heart
Performer: Pekka Kuusisto.- Symmetria Pario: Creation.
- Yarlung Records.
- 108.
-
![]()
Jan Dismas Zelenka
Missa Charitatis
Singer: Gabriela Eibenov谩. Singer: Jonathan Mayenschein. Singer: Tobias Hunger. Singer: Martin Schicketanz. Singer: Wolf Matthias Friedrich. Singer: Jiri Miroslav Proch谩zka. Ensemble: Ensemble In茅gal. Conductor: Adam Viktora.- Zelenka: Missa Charitatis & Litaniae Xaverianae.
- NIBIRU.
-
![]()
Andreas Scharmann
Gedenke, Herr, wie es uns gehet
Performer: Lionel Meunier. Choir: Vox Luminis.- Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem.
- RICERCAR.
-
![]()
Franz Berwald
Septet in B flat major (3rd mvt)
Ensemble: Wigmore Soloists.- Beethoven and Berwald: Septets.
- BIS.
- 203.
-
![]()
Anton Bruckner
Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major (1874), "Romantic": I. Allegro
Orchestra: G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.- Bruckner: Symphony No. 4.
- Myrios Classics.
- 101.
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
Vivaldi: Concertos
Rachel Podger (violin)
Holland Baroque
Brecon Baroque
Arte dei Suonatori
Channel Classics CCSBOX7423 (7 CDs)
听
听
Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner
Chandos CHSA5265
听
听
Francesco Scarlatti: Dixit Dominus 鈥� Mass
Armonico Consort
Christopher Monks
Signum SIGCD740
听
听
Prism V - Beethoven, Webern, Bach
Danish String Quartet
ECM 4858469
听
听
Richard Strauss Wind Music
Members of Staatskapelle Berlin
Gregori Witt
Capriccio C5497 (2 CDs)
听
听
When You Wish Upon a Star: 100 Years of Disney Songs
The King鈥檚 Singers
Joyce DiDonato (mezzo)
Pene Pati (tenor)
Edgar Moreau (cello)
Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet)
Warner Classics 5419736740
听
听
听
09.30am 鈥� Emily MacGregor: New Releases
听
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 4, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Boris Giltburg (piano)
Brussels Philharmonic
Vassily Sinaisky
Naxos 8574528
听
听
Shostakovich: Symphony Nos. 8, 9, 10
Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko
Berliner Philharmoniker BPHR 220421 (2 CDs + Blu-ray)
听
Panorama
Olivia de Prato (violin)
New Focus Recordings FCR368
听
听
听
Lionel Martin Performs John Tavener
Lionel Martin (cello)
Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Corinna Niemeyer
SWR Music SWR19122CD
听
听
Emily MacGregor: On Repeat
听
Coleridge-Taylor
Elena Urioste (violin)
Chineke! Orchestra
Decca 4853322 (2 CDs)
听
听
Listener On Repeat
听
Yuja Wang: Fantasia
Yuja Wang (piano)
Deutsche Grammophon 4790052
听
听
10.10am 鈥� New Releases
听
Mahler: Symphony No.鈥�9
Minnesota Orchestra
Osmo V盲nsk盲
BIS BIS2476 (Hybrid SACD)
听
听
Symmetria Pario: Creation
Pekka Kuusisto (violin)
Joonas Ahonen (piano)
Yarlung Records YAR84165
听
听
Zelenka: Missa Charitatis & Litaniae Xaverianae
Gabriela Eibenova (soprano)
Jonathan Mayenschein (counter-tenor)
Tobias Hunger (tenor)
Martin Schicketanz (bass)
Wolf Matthias Friedrich (bass)
Jiri Miroslav Prochazka (bass)
Ensemble Inegal
Adam Viktora
Nibiru 01732231
听
听
听
10.30am 鈥� Building a Library: Erik Levi on Jan谩膷ek's String Quartet No 1, 'Kreutzer Sonata'
听
Recommended recording:
听
Jan谩膷ek: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 & Sonata for Violin and Piano
Praz谩k Quartet (string quartet)
Praga PRD250108D
听
Also recommended:
听
Tak谩cs Quartet
Hyperion CDA67997
听
听
Pavel Haas Quartet
Supraphon SU39222
听
听
听
11:15 am
听
Ein Deutsches Barockrequiem
Vox Luminis
Lionel Meunier
Ricercar RIC445
听
听
Beethoven and Berwald: Septets
Wigmore Soloists
BIS BIS2707 (Hybrid SACD)
听
听
11.25am 鈥� Record of the Week
听
Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 (1874 Version)
G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln
Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth
Myrios MYR032
Broadcast
- Sat 15 Apr 2023 09:00麻豆约拍 Radio 3
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.
Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast
All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.
Why the music we love as teens stays with us for life
Cognitive neuropyschology can explain why we return to old favourites again and again.