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Vaughan-Williams's Symphony No 1 Sea Symphony with David Owen Norris and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, David Owen Norris chooses his favourite version of Vaughan-Williams's Symphony Sea Symphony. Plus violinist Tasmin Little with an exciting pile of new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

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Violinist Tasmin Little brings an exciting pile of new releases to the studio

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Building a Library

David Owen Norris chooses his favourite version of Vaughan-William's "A Sea Symphony"

A Sea Symphony was written for soprano, baritone, chorus and large orchestra in the early 1900s. It was his first symphony and remained the longest. The texts, from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass attracted Vaughan Williams for their humanist perspective. Ursula Vaughan Williams, in her biography of her husband, wrote: 鈥溾�e was aware of the common aspirations of generations of ordinary men and women with whom he felt a deep, contemplative sympathy. And so there is in his work a fundamental tension between traditional concepts of belief and morality and a modern spiritual anguish which is also visionary.鈥�

Recommended version:
Geraldine McGreevy (soprano)
Tommi Hakala (baritone)
MDR Rundfunkchor
MDR Sinfonieorchester
Howard Arman (conductor)
Querstand VKJK0731

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Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sat 6 Apr 2024 14:00
麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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Britten's War Requiem in Building a Library with Elin Manahan Thomas and Andrew McGregor

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Brahms' 3rd Symphony in Building a Library with Nigel Simeone and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

    Symphony in G major Wq.182 No.1 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Arte dei Suonatori. Conductor: Marcin 艢wi膮tkiewicz.
    • BIS.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Future

    Choir: 麻豆约拍 Symphony Chorus. Orchestra: 麻豆约拍 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.
    • Dutton Epoch.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Variations on a theme of Chopin, Op.22

    Performer: Piers Lane.
    • Hyperion.

  • Gabriel Faur茅

    Requiem in D minor, Op.48: Pie Jesu

    Singer: Dorothee Mields. Choir: Collegium Vocale Gent. Orchestra: Orchestre des Champs鈥惷塴ys茅es. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.
    • Faure: Requiem in D Minor & Brahms Begrabnisgesang.
    • Frederick Chopin Institute.
    • 4.

  • Gabriel Faur茅

    Requiem in D minor, Op.48: Libera me

    Singer: Kre拧imir Stra啪anac. Choir: Collegium Vocale Gent. Orchestra: Orchestre des Champs鈥惷塴ys茅es. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.
    • Faure: Requiem in D Minor & Brahms Begrabnisgesang.
    • Frederick Chopin Institute.
    • 6.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata in E major, Op.109

    Performer: Dainius Vai膷ekonis.
    • Beethoven: The Last Cycle - Piano Sonatas, Op. 109-111.
    • Centaur.
    • 1.

  • Graciane Finzi

    Une petite suite: III. Hiver

    Ensemble: Quatuor Zahir.
    • L'heure Bleue.
    • Aparte.
    • 13.

  • Fabian Waksman

    Les Lunes Galantes

    Ensemble: Quatuor Zahir.
    • Aparte.

  • Gra偶yna Bacewicz

    Oberek no.1

    Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Music Arranger: Jarle Storlokken. Ensemble: tenThing.
    • She Composes Like A Man.
    • Lawo Classics.
    • 1.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Ave Maria

    Choir: Bavarian Radio Chorus. Conductor: Peter Dijkstra.
    • Bruckner: Mass in E minor & Motets & "BRUCKNER'S WORLD" - An introduction to th.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 101.

  • Giuseppe Tartini

    Violin Sonata in G minor 'Devil's Trill' (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Adrian Chandler. Ensemble: La Serenissima.
    • "Diavolo": Giuseppe Tartini - 6 violin sonatas.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 121.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Cantata no. 150 BWV.150 (Nach dir, Herr, verlanget..): Sinfonia & opening chorus

    Ensemble: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: Paul Agnew.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Carl Nielsen

    Flute Concerto (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Adam Walker. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Nielsen: Flute Concerto, Symphony No. 3, Pan and Syrinx.
    • Chandos.
    • 3.

Broadcast

  • Sat 6 Apr 2024 14:00
    麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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