Mozart's Gran Partita with Sarah Devonald and Andrew McGregor
The best new classical releases; Building a Library: Sarah Devonald compares recordings of Mozart's Serenade No. 10 in B flat, the 'Gran Partita' - and picks a favourite.
09.30
Building a Library
Another chance to hear Sarah Devonald compare recordings of Mozart's Serenade No. 10 in B flat, the 'Gran Partita', K.361/370a - and pick a favourite.
'Gran Partita' as a subtitle implies that Mozart's Serenade No. 10 is a large ambitious work, and although the work is clearly conceived as a whole 'cycle', it was not ascribed to the score by the composer himself. Mozart's vast seven-movement work for 13 wind instruments has an elusive compositional history and was thought for a long time to have been composed in 1780 or 1781 for a performance in Munich. No mention of the Serenade appears in any of Mozart's letters from that time and, in the 1970s, when the new critical edition of Mozart's works was published, after exhaustive studies of the autograph, it is now believed that the work was first performed in 1784 at a benefit concert for the Vienna-based basset-horn player Anton Stadler. The Serenade also bears the hallmarks of Mozart's later writing and certainly postdates the two wind serenades in E flat and C minor that were definitely composed in 1782.
The mysterious circumstances of both the subtitle 'Gran Partita' and the many versions of the score give the performer some interesting challenges, which Sarah Devonald discusses with Andrew McGregor.
10.45
As part of Radio 3's History of Black Classical Music Andrew McGregor talks to Natasha Loges about some of her favourite black singers
11.15
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Recording of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
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Sergey Prokofiev
Gypsy Fantasy Op. 127 (mvts1-3)
Orchestra: Lahti Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Dima Slobodeniouk.- BIS.
- BIS-2301.
- 11-13.
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George Frideric Handel
Care selve (Atalanta)
Singer: Samuel Mariño. Orchestra: Händelfestspielorchester Halle. Conductor: Martin Hofstetter.- Care pupille.
- Orfeo.
- 2.
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Joseph Haydn
Cello Concerto no. 2 in D major H.7b.2 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Natalie Clein. Orchestra: recreation – Grosses Orchester Graz. Conductor: Michael Hofstetter.- Haydn: Cello Concertos Nos. 1-2 & Symphony No. 13 in D Major, Hob. I:13 (Live).
- Oehms Classics.
- 3.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in G major BWV860
Performer: Trevor Pinnock.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Stanislaw Moniuszko
Dumka and Duet (Flis, Act 1 Scene 2)
Singer: Ewa Tracz. Singer: Wojtek Gierlach. Orchestra: Europa Galante. Conductor: Fabio Biondi.- Fryderyk Chopin Institute.
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Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Symphony in F sharp major, Op.40 (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.- Chandos.
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Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli
Sonata Op.3 No.2 "La Cesta"
Performer: Elicia Silverstein. Performer: Mauro Valli.- The Dreams & Fables I Fashion.
- Rubicon.
- 4.
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Edmund Finnis
The Air, Turning
Orchestra: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Ilan Volkov.![]()
George Frideric Handel
Dignare, Domine (Dettingen Te Deum, HVW 283)
Singer: Marian Anderson.- Memoir Records.
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Traditional Spiritual
If he change my name
Performer: Franz Rupp. Singer: Marian Anderson.- RCA.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio! K418
Singer: Kathleen Battle. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.- Warner Classics.
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André Previn
Whose House Is This? (Honey and Rue)
Singer: Kathleen Battle. Orchestra: Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Conductor: André Previn.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Alexander von Zemlinsky
Lied der Baumwollpacker (Symphonische Gesänge, Op. 20)
Singer: Sir Willard White. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Aaron Copland
The Little Horses (Old American Songs, Set 2)
Performer: Graeme McNaught. Singer: Sir Willard White.- Chandos.
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Robert Schumann
Heiß mich nicht reden, Op.98 No.5
Performer: David Garvey. Singer: Leontyne Price.- RCA.
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Francis Poulenc
Tu vois le feu du soir (Miroirs brûlants, FP 98)
Performer: David Garvey. Singer: Leontyne Price.- RCA.
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Gioachino Rossini
Vieni fra queste braccia (La gazza ladra)
Singer: Lawrence Brownlee. Orchestra: Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Constantine Orbelian.- Virtuoso Rossini Arias.
- Delos.
- 1.
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Franz Liszt
Benedetto sia 'l giorno (Sonetto 104 del Petrarca 'Pace non trovo', S270)
Performer: Iain Burnside. Singer: Lawrence Brownlee.- Opus Arte.
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Joseph Haydn
String Quartet, Op. 76 No. 2 in D minor 'Fifths'
Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.- BIS.
Record Review
9.00am
Prokofiev: Suites from The Gambler & The Tale of the Stone Flower
Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Dima Slobodeniouk (conductor)
BIS BIS2301 (Hybrid SACD)
https://bis.se/conductors/slobodeniouk-dima/prokofiev-suites-from-the-gambler-the-stone-flower
Care Pupille: Handel, Gluck
Samuel Mariño (soprano)
Händelfestspielorchester Halle
Michael Hofstetter (conductor)
Orfeo C998201
https://www.orfeo-international.de/pages/cd_c998201_e.html
Haydn: Cello Concertos
Natalie Clein (cello)
Recreation-Grosses Orchester Graz
Michael Hofstetter (conductor)
Oehms OC1895
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1
Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Deutsche Grammophon 4838436 (2 CDs)
Stanislaw Moniuszko: Flis - the Raftsman
Ewa Tracz (soprano, Zosia)
Matheus Pompeu (tenor, Franek)
Mariusz Godlewski (baritone, Jakub)
Aleksander Teliga (bass, Antoni)
Wojtek Gierlach (bass, Szóstak)
Paweł Cichoński (tenor, Feliks)
Chór Opery i Filharmonii Podlaskiej
Europa Galante
Fabio Biondi (conductor)
Frederick Chopin Institute NIFCCD086
9.30am – Building a Library – Sarah Devonald on Mozart ‘Gran Partita’: Serenade in B flat K361 (NOTE: this is a repeat; it was first broadcast on 12th October 2019)
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Reviewer: Sarah Devonald
Recommended Recording:
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Ensemble
Warner Classics 3434242
Other Recommended Recordings:
Ensemble a vent Maurice Bourgue
Pierre Verany PV793031
10.15am – New Releases
Korngold: Symphony in F sharp, Theme and Variations & Straussiana
Sinfonia of London
John Wilson (conductor)
Chandos CHSA5220 (Hybrid SACD)
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%205220
The Dreams & Fables I Fashion: music by Biber, Sciarrino, Mealli, Berio and J.S. Bach
Elicia Silverstein (violin)
Mauro Valli (baroque cello)
Michele Pasotti (theorbo)
Rubicon RCD1031
https://rubiconclassics.com/release/the-dreams-fables-i-fashion/
Edmund Finnis: The Air, Turning
Eloisa-Fleur Thorn (violin)
Benjamin Beilman (violin)
Mark Simpson (clarinet)
Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
London Contemporary Orchestra
Britten Sinfonia
Robert Ames (conductor)
Ilan Volkov (conductor)
Richard Baker (conductor)
Andrew Gourlay (conductor)
NMC NMCD249
https://www.nmcrec.co.uk/recording/air-turning
10.45am – Radio 3’s a History of Black Classical series - Natasha Loges on great black singers
Marian Anderson Sings the Music of Handel, Giordani, Martini, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Sibelius and Verdi
Marian Anderson (contralto)
Kosti Vehanen (piano)
Memoir Records
Spirituals
Marian Anderson (contralto)
Franz Rupp (piano)
Kosti Vehanen (piano)
RCA G010001716672I (download only)
Kathleen Battle sings Mozart
Kathleen Battle (soprano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
André Previn (conductor)
Warner Classics 7777473555 (download only)
Previn: Honey and Rue, Barber: Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Op. 24 and music from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
Kathleen Battle (soprano)
Orchestra Of St. Luke's
André Previn (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 4377872
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/kathleen-battle-honey-and-rue-89
Zemlinsky: Lyrische Symphonie & Sinfonische Gesänge
Alessandra Marc (soprano)
Håkan Hagegård (baritone)
Willard White (bass)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)
Decca 4435692
Willard White sings Copland
Willard White (bass)
Graeme McNaught (piano)
Chandos CHAN8960
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%208960
Leontyne Price sings Schumann
Leontyne Price (soprano)
David Garvey (piano)
RCA G010002761903A (download only)
Price rediscovered: music by Handel, Poulenc, Brahms, Barber etc.
Leontyne Price (soprano)
David Garvey (piano)
RCA 09026639082 (download only)
Virtuoso Rossini Arias: Lawrence Brownlee
Lawrence Brownlee (tenor)
Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra
Constantine Orbelian (conductor)
Delos DE3455
https://delosmusic.com/recording/lawrence-brownlee-virtuoso-rossini-arias/
Lawrence Brownlee: The Heart That Flutters (Rosenblatt Recitals)
Music by Duparc, Liszt, Donizetti, Rossini etc.
Lawrence Brownlee (tenor)
Iain Burnside (piano)
Opus Arte OACD9015
https://www.opusarte.com/details/OACD9015D
11.15am – Record of the Week
Haydn: String Quartets Op. 76
Chiaroscuro Quartet
BIS BIS2348 (download only; hybrid SACD released on 29th May)
https://bis.se/orchestras-ensembles/chiaroscuro-quartet/haydn-string-quartets-op-76-nos-1-3
Broadcast
- Sat 16 May 202009:00BBC Radio 3
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