
Schumann's Liederkreis, Op 39, with Allyson Devenish and Kate Molleson
Allyson Devenish chooses her favourite recording of Schumann's Liederkreis, Op 39, plus Gillian Moore reviews new discs of contemporary music with Kate Molleson.
9.30 Building a Library
Allyson Devenish compares recordings of Schumann's Liederkreis, Op 39, and chooses her favourite.
Schumann's Liederkreis, Op 39, is considered to be one of the greatest song cycles of the 19th century. Composed in 1840, Liederkreis comprises 12 songs which set poems by the German Romantic poet, Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff. Together, the 12 songs explore themes of loss, loneliness, nocturnal mystery, ecstasy and reverie. Schumann himself considered the Liederkreis, Op 39 to be the most romantic music he had ever written, and he wrote to his wife that the cycle had 'music of you in it, dearest Clara'.
10.45
Gillian Moore reviews new discs of contemporary music with Kate Molleson.
11.20
Record of the Week
Kate recommends an outstanding new release.
Last on
Music Played
![]()
Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048
Performer: Isabelle Faust. Performer: Antoine Tamestit. Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.- JS Bach: Brandenburg Concertos.
- Harmonia Mundi.
![]()
Dmitry Shostakovich
Prelude and Fugue in F (from Preludes and Fugues for piano, Op. 87)
Performer: Igor Levit.- On DSCH.
- Sony.
- 45.
![]()
André Danican Philidor
Les Amazones: "Venez, troupe guerriere," "Puisque tout est tranquille" & "Combattons, courrons a la gloire"
Performer: Thomas Dunford. Singer: Lea Desandre. Singer: Véronique Gens. Ensemble: Jupiter.- Amazone.
- Erato.
![]()
Laura Netzel
Suite for Violin & String Orchestra, Op. 83: III. Berceuse
Performer: Malin Broman. Orchestra: Musica Vitae Chamber Orchestra.- Laura Netzel: Chamber Portrait.
- dB Productions.
![]()
Claude Debussy
Pelleas et Melisande, Act II Scene 1
Singer: Chiara Skerath. Singer: Stanislas de Barbeyrac. Orchestra: Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine. Conductor: Pierre Dumoussaud.- Debussy: Pelleas et Melisande.
- Alpha.
![]()
Matt Rogers
A Writer In Hiding
Performer: Kit Downes.- Premonitions of the Unbuilt City.
- Nonclassical.
- 4.
![]()
Barbara Strozzi
Arie a voce sola di diversi auttori: Havete torto
Singer: Renata Dubinskaite. Ensemble: Canto Fiorito.- Strozzi: La Voce Sola.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 8.
![]()
Olivier Messiaen
No. 7, Plainte calme (from 8 Preludes)
Performer: Ciro Longobardi.- Messiaen: Piano Music.
- Piano Classics.
- 7.
![]()
Joseph Canteloube
Chants d'Auvergne, Series 1: No. 2 Bailero
Singer: Carolyn Sampson. Orchestra: Tapiola Sinfonietta. Conductor: Pascal Rophé.- Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne.
- BIS.
- 2.
![]()
Matthew Shlomowitz
Parlour Nancarrow & Larghetto
Performer: Mark Knoop.- Explorations in Polytonality and Other Musical Wonders, Volume 1.
- NFI.
- 1.
![]()
James Weeks
Summer
Ensemble: Explore Ensemble.- Summer.
- Another Timbre.
- 1.
![]()
Helen Grime
Bright Travellers: No. 3 Visitations & No. 4 Milk Fever
Performer: Joseph Middleton. Singer: Ruby Hughes.- Songs For New Life and Love.
- BIS.
- 9.
![]()
Barbara Monk Feldman
Clear Edge
Performer: Siwan Rhys.- Barbara Monk Feldman: Verses.
- Another Timbre.
- 9.
![]()
Tansy Davies
Re-Greening
Orchestra: The National Youth Orchestra.- NMC Recordings.
![]()
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K466: I. Allegro
Performer: Jeremy Denk. Orchestra: Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.- The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
- Nonesuch.
- 5.
Record Review
9.00am
JS Bach: Brandenburg Concertos
Isabelle Faust (violin)
Antoine Tamestit (viola)
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Harmonia Mundi HMM90268687 (2 CDs)
https://store.harmoniamundi.com/format/812936-js-bach-brandenburg-concertos
On DSCH – Music By Shostakovich and Stevenson
Igor Levit (piano)
Sony 19439809212 (3 CDs)
https://www.sonyclassical.com/releases/releases-details/on-dsch
Amazone – Music by Philidor, Rameau, Vivaldi, etc
Lea Desandre (mezzo)
Jupiter (ensemble)
Thomas Dunford (director/lute)
Erato 9029506584
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/amazone
Laura Netzel: Chamber Portrait
Malin Broman (violin)
Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano)
Sabina Bisholt (soprano)
Musica Vitae Chamber Orchestra
dB Productions DBCD200
9.30am – Building a Library – Allyson Devenish on Schubert’s Liederkries, Op. 39
Recommended Recording:
Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto)
Catherine Collard (piano)
RCA G010000280519T
Other recommendation:
Christian Gerhaher (baritone)
Gerold Huber (piano)
RCA 88697168172
10.15am – New Releases
Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Stanislas de Barbeyrac (Pelléas/tenor)
Chiara Skerath (Mélisande/soprano)
Alexandre Duhamel (Golaud/baritone)
Janina Baechle (Geneviève/mezzo-soprano)
Jérôme Varnier (Arkel/bass)
Maëlig Querré (Yniold/soprano)
Jean-Vincent Blot (Doctor & Shepherd/bass)
Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
Chœur de l'Opéra National de Bordeaux
Pierre Dumoussaud (conductor)
Alpha ALPHA752 (2 CDs)
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/Debussy-Pelleas-et-Melisande-ALPHA752
Matt Rogers: Premonitions of the Unbuilt City
Kit Downes (piano)
Nonclassical
https://nonclassical.bandcamp.com/album/premonitions-of-the-unbuilt-city
Strozzi: La Voce Sola
Renata Dubinskaitė
Canto Fiorito
Brilliant Classics 96436
https://www.brilliantclassics.com/articles/s/strozzi-la-voce-sola/
Messiaen: Piano Music
Ciro Longobardi (piano)
Piano Classics PCL10202 (2 CDs)
https://www.piano-classics.com/articles/m/messiaen-piano-music/
Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Pascal Rophé
BIS BIS2513 (Hybrid SACD)
https://bis.se/performers/sampson-carolyn/canteloube-chants-d-auvergne
10.40am – Gillian Moore
Matthew Shlomowitz: Explorations in polytonality and other musical wonders, Vol. 1
Mark Knoop (piano)
Bandcamp MK1
https://www.markknoop.com/recordings
James Weeks: Summer
Taylor MacLennan (flutes)
Alex Roberts (clarinet)
Oscar Holch (viola)
Deni Teo (cello)
David López Ibáňez (violin)
Siwan Rhys (piano & harp)
George Barton (percussion)
Angela Wai-Nok Hui (percussion)
Nicholas Moroz (electronic realisation)
Another Timbre AT174
http://www.anothertimbre.com/jamesweekssummer.html
Songs For New Life and Love – Music by Mahler - Ives - Grime
Ruby Hughes (soprano)
Joseph Middleton (piano)
BIS BIS2468 (hybrid SACD)
https://bis.se/performers/hughes-ruby/songs-for-new-life-and-love
Barbara Monk Feldman: Verses
GBSR Duo (Siwan Rhys – piano; George Barton – percussion)
Mira Benjamin - violin
Another Timbre AT177
http://www.anothertimbre.com/barbaramonkfeldman.html
Tansy Davies: Nature
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
Huw Watkins (piano)
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Karen Kamensek (conductor)
Oliver Knussen (conductor)
NMC Recordings NMC D260
https://nmc-recordings.myshopify.com/products/tansy-davies-nature
11.20am – Record of the Week
Mozart Piano Concertos
Jeremy Denk (piano/conductor)
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Nonesuch 7559791687
https://store.nonesuch.com/artists/jeremy-denk/mozart-piano-concertos-cd-mp3-bundle.html
Broadcast
- Sat 18 Sep 202109:00BBC Radio 3



