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Mendelssohn's Octet, with Katy Hamilton and Andrew McGregor

Katy Hamilton chooses her favourite recording of Mendelssohn's joyous Octet for strings, plus a reviews of the best new and recent releases.

9.30 Building a Library
Katy Hamilton compares recordings of Felix Mendelssohn's Octet for strings in E flat major and chooses her favourite.

There has never been a more prodigiously talented child composer than Felix Mendelssohn and proof of that is his Octet. Written in 1825 when he was 16 years old, it was unprecedented in form: there had been double quartets but nothing like this where all the instruments are combined with unique brilliance and clarity of texture. Above all, though, it's the Octet's sheer lyrical joyousness and exuberant energy that set it apart, the teen Mendelssohn's generosity of spirit thrillingly combined with his compositional genius.

10.45
Tom Service has been listening to new orchestral releases, including Bruckner from Bamberg and Vienna.

11.20
Record of the Week
Andrew recommends an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 23 Oct 202109:00
BBC Radio 3

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Haydn's Mass in Time of War with Andrew McGregor and Richard Wigmore

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Elgar's Violin Concerto with David Owen Norris and Andrew McGregor

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Music Played

  • Rene Drouard du Bousset

    Dans ce beau vallon

    • Vous avez dit Brunettes.
    • Alpha.
    • 4.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Rondo in C Major for Violin & Orchestra, K. 373

    Performer: Arabella Steinbacher. Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Strings. Conductor: Daniel Dodds.
    • Mozart: Works for Violin & Orchestra.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 5.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Mass No. 3 in F Minor, WAB 28 (Nowak Edition): VI. Agnus Dei. Andante [Live]

    Choir: Bavarian Radio Symphony Choir. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mariss Jansons.
    • Bruckner: Mass No. 3 in F Minor, WAB 28 (Nowak Edition) [Live].
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 6.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 'Pathétique' - III. Molto Vivace

    Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.
    • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 'Pathétique' & Romeo and Juliet.
    • Alpha.
    • 3.

  • Rene Drouard du Bousset

    Recueil d'airs sérieux et à boire: Avec du vin

    Ensemble: Les Kapsber’girls.
    • Vous avez dit Brunettes.
    • Alpha.
    • 26.

  • Franz Schubert

    4 Impromptus, D899 (Op. 90): No. 2 in E-Flat Major

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Schubert: Impromptus D899 and Moments Musicaux D780.
    • Erato.
    • 2.

  • Federico Mompou

    Damunt de tu nomes les flors (from El Combat del Somni)

    Singer: Marianne Crebassa. Orchestra: Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse. Conductor: Ben Glassberg.
    • Seguedilles.
    • Erato.
    • 12.

  • Judith Weir

    Airs from Another Planet (III. Jig & IV. Bagpipe Air, with Drones)

    Ensemble: Perpetuo.
    • Reels, Drones & Jigs.
    • Champs Hill Records.
    • 8.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony No. 4 in Eb Major 'Romantic' - IV. Allegro

    Orchestra: Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jakub Hrůša.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 - The 3 Versions.
    • Accentus Music.
    • 4.

  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Piano Quintet in E Major, Op. 15: II. Adagio

    Ensemble: Eusebius Quartet.
    • Korngold: Chamber Works.
    • SOMM Recordings.
    • 2.

Record Review

9.00am

Vous avez dit Brunettes? – music by Bousset, Dupuits, Leclair, Rameau, etc

Les Kapsber'girls

Alpha ALPHA761

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/Vous-avez-dit-Brunettes-ALPHA761

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

Arabella Steinbacher (violin)

Festival Strings Lucerne

Daniel Dodds

Pentatone PTC5186952

http://www.pentatonemusic.com/mozart-violin-concertos-1-and-2-arabella-steinbacher-festival-strings-lucerne-daniel-dodds

Bruckner: Mass No. 3 in F Minor, WAB 28 (Nowak Edition)

Sally Matthews (soprano)

Stanislav Trofimov (bass)

Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano)

Ilker Arcayürek (tenor)

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Mariss Jansons (conductor)

BR Klassik 900017

https://www.br-klassik.de/orchester-und-chor/br-klassik-cds/br-klassik-digital/br-klassik-digital-bruckner-messe-f-moll-100.html

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 'Pathétique' & Romeo and Juliet

Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich

Paavo Järvi (conductor)

Alpha ALPHA782

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/Tchaikovsky-Symphony-No-6-Pathetique-Romeo-and-Juliet-ALPHA782

9.30am – Building a Library – Katy Hamilton on Mendelssohn Octet in E flat Op. 20

Recommended Recording:

James Ehnes (violin)

Seattle Chamber Music Octet

Onyx ONYX4060

Other recommendation:

Jascha Heifetz (violin)
Gregor Piatigorsky (cello)
Virginia Majewski (viola)
Gabor Rejto (cello)
William Primrose (viola)
Joseph Stepansky (violin)
Israel Baker (violin)
Arnold Belnick (violin)
RCA G010003290612T


10.15am – New Releases

Franck: De l'autel au salon. Œuvres chorales

Thibaut Lenaerts (tenor/conductor)

Chœur de Chambre de Namur

Gwendoline Blondeel (soprano)

Pierre Derhet (tenor)

Kamil Ben Hsaïn Lachiri (baritone)

Edward Vanmarsenille (organ)

Éric Mathot (double bass)

Samuel Namotte (baritone)

Emmanuel Tondus (cello)

Caroline Weynants (soprano)

Caroline de Mahieu (mezzo soprano)

Philippe Riga (piano)

Maxime Melnik (tenor)

Hannelore Devaere (harp)

Musique en Wallonie MEW2022

https://www.musiwall.uliege.be/product/cesar-franck-13/

Schubert: Impromptus D899 and Moments Musicaux D780

Alexandre Tharaud (piano)

Erato 9029659921

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/schubert

Séguedilles – music by Bizet, Falla, Mompou, Ravel, etc

Marianne Crebassa (mezzo)

Orchestre et Choeur du National du Capitole de Toulouse

Ben Glassberg (conductor)

Thibaut Garcia (guitar)

Alphonse Cemin (piano)

Erato 0190296676895

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/seguedilles

Reels, Drones and Jigs – music by Davies, MacMillan, McDowall, Weir

Perpetuo

Champs Hill Records CHRCD154
https://www.champshillrecords.co.uk/

10.40am – Tom Service’s Orchestral New Releases

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3, Symphony 'Jupiter', Le nozze di Figaro Overture

Le Concert de la Loge

Julien Chauvin (violin/conductor)

Alpha ALPHA776

https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/Mozart-Violin-Concerto-No-3-Symphony-Jupiter-Le-nozze-di-Figaro-Overture-ALPHA776

Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 38 & 39

NDR Radiophilharmonie

Andrew Manze (conductor)

Pentatone PTC5186765

http://www.pentatonemusic.com/mozart-symphonies-38-39-prague-manze-ndr-radiophilharmonie

Bruckner: Symphony No.4 in E-flat Major, WAB 104 (Edition Haas)

Wiener Philharmoniker

Christian Thielemann (conductor)

Sony 19439914112

https://sonyclassical.com/releases/releases-details/bruckner-symphony-no-4-in-e-flat-major-wab-104-edition-haas-2

Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 - The 3 Versions

Bamberger Symphoniker

Jakub Hruša (conductor)

Accentus Music ACC30533

https://accentus.com/discs/533/

In Memoriam: Bernard Haitink

Wagner: Tannhäuser (Dresden version)

Klaus König (Tannhäuser/tenor)

Lucia Popp (Elisabeth/soprano)

Waltraud Meier (Venus/mezzo-soprano)

Bernd Weikl (Wolfram/baritone)

Kurt Moll (Landgraf/bass)

Bernard Haitink (conductor)

Warner Classics 6408002 (3 CDs)

https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/wagner-tannhauser-0

11.20am – Record of the Week

Korngold: Chamber Music

Eusebius Quartet

Alisdair Beatson (piano)

Somm SOMMCD 0642

https://somm-recordings.com/recording/chamber-music-by-erich-wolfgang-korngold/


Broadcast

  • Sat 23 Oct 202109:00
    BBC Radio 3

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