Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony with Erik Levi and Andrew McGregor
Erik Levi chooses a favourite recording of Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony, a sequence of settings of love poetry for soprano and baritone, plus a survey of recordings by Radu Lupu.
9.30 am
Building a Library
Erik Levi compares recordings of Alexander von Zemlinsky's Lyric Symphony and picks a favourite.
Composer, prominent conductor and influential composition teacher, Zemlinsky was at the centre of turn-of the century Viennese musical life. Among his distinguished pupils were Arnold Schoenberg (who also happened to be his brother-in-law), Berg, Webern and Korngold. He also taught and was romantically involved with Alma Schindler until she decided to marry a certain Gustav Mahler. And it's Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde which provided the model for Zemlinsky's best-known work, his1923 Lyric Symphony. Mahler had chosen Chinese poetry for his song-symphony and Zemlinsky, too, looked east, setting poems by the then fashionable 1913 Nobel Prize-winning Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore. The seven texts, an exploration of love, are sung alternately by baritone and soprano, accompanied in lush late-Romantic style by a large orchestra.
10.15 am
To mark today's Record Store Day, Presto Classical's Chris O'Reilly looks at current trends in recorded Classical music consumption and makes predictions for future trends.
10.40 am
Joanna MacGregor plays some of her favourite recordings by the Romanian pianist, Radu Lupu, who died this week. After winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1966, he went on to appear with all the major orchestras of the world. From 1970 to 1993, he made over 20 recordings for Decca including works by Beethoven, Brahms, Grieg, Mozart, Schubert, and Schumann. Some of these have become much-loved classics.
11.20 am
Record of the Week
An exceptional new release.
Last on
Music Played
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Chick Corea
Armando's Rhumba
Performer: Martin Frost.- Night Passages.
- Sony.
- 9.
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Paul Wranitzky
Oberon, König der Elfen: Overture
Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Conductor: Bernhard Forck.- Paul Wranitzky: Symphonies.
- Deutsche HM.
- 1.
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Franz Schubert
Fantasie in C Major, Op. Posth. 159, D. 934: Iv. Allegro vivace - Allegretto - P
Performer: Viktoria Mullova. Performer: Alasdair Beatson.- Schubert: Sonata in A Major, Fantasie in C Major & Rondo in B Minor.
- Signum Classics.
- 204.
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Heinrich Biber
Sonatae Tam Aris Quam Aulis Servientes: Trumpet Fanfare No. 1 in G Minor, C 126
Ensemble: Clemencic Consort.- Biber & Fux: Chamber Music.
- Oehms.
- 1.
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Heinrich Biber
Balletti a 6: Movements I - IV
Ensemble: Clemencic Consort.- Biber & Fux: Chamber Music.
- Oehms.
- 2.
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Gioachino Rossini
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Aria. Largo al factotum
Singer: Florian Sempey. Conductor: Marc Minkowski. Orchestra: Orchestre National de l'Opera de Bordeaux.- Figaro? Sì!.
- Alpha.
- 1.
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Sergey Prokofiev
Four Etudes, Op 2: I. Allegro in D Minor & IV. Presto energico in C Minor
Performer: Tianxu An.- Tchaikovsky - Rachmaninov - Prokofiev.
- Alpha.
- 6.
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Claude Debussy
Proses Lyriques: III. De fleurs
Singer: Jodie Devos. Ensemble: Quatuor Voce.- Poétiques de l'instant.
- Alpha.
- 13.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op 19 (Arr. L. Descours & P. Kouider for Bassoon & Piano): III. Andante
Performer: Lola Descours. Performer: Paloma Kouider. Music Arranger: Lola Descours. Music Arranger: Paloma Kouider.- Bassoon Steppes.
- Orchid Classics.
- 703.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Symphony No. 5 in D major: IV: Passacaglia
Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.- Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos 5 & 6.
- ica classics.
- 4.
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Robert Schumann
Humoreske, Op 20: 6. Innig & 7. Sehr lebhaft
Performer: Radu Lupu.- Radu Lupu: Complete Decca Solo Recordings.
- Decca.
- 4.
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Johannes Brahms
4 Piano Pieces, Op 119: 1. Intermezzo In B Minor & 2. Intermezzo In E Minor
Performer: Radu Lupu.- Radu Lupu: Complete Decca Solo Recordings.
- Decca.
- 12.
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Franz Schubert
Fantasia in C Major, for Violin and Piano D.934: 1. Andante molto
Performer: Szymon Goldberg. Performer: Radu Lupu.- Franz Schubert - Music for Violin & Piano.
- Decca.
- 16.
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Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata No 13 in A, D.664: 3. Allegro
Performer: Radu Lupu.- Radu Lupu: Complete Decca Solo Recordings.
- Decca.
- 3.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Don Carlos, extracts (Five-act French version)
Conductor: Frédéric Chaslin. Singer: Benjamin Bernheim. Singer: Florian Sempey. Orchestra: Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna.- Boulevard des Italiens.
- DG.
- 4.
Record Review
The link below each recording takes you directly to the label’s website. Please be aware that non-UK labels may be cheaper via a record store or an online retailer.
9.00am
Night Passages – music by Scarlatti, Corea, Bach, etc.
Martin Fröst (clarinet)
Sebastien Dube (double bass)
Roland Pöntinen (piano)
Sony G0100045976027
https://sonyclassical.com/releases/releases-details/night-passages-1
Paul Wranitzky: Symphonies
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Bernhard Forck
Deutsche HM G0100047426044
https://akamus.de/de/node/2461
Schubert: Violin Sonata in A Major, Fantasie in C Major and Rondo in B Minor
Viktoria Mullova (violin)
Alasdair Beatson (fortepiano)
Signum SIGCD706
https://signumrecords.com/product/schubert-sonata-rondo-and-fantasie/SIGCD706/
Biber & Fux: Chamber Music
The Clemencic Consort
René Clemencic
Oehms OC1904 (2CDs)
Rossini: Figaro? Sì!
Florian Sempey (baritone)
Karine Deshayes (mezzo-soprano)
Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
Marc Minkowski
Alpha ALPHA791
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/rossini-figaro-si
9.30am - Building A Library: Erik Levi on Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony
Recommended Recording:
Christine Schafer (soprano)
Matthais Goerne (baritone)
Orchestra de Paris
Christoph Eschenbach
Capriccio C71081
http://capriccio.at/alexander-zemlinsky
Other Recommendations:
Viatka Orsanic (soprano)
James Johnson (baritone)
SWF Symphony Orchestra
Michael Gielen
Arte Nova G010000476392M
Soile Isokoski (soprano)
Bo Skovhus (baritone)
Gürzenich-Orchester Köln
James Conlon
Warner Classics 3724812
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/zemlinsky-conlon
Elina Vähälä (violin)
Johanna Winkel (soprano)
Michael Nagy (baritone)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Liebreich
Accentus Music ACC30470
https://accentus.com/discs/470/
10.15am – New Releases
Tchaikovsky - Rachmaninov - Prokofiev
Tianxu An (piano)
Alpha ALPHA855
https://outhere-music.com/en/albums/tchaikovsky-rachmaninov-prokofiev
Poétiques de l'instant – music by Debussy, Balmer
Jodie Devos (soprano)
Juliette Hurel (flute)
Emmanuel Ceysson (harp)
Quatuor Voce
Alpha ALPHA798
https://www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc100190-lola-descours/
Bassoon Steppes – music by Scriabin, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, etc.
Lola Descours
Paloma Kouider
Orchid Classics ORC100190
https://www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc100190-lola-descours/
Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos 5 & 6
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
ica classics ICAC5164
1040am – New Releases: Joanna MacGregor on Radu Lupu
Radu Lupu: The Complete Decca Solo Recordings – music by Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, etc.
Radu Lupu (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra
Lawrence Foster
Decca 4782340
Franz Schubert - Music for Violin & Piano
Szymon Goldberg (violin)
Radu Lupu (piano)
Maurice Gendron (cello)
Jean Francaix (piano)
Decca 4667482
https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/schubert-the-violin-sonatas-szymon-goldberg-3238
11.20am – Record of the Week
Boulevard des Italiens – music by Puccini, Donizetti, Verdi, etc.
Benjamin Bernheim (tenor)
Florian Sempey (baritone)
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna
Frédéric Chaslin
DG 4861964
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/boulevard-des-italiens-bernheim-12622
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- Sat 23 Apr 202209:00BBC Radio 3
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