Building a Library: Elgar: Introduction and Allegro
Reviewer - Bruce Wood
First Choice: Allegri Quartet, Sinfonia of London, Sir John Barbirolli (conductor)
(recorded 1962; c/w Serenade in E minor; Elegy*; Sospiri*; VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'):
New Philharmonia Orchestra*
EMI CLASSICS 5672402 (CD, mid-price)
Also available on: EMI CLASSICS 3679182 (5-CD budget box set - Elgar Orchestral Works conducted by Sir John Barbirolli)
HMV CLASSICS HMV5867242 (CD, budget - c/w Sospiri; Elegy; Serenade in E minor; Chanson de nuit; Chanson de matin; Cello Concerto in E minor - Steven Isserlis (cello))
CD Review BAL Catalogue Data bal.elgar:
bal.elgar.introduction.and.allegro
Discs played and reviewed in this programme
[Available at full price unless indicated]
NB Timings are approximate
09:00
MAHLER Symphony No.3 (excerpt from 1st movement played)
Michelle DeYoung (mezzo-soprano), Women of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Children's Choir, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Haitink (conductor)
CSO RESOUND CSOR901701 (2-CD, mid-price)
BOURGEOIS Concerto Grosso, Op.61 (excerpt played)
(c/w OTTERLOO Serenade; WOUD The Call, the brass presented; GABRIELI Canzon in echo duodecimi toni a 10 from Sacrae Symphoniae No.11, C.180; HENZE Ragtime & Habaneras; SCHMIDT Variants with Solo Cadenzas for trumpet-quartet):
Brass of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ivan Meylemans (conductor)
RCO LIVE RCO07002 (SACD/CD Hybrid, mid-price)
WALTON Viola Concerto - original version (excerpt played)
(c/w RUBBRA Meditations on a Byzantine Hymn for solo violin; Viola Concerto in A):
Lawrence Power (viola), BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov (conductor)
HYPERION CDA67587 (CD)
09:30
Building a Library Recommendations
ELGAR Introduction and Allegro
Reviewer: Bruce Wood
First Choice:
Allegri Quartet, Sinfonia of London, Sir John Barbirolli (conductor)
(recorded 1962; c/w Serenade in E minor; Elegy*; Sospiri*; VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'):
New Philharmonia Orchestra*
EMI CLASSICS 5672402 (CD, mid-price)
Also available on:
EMI CLASSICS 3679182 (5-CD budget box set - Elgar Orchestral Works conducted by Sir John Barbirolli)
HMV CLASSICS HMV5867242 (CD, budget - c/w Sospiri; Elegy; Serenade in E minor; Chanson de nuit; Chanson de matin; Cello Concerto in E minor (Steven Isserlis - cello))
Next week, Christopher Cook compares the available recordings of Mozart's Idomeneo
10:15
RCA Living Stereo
SCHUBERT Symphony No.9 in C, D944 'The Great' (excerpt played)
(c/w Symphony No.8 in B minor, D759 'Unfinished'):
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch (conductor)
(recorded 1955 and 1958)
RCA LIVING STEREO 88697 046032 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
R. STRAUSS Don Quixote, Op.35* (excerpt played); Don Juan, Op.20 (excerpt played):
Antonio Janigro (cello)*, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner (conductor)
(recorded 1959 and 1954)
RCA LIVING STEREO 88697 046042 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
DE FALLA El amor brujo* (excerpt played); The Three-Cornered Hat (excerpt played)
(c/w La vida breve; ALBENIZ Iberia (extracts from Books 1, 2 & 4); GRANADOS Goyescas - Intermezzo):
Leontyne Price (soprano)*, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner (conductor)
(recorded 1963* and 1958)
RCA LIVING STEREO 88697 046072 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
VILLA-LOBOS Prelude in E minor
(from CD entitled 'Julian Bream: Popular Classics for Spanish Guitar' - including works by ALBENIZ, DE FALLA, TORROBA, TURINA and VILLA-LOBOS):
Julian Bream (guitar)
(recorded 1962)
RCA LIVING STEREO 88697 046062 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
MOZART Sinfonia concertante in E flat, K.364* (excerpt played); BRAHMS Concerto in A minor for violin and cello, Op.102+ (excerpt played)
(c/w BACH Concerto in D minor for two violins, BWV1043^):
Jascha Heifetz (violin), William Primrose (viola)*, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra*+, Izler Solomon (conductor)*, Gregor Piatigorsky (cello)+, Alfred Wallenstein (conductor)+, Erick Friedman (violin)^, New Symphony Orchestra of London^, Sir Malcolm Sargent (conductor)^
(recorded 1961, 1956 and 1960)
RCA LIVING STEREO 88697 046052 (SACD/CD Hybrid)
10:45
New Baroque Releases
Reviewer: David Vickers
CD entitled 'Concerti per violoncello Vol.1 - VIVALDI Concertos RV398, RV406, RV409, RV410, RV414, RV419 and RV421:
Christophe Coin (cello), Il Giardino Armonica, Giovanni Antonini (conductor)
NAIVE OP30426 (CD)
CD entitled 'Improvisata: Sinfonie con titoli' - VIVALDI Sinfonia 'Improvisata' in C; SAMMERTINI Overture (Sinfonia) in G minor; MONZA Sinfonia detta 'La tempesta di mare' in D; BOCCHERINI Sinfonia No.6 'La casa del diavolo' in D; DEMACHI Sinfonia 'Le campane di Roma' in F:
Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi (violin & direction)
VIRGIN CLASSICS 3634302 (CD)
CD entitled 'Music for the Chapel Royal' - HANDEL Let God arise, HWV265b; I will magnify Thee, O God, HWV250b; As pants the hart, HWV251d & HWV251a (excerpt); O sing unto the Lord, HWV249a:
Choir of the Chapel Royal, Musicians Extra-ordinary, Andrew Gant (conductor)
NAXOS 8557935 (CD, budget)
TELEMANN Ouverture for Recorder, Strings and Basso continuo in A minor; Fantasias for Recorder; Concerto for Recorder, Viola da gamba, Strings and Basso continuo in A minor:
Julien Martin (recorder), Josh Cheatham (viola da gamba), Capriccio Stravagante, Skip Sempe (conductor)
PARADIZO PA0002 (CD)
J.S. BACH Missae Breves: Lutheran Masses BWV 233-236:
Cantus Colln, Konrad Junghanel (conductor)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC901939.40 (2-CD, mid-price)
SCHUTZ Opus ultimum - Schwanengesang (The Swansong): 11 motets on Psalm 119, SWV484-492; Psalm 100: 'Jauchzet dem Herren, alle Welt': SWV493; Deutsches Magnificat: 'Meine Seele erhebt den Herren', SWV494:
Collegium Vocale Gent, Concerto Palatino, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMC901895.96 (2-CD, mid-price)
11:15
Listener Suggestions
MOZART Don Giovanni (excerpt from end of Act 2 played)
Cesare Siepi (Don Giovanni), Geraint Evans (Leporello), Leyla Evans (Donna Anna), Sena Jurinac (Donna Elvira), Mirella Freni (Zerlina), Richard Lewis (Don Ottavio), David Ward (Il Commendatore), Robert Savoie (Masetto), The Covent Garden Opera Chorus and Orchestra, Georg Solti (conductor)
(recorded 1962)
ROH HERITAGE SERIES ROHS007 (3-CD, mid-price)
Send your suggestions for discs you would like to hear on the programme
11:45
Discs Of The Week
ELGAR Prelude and Angel's Farewell from The Dream of Gerontius - Elgar's own piano version
(from CD entitled 'Songs & Piano Music by Edward Elgar played on Elgar's 1844 Broadwood Square Piano' - including 7 Lieder; Sea Pictures, Op.37; Dream Children, Op.43 Nos.1 & 2 - piano solo; The Fringes of the Fleet - with chorus):
Amanda Pitt (soprano), Mark Wilde (tenor), Peter Savidge (baritone), David Owen Norris (piano)
AVIE AV2129 (2-CD)
ELGAR Sea Pictures
(c/w Symphonies 1 & 2; Enigma Variations; Cello Concerto; Chanson de nuit; Chanson de matin; Elegy for String Orchestra; Overture 'Cockaigne'; Froissart; Contrasts from Three Characteristic Pieces; Imperial March; In the South (Alassio); Serenade in E minor; Coronation March; Introduction and Allegro; The Sanguine Fan; Violin Concerto; Falstaff):
Dame Janet Baker (contralto), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley (conductor)
(5-CD box set also features performances conducted by Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Landon Ronald, Sir Adrian Boult, Sir Georg Solti and Sir Charles Mackerras)
LPO 0016-0020 (5-CD, budget)
Read Andrew McGregor's review of the LPO box set
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