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Episode details

Radio 3,05 Mar 2026,134 mins

Shostakovich's 2nd Cello Concerto with Alban Gerhardt

Radio 3 in Concert

Available for 28 days

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales are joined by their Principal Conductor, Ryan Bancroft, to perform works by Sibelius, Shostakovich, and Anders Hillborg. The concert begins with Hillborg's Exquisite Corpse, named after a surrealist method of creation through collage, which contains quotations from his own compositions, and those of other composers, all woven into a tapestry of ever-evolving sound. Alban Gerhardt then joins the Orchestra as soloist in Shostakovich's 2nd Cello Concerto, a reflective work that he wrote to be performed at his 60th Birthday celebrations while convalescing after a heart attack. and the concert concludes in the mythical world of the Kalevala with Sibelius's suite of four tone poems that he wrote based on the poetry centring around the character Lemminkäinen. Presented by Ian Skelly and recorded in BBC Hoddinott Hall on the 8th of January. Anders Hillborg: Exquisite Corpse Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No 2, Op 126 Sibelius: Lemminkäinen Suite, Op 22 Alban Gerhardt (cello) BBC National Orchestra of Wales Ryan Bancroft (conductor) To listen on most smart speakers just say “ask BBC Sounds to play Radio 3 in Concert”.

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Tracklist

  1. Track
    Artist
  2. 1.
    Exquisite Corpse
    Exquisite Corpse
    Anders Hillborg
  3. 2.
    Cello Concerto No 2 in G major, Op 126
    Cello Concerto No 2 in G major, Op 126
    Dmitry Shostakovich
  4. 3.
    Moderato
    Moderato
    Mstislav Rostropovich
  5. 4.
    Mother Goose Suite
    Mother Goose Suite
    Maurice Ravel
  6. 5.
    Lemminkainen Suite, Op 22
    Lemminkainen Suite, Op 22
    Jean Sibelius
  7. 6.
    Piano Trio No 1 in D minor, Op 49 (Finale)
    Piano Trio No 1 in D minor, Op 49 (Finale)
    Felix Mendelssohn