Building an essential library of great recordings 3rd December 2022

Building an essential library of great recordings with Andrew McGregor and guestsShow more

Record Review

Andrew McGregor is joined by regular contributors to the programme Marina Frolova-Walker, Katy Hamilton and Simon Heighes to discuss and illustrate some of the great recordings with which to start an essential library of classical music. If you want to dip a toe into the world of recorded music, our regular presenter together with three intrepid reviewers suggest some places to start - including a few personal enthusiasms as well as some classics - covering the full range from solo piano to opera; from medieval to modern; from Bach to Beethoven; from Hildegard of Bingen to Amy Beach

• Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto for 4 Harpsichords and Strings after RV 580 in A Minor BWV 1065
Orchestra: Concerto Italiano. Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini.
O VIVALDI & BACH: 12 CONCERTOS, OP. 3 ‘L’ESTRO ARMONICO’.
O NAIVE.
O OP7367.
O 6.
•
Georges Bizet
Carmen (Act 3 Entr'acte and Les tringles des sistres tintaient)
Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Singer: Mirella Freni. Singer: Leontyne Price. Singer: Monique Linval. Singer: Franco Corelli. Singer: Geneviève Macaux. Singer: Frank Schooten. Singer: Robert Merrill. Singer: Jean-Christophe Benoît. Singer: Maurice Besançon. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Choir: Vienna State Opera Choir. Choir: Vienna State Opera Choir.
O RCA.
•
Johannes Brahms
Violin Sonata no.1 in G major Op.78 (1st mvt)
Performer: Josef Suk. Performer: Julius Katchen.
O DECCA.
•
Thomas Tallis
Spem in alium - Sing and glorify
Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
O CORO.
•
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata no.23 in F minor Op. 57 'Appassionata' (3rd mvt)
Performer: Sviatoslav Richter.
O SUPRAPHON.
•
Benjamin Britten
From the gutter (Peter Grimes Op.33)
Singer: Marion Studholme. Choir: Royal Opera House Chorus. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Benjamin Britten.
O DECCA.
•
Sergey Taneyev
Symphony no.4 In C Minor Op.12 (4th mvt)
Performer: Andreĭ Korsakov. Orchestra: USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra. Choir: Academic Choir of the USSR All-Union Radio. Conductor: Evgeny Fyodorovich Svetlanov.
O MELODIYA.
•
Hildegard von Bingen
Columba aspexit
Singer: Emma Kirkby. Choir: Gothic Voices. Conductor: Christopher Page.
O HYPERION.
•
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sonata in D major K.448 for 2 pianos (1st mvt)
Performer: Sir András Schiff. Performer: Peter Serkin.
O ECM.
•
Johann Sebastian Bach
Mass in B minor (Confiteo and Et expecto)
Ensemble: Taverner Consort. Conductor: Andrew Parrott.
O ERATO.
•
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony no.9 in D minor Op.125 'Choral' (3rd mvt)
Singer: Ľuba Orgonášová. Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter. Singer: Anthony Rolfe Johnson. Singer: Gilles Cachemaille. Orchestra: Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
O DG ARCHIV.
•
Olivier Messiaen
Sortie [Le vent de l'esprit] )Messe de la Pentecote)
Performer: Olivier Latry.
O DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
•
Amy Beach
Piano Quintet in F sharp minor Op.67 (2nd mvt)
Ensemble: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective.
O CHANDOS.
•
Henry Purcell
Dido and Aeneas Z.626 (Act 2 Scene 1)
Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
O DECCA.
•
Sergei Prokofiev
Violin Concerto no.2 in G Minor Op.63 (2nd mvt)
Performer: Itzhak Perlman. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Gennady Nikolayevich Rozhdestvensky.
O WARNER CLASSICS.
•
Emmanuel Chabrier
Ode a la musique
Singer: Janine Micheau. Choir: Chorale Elisabeth Brasseur. Orchestra: Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. Conductor: Jean Fournet.
O ELOQUENCE.
•
Sergey Rachmaninov
Symphony No 2 in E Minor, Op 27 (1999 - Remaster): I. Largo - Allegro moderato
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.
O RACHMANINOV: SYMPHONY NO 2.
O WARNER CLASSICS.
O 5099908528957.
O 1.
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 – Building An Essential Library with Simon Heighes, Marina Frolova-Walker and Katy Hamilton

Vivaldi & Bach: 12 Concertos, Op. 3 ‘l’estro Armonico’
Concerto Italiano
Rinaldo Alessandrini
Naïve OP7367 (2 CDs)

Bizet: Carmen
Leontyne Price (soprano)
Franco Corelli (tenor)
Robert Merrill (baritone)
Mirella Freni (soprano)
Vienna State Opera Chorus
Chor der Wiener Staatsoper
Wiener Philharmoniker
Wiener Sängerknaben
Herbert von Karajan
Sony G0100035636729

Brahms: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3
Josef Suk (violin)
Julius Katchen (piano)
Decca E4663932
https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/brahms-violin-sonatas-nos-1-3-suk-7014

Spem in alium - Music for Monarchs and Magnates – music by Tallis, Gibbons, Byrd, etc.
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers
Coro CORO16016 (Hybrid SACD)
https://thesixteenshop.com/products/spem-in-alium-music-for-monarchs-and-magnates?_pos=3&_sid=e91202b32&_ss=r

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos 7, 12 & 23 ‘Appassionata’
Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Supraphon SU40452
https://www.supraphon.com/album/988-beethoven-piano-sonatas-nos-7-12-23-appasionata-russian-mast

Britten: Peter Grimes
Peter Pears (Grimes)
Claire Watson (Ellen Orford)
James Pease (Balstrode)
Jean Watson (Auntie)
Geraint Evans (Ned Keene)
Lauris Elms (Mrs Sedley)
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Benjamin Britten
Decca 4757713 (2CDs)
https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/britten-peter-grimes-peter-pears-7274

Orchestral and Choral Works by Sergei Taneyev
Andrei Korsakov (violin)
USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra
Academic Choir of the USSR All-Union Radio
Evgeny Svetlanov
Melodiya MELCD1002374 (2 CDs)

Abbess Hildegard of Bingen - A feather on the breath of God
Emma Kirkby (soprano)
Gothic Voices
Christopher Page
Hyperion CDA66039
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA66039

Music for Two Pianos – music by Mozart, Reger, Busoni
Andras Schiff
Peter Serkin
ECM New Series 4650622 (2 CDs)
https://www.ecmrecords.com/shop/143038752286/mozart-reger-busoni-music-for-two-pianos-andras-schiff-peter-serkin-andras-schiff-peter-serkin

Bach, J S: Mass in B minor, BWV232
Emma Kirkby (soprano)
Emily Van Evera (soprano)
Panito Iconomou (alto)
Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor)
David Thomas (bass)
Solisten Des Tölzer Knabenchors
Taverner Consort & Players
Andrew Parrott
Erato Veritas 5619982 (2 CDs)
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/bach-mass-b-minor-2

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9
Luba Orgonasova (soprano)
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano)
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor)
Gilles Cachemaille (bass)
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique & The Monteverdi Choir
John Eliot Gardiner
DG Archiv 4778643 (5 CDs)
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/beethoven-9-symphonies-gardiner-8134

Messiaen - Complete Organ Works
Olivier Latry (Organ of Notre Dame, Paris)
DG 4714802 (6 CDs)
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/catalogue/products/messiaen-complete-organ-works-latry-10047

American Quintets – music by Beach, Barber, Price
Matthew Rose (bass)
Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective
Chandos CHAN20224
https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%2020224

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
Catherine Bott (Dido)
Emma Kirkby (Belinda)
John Mark Ainsley (Aeneas)
David Thomas (Sorceress)
Chorus and Orchestra of The Academy of Ancient Music
Christopher Hogwood
Decca 4757195
https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/purcell-dido-and-aeneas-bottkirkbyainsleythomaschance-4256

Prokofiev: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Itzhak Perlman (violin)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Warner Classics 2564612996
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/prokofiev-violin-concertos-nos-1-2

The Art of Janine Micheau – music by Britten, Ravel, Debussy, Chabrier
Janine Micheau (soprano)
Janine Collard (mezzo-soprano)
Jean Mollien (tenor)
Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux
Chorale Élisabeth Brasseur
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire
Paul Sacher
Jean Fournet
Eloquence ELQ4824769
https://www.eloquenceclassics.com/releases/the-art-of-janine-micheau/

Listener Choice

Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2
London Symphony Orchestra
André Previn
Warner Classics 0852892 (1973 version)
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/rachmaninov-symphony-no-2