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Friday - Sarah Walker with Andrew Marr

With Sarah Walker. Including Five Reasons to Love La Folia; Musical Challenge; Artist of the Week: violinist Joshua Bell; Sarah's Essential Choice: Beethoven: Grosse Fugue, Op 133.

Discover definitive recordings of the greatest classical music with your trusted guide, Sarah Walker. Her guest this week is the broadcaster and writer Andrew Marr.

9am
A selection of music including '5 Reasons to Love...La Folia.' This week Sarah explores the musical phenomenon La Folia, one of the oldest remembered European musical themes. Literally meaning madness or folly, this theme has its roots in the 16th century and was first published in 1672. It has since been used by more than 150 composers.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: identify a piece of music played backwards.

10am
Sarah's guest this week, discussing his favourite classical music every day at 10am, is the broadcaster and writer Andrew Marr. He reveals the important role music played in his recovery after he suffered a stroke in 2013, and in particular the recuperative effects of Mahler. Andrew also shares his love of Verdi's Falstaff, Schubert lieder and the music of Thomas Arne, as well as his interest in Russian music including works by Shostakovich and Prokofiev.

10.30am
Sarah's featured artist this week is the virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell. One of the most celebrated violinists of his time, Bell has made more than forty recordings since he recorded his first LP aged just eighteen. Equally at home as both a soloist and a chamber musician, Bell is also an acclaimed orchestra leader and has recently named as the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Sarah explores Bell's performances of works by composers including Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Mozart.

11am
This week's Essential Choices are all contrapuntal masterpieces.

Beethoven
Grosse Fugue Op.133
Takács String Quartet
DECCA.

3 hours

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    7 Bagatelles Op.33 – No.7

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • VOXBOX.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Polonaise in E flat major

    Orchestra: Prague Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Jiří Bělohlávek.
    • SUPRAPHON.
  • 5 reasons to love... La Folia

    • Antonio Salieri

      26 Variations on La folia

      Ensemble: London Mozart Players. Conductor: Matthias Bamert.
      • CHANDOS.
  • Artist of the week: joshua bell

    • Fritz Kreisler

      Menuet in the style of Porpora

      Performer: Joshua Bell. Performer: Paul Coker.
      • DECCA.
  • Franz Berwald

    Memory of the Norwegian Alps

    Orchestra: Gävle symfoniorkester. Conductor: Petri Sakari.
    • NAXOS.
  • Henry Purcell

    Hear my prayer, O Lord

    Choir: Armonico Consort. Director: Christopher Monks.
    • Naked Byrd two: Armonico Consort.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 5.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Symphony no.2 in D major

    Orchestra: Amsterdam Sinfonietta. Conductor: Lev Markiz.
    • BIS.
  • Andrew Marr's Choice No. 1

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (Aria and Variations 1-10)

      Performer: Glenn Gould.
      • SONY CLASSICAL.
  • Andrew Marr's Choice No. 2

    • Dmitry Shostakovich

      Fugue No.22 in G minor (24 Preludes and Fugues, Op.87)

      Performer: Alexander Melnikov.
      • HARMONIA MUNDI.
  • Gerald Finzi

    The Fall of the Leaf, Op 20

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.
    • Lyrita.
  • Artist of the week: joshua bell

    • Sergey Prokofiev

      Violin Sonata No.2 in D Op.94b

      Performer: Olli Mustonen. Performer: Joshua Bell.
      • DECCA.
  • Essential Choice

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Grosse Fugue Op.133

      Ensemble: Takács Quartet.
      • DECCA.
  • William Byrd

    Tollite portas for 5 voices

    Ensemble: Stile Antico.
    • Puer Natus Est, Tudor Music For Advent and Christmas: Stile Antico.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 5.
  • Artist of the week: joshua bell

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Violin Concerto in D Op.61

      Performer: Joshua Bell. Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Orchestra: Camerata Salzburg.
      • SONY.

Recording Rewind

Purcell’s Hear my Prayer, O Lord.

Broadcast

  • Fri 9 Jan 2015 09:00

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