Andrew McGregor with Marina Frolova-Walker and Stephen Johnson
Building a library on Shostakovich's opera, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, plus a review of new releases of music by Bruckner with Stephen Johnson.
with Andrew McGregor
9.30
Building a Library: Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Marina Frolova-Walker.
Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is one of the operatic masterpieces of the twentieth century and was highly praised at its 1934 premiere. Stalin, however, found the opera highly objectional, when he saw it in 1936, and subsequently banned it. In four acts, the opera is based on the startling novella of the same name by the idiosyncratic Russian novelist and short-story writer Nikolai Leskov. Although it departs slightly from its original literary context, it tells the tragic tale of Katerina, a bored and lonely heroine who falls in love with one of her husband's workers, the manipulative Sergey. Their treachery leads to a gruesome series of murders and ultimately to her own devastating end. In grappling with the subordinate role expected of women in 19th century society, adultery and pre-meditated murder, there are echoes in both Leskov and Shostakovich of Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth.
10.45
Andrew talks about new releases of Bruckner's music with Stephen Johnson.
11.45
Andrew chooses an outstanding new release as his Disc of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
-
Edward Elgar
Symphony No. 2 In E Flat Major Op.63 (3rd mvt)
Orchestra: 91Èȱ¬ Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- Chandos CHSA 5197.
- Chandos.
- 3.
-
Niccolò Paganini
Sonata No. 2 in D (Centone di sonate): i. Adagio cantabile
Performer: Giangiacomo Pinardi. Director: Fabio Biondi.- Glossa GCD 923410.
- Glossa.
- 14.
-
Richard Blackford
Niobe: i. Niobe the lover
Performer: Tamsin Waley-Cohen. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Ben Gernon.- Signum Records.
-
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto No. 1 In A Minor, BWV1041: i. Allegro
Choir: SLIXS.- Hey! Classics LC 29640.
- Hey! Classics.
- 1.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Sinfonia In F Major, F.67: i. Vivace
Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 1.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Sinfonia In D Minor, F.65: i. Adagio
Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 6.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Concerto In F Minor: ii. Andante
Performer: Claudio Astronio. Choir: Harmonices Mundi.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 2.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Concerto In F Minor: iii. Allegro
Performer: Claudio Astronio. Choir: Harmonices Mundi.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 2.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Trio Sonata In D Major, F.47: i. Allegro ma non troppo
Performer: Wilbert Hazelzet. Performer: Marion Moonen. Performer: Jaap ter Linden. Performer: Jacques Ogg.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 14.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Fantasia In A Minor, F.23
Performer: Claudio Astronio.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 1.
-
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Cantata for Easter Sunday 'Erzittert und fallet', F83
Choir: Rheinische Kantorei. Ensemble: Das Kleine Konzert. Conductor: Hermann Max.- Brilliant Classics 95596.
- Brilliant Classics.
- 9.
-
George Frideric Handel
Acis and Galatea: Act 2 ('Wretched lovers!' to 'Love sounds th' alarm')
Singer: Lucy Crowe. Singer: Allan Clayton. Singer: Benjamin Hulett. Singer: Neal Davies. Singer: Jeremy Budd. Orchestra: Early Opera Company. Choir: Chorus Of The Early Opera Company. Conductor: Christian Curnyn.- Chandos CHSA 0404.
- Chandos.
- 1.
Record Review
9.00am
Elgar: Symphony No.2 / Serenade for Strings
91Èȱ¬ Symphony Orchestra
Edward Gardner (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 5197 (Hybrid SACD)
Ìý
Richard Blackford: Niobe
Tamsin Waley-Cohen (violin)
Czech Philharmonic
Ben Gernon (conductor)
Signum Records SIGCD539
Ìý
Paganini: Sonatas for violin and guitar
Fabio Biondi (violin)
Giangiacomo Pinardi (romantic guitar)
Glossa GCD 923410
Ìý
Quer Bach 2 (Bach instrumental music arranged for voices)
SLIXS (vocal ensemble)
Hey! Classics LC 29640
Ìý
Ìý
9.30am – Building a Library – Marina Frolova-Walker on Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Composer: ÌýÌýÌý Shostakovich
Piece: ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk
Reviewer:ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Marina Frolova-Walker
Recommended Recording:
Chorus of Netherlands Opera and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra;
Mariss Jansons (conductor)
Opus Arte OA0965D (DVD)
Opus Arte OABD7031D (Blu-ray)
Other Recommended Recordings:
Below are other recordings that Marina also liked, although we can’t guarantee availability.
London Philharmonic Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus;
Mstislav Rostropovich (conductor)
Warner Classics 9668382 (2 CDs)
Ìý
10.20am – Reissues: WF Bach from Brilliant Classics
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Edition (14 CDs or download)
CPE Bach Chamber Orchestra
Hartmut Haenchen (conductor)
Claudio Astronio (harpsichord/director)
Marco Facchin (harpsichord)
Various other artists
Brilliant Classics 95596
Ìý
10.50am New Releases: Stephen Johnson on Smetana, Bruckner and Shostakovich Symphonies
Smetena: Triumphal (Festive) Symphony / The Bartered Bride (excerpts)
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
Darrell Ang (conductor)
Naxos 8.573672
Ìý
Bruckner: Symphony No.1
Muncher Philharmoniker
Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Münchner Philharmoniker MPHL 0009
Bruckner: Symphony No.3
Muncher Philharmoniker
Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Münchner Philharmoniker MPHL 0008
Ìý
Bruckner: Symphony No.7 / Wagner: Siegfried’s Funeral March
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Andris Nelsons (conductor)
DG 479 8494
Bruckner: Symphony No.7
Stuttgart Symphony
Paul Hindemith (conductor)
SWR Classic SWR 19417
Ìý
Bruckner: Symphony No.8
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Mariss Jansons (conductor)
BR Klassik 900165
Shostakovich: Symphony No.7
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Kurt Masur (conductor)
LPO Live LPO 0103
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
11.45am – Disc of the Week: Handel’s Acis and Galatea from the Early Opera Company conducted by Christian Curnyn
Handel: Acis and Galatea
Lucy Crowe (Galatea)
Allan Clayton (Acis)
Early Opera Company
Christian Curnyn (conductor)
Chandos CHSA 0404 (2 hybrid SACDs)
Broadcast
- Sat 16 Jun 2018 09:0091Èȱ¬ Radio 3
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