Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

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.

3 hours, 12 minutes

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 09:00

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.

Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.

Why the music we love as teens stays with us for life

Cognitive neuropyschology can explain why we return to old favourites again and again.