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Smetana Má Vlast in Building a Library with Harriet Smith and Andrew McGregor

A trawl through the best of this the week's classical music releases, and in Building a Library Anna Picard chooses her favourite recording of Smetana's Má Vlast.

with Andrew McGregor

9.30 Building a Library
Anna Picard chooses her favourite recording of Bedřich Smetana's Má Vlast.

Dedicated to the city of Prague, Smetana's Má Vlast ('My Country') is a series of six orchestral tone poems depicting Bohemian legends, landscapes and history, replete with nationalistic and political meaning for Smetana and his Czech audiences. Its second movement 'Vltava' is the best known: a thrilling portrayal of the journey of Bohemia's longest river and one of music's greatest landscape paintings.

10.30
Harriet Smith reviews new releases of chamber music by Brahms, Weinberg and ³§²¹¾±²Ô³Ù-³§²¹Ã«²Ô²õ.

11.20
Record of the Week: an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Rafael Antonio Castellanos

    Gitanillas vienen (Arr. R. Savino for Chamber Ensemble)

    Singer: Jennifer Ellis Kampani. Singer: Nell Snaidas. Ensemble: El Mundo.
    • Archivo de Guatemala: Music from the Guatemala City Cathedral Archive.
    • Naxos.
    • 8.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73: III. Allegretto grazioso quasi andantino

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Brahms: Symphony No. 2 & Academic Festival Overture (Live).
    • PENTATONE.
    • 3.
  • Eugène Ysaÿe

    Obsession - Prelude: Solo sonata in A minor Op. 72 No. 2

    Performer: James Ehnes.
    • Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op. 27.
    • Onyx.
    • 5.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Symphony no.5 in B flat major Op.100 (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Santtu-Matias Rouvali.
    • Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 2.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Serenade in B flat major K.361 'Gran partita' (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin.
    • Mozart: Gran Partita - Wind Serenades K. 361 & 375.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 6.
  • Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson

    Passacaglia (Version for Marimba, Harp & Bass Clarinet)

    Performer: Ingólfur Vilhjálmsson. Ensemble: Duo Harpverk.
    • Moonbow.
    • Sono Luminus.
    • 4.
  • Étienne ²Ñ´Ç³Ü±ô¾±²Ô¾±Ã©

    Ballet du monde renversé: Dialogue de la Nuit et du Soleil

    Lyricist: Anonymous. Conductor: William Christie. Ensemble: Les Arts Florissants.
    • N'espérez plus mes yeux... Airs sérieux et à boire, Vol. 3.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 2.
  • MieczysÅ‚aw Weinberg

    Piano Quintet, Op. 18: V. Allegro agitato

    Performer: Elisaveta Blumina. Performer: Noah Bendix-Balgley. Performer: Shanshan Yao. Performer: Máté Szücs. Performer: Bruno Delepelaire.
    • Weinberg: Piano Quintet, Op. 18 & Children’s Notebook No. 3, Op. 23.
    • Oehms Classics.
    • 105.
  • Camille Saintâ€Saëns

    Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 18: II. Andante

    Ensemble: Trio Hélios.
    • D’un matin de printemps.
    • Mirare.
    • 102.
  • Josef Labor

    Cello Sonata in A Major, Op. 7: II. Scherzo. Allegro molto

    Performer: Floris Mijnders. Performer: Oliver Triendl.
    • Labor: Chamber Works.
    • CapriccioNR.
    • 102.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Clarinet Sonata No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 120: I. Allegro amabile

    Performer: Julian Bliss. Performer: James Baillieu.
    • Johannes Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas Op. 120, 4 Ernste Gesänge, Op. 121.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 301.
  • Friedrich Gernsheim

    Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20: III. Rondo. Allegro

    Ensemble: Mariani Klavierquartett.
    • Brahms & Gernsheim: Piano Quartets.
    • Audax Records.
    • 107.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Rodelinda, Act 1: scenes 6-8

    Singer: Lucy Crowe. Singer: Iestyn Davies. Singer: Tim Mead. Ensemble: The English Concert. Conductor: Harry Bicket.
    • Handel: Rodelinda.
    • Linn.
    • 7-12.

Record Review

Ìý

9.00am

Ìý

Archivo de Guatemala: Music from Castellanos, Corelli, , etc

El Mundo / Richard Savino (arranger)

Naxos: 8574295

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 & Academic Festival Overture

Gewandhausorchester Leipzi

Herbert Blomstedt (conductor)Ìý

Pentatone: PTC5186851Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ysaÿe: Sonatas for Solo Violin, Op.27

James Ehnes (violin)

Onyx: ONYX4198

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5

Philharmonia Orchestra

Santtu-Matias Rouvali (conductor)

SIGNUM: SIGCD669Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Mendelssohn: Te Deum à 8, MWV B 15 & Other Works

Stuttgart Chamber Choir
Frieder Bernius (conductor)

Hänssler: HC20034

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

9.30am – Building a Library – Anna Picard on Smetana, Ma Vlast

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Composer: Bedřich Smetana

Reviewer: Anna Picard

Ìý

Recommended Recording:

Jakub Hrusa (conductor)

Prague Philhamonia

Supraphon SU 4032-2

Ìý

Ìý

Other Recommended Recordings:Ìý

Ìý

Vaclav Talich (conductor)Ìý

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra

Supraphon SU40652Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Jiří Bělohlávek (conductor)

Czech Philharmonic OrchestraÌý

Decca:Ìý 4833187Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.15am – New Releases

Ìý

Mozart: Gran Partita - Wind Serenades K. 361 & 375

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin

Harmonia Mundi: HMM902627

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Moonbow

CAPUT Ensemble, Siggi String Quartet, Duo Harpverk

Ingólfur Vilhjámsson (bass clarinet)

Dorian Sono Luminus: DSL92246Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

- Airs sérieux et à boire Vol. 3Ìý (Music by , Jeune, , etc.)

Les Arts Florissants

William Christie (conductor)Ìý

Harmonia Mundi: HAF8905318Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

10.40am – Harriet Smith on Chamber Music

Weinberg: Piano Quintet Op. 18

Elisaveta Blumina (piano)

Bruno DelepelaireÌý(cello)

Elisaveta Blumina Ìý(piano)

Máté Szücs (viola)

Noah Bendix-Balgley Ìý(violin)

Shanshan Yao (violin)Ìý

Oehms: OC487Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Un Matin de Printemps (Music by Boulanger, Ravel and )

Trio Helios

Mirare: MIR564

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Labor:Ìý Sonatas for Violin and CelloÌý

Nina Karmon (violin)

Floris Mijnders (cello)

Premysl Vojta (horn)

Oliver Triendl (piano)

Capriccio;Ìý C5430Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Johannes Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas & Ernste Gesänge

Julian Bliss (clarinet)

James Baillieu (piano)

Signum:Ìý SIGCD671ÌýÌý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Brahms & Gernsheim: Piano Quartets Vol. 1

Mariani Klavierquartett

Audax Records:Ìý ADX13780

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

11.20am – Record of the Week

Ìý

Handel: Rodelinda

The English Concert

Harry Bicket (director)

Linn:Ìý CKD658Ìý

Ìý

Broadcast

  • Sat 8 May 2021 09:00

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