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Puccini's Tosca in Building a Library with Roger Parker and Andrew McGregor

Roger Parker's recommendation for the ultimate recording of Puccini's dramatic opera Tosca.

Roger Parker's recommendation for the ultimate recording of Puccini's dramatic opera Tosca, plus a personal selection of new releases from tenor Ben Johnson.

Presented by Andrew McGregor

9.30am
Tenor Ben Johnson has been let loose in the virtual record store and picks both his favourite new releases and the track he goes back to and back to - "On Repeat".

10.30
Building a Library
Puccini's Tosca - described by one critic as "a shabby little shocker" has nevertheless enthralled audiences for over a century. It has been no stranger to the recording studio, and Roger Parker talks to Andrew about the huge range of approaches that have been made and settles on the ultimate recording to buy, download or stream.

11.15
Record of the Week
Andrew's personal choice of the best release of the last seven days.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Wilhelm Friedemann Bach

    Sinfonia in F major F.67 'Dissonant' (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg. Director: Jurgen Gross.
    • More Bach.
    • Challenge Classics.
    • 10.
  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Scène dernière - Marche triomphante (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Gaëtan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Joignez à vos exploits l'honneur du diadème (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Gaëtan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Marc‐Antoine Charpentier

    Du plus grand des Héros chantons la gloire (David et Jonathas)

    Singer: Reinoud Van Mechelen. Singer: Virgile Ancely. Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra Marguerite Louise. Conductor: Gaëtan Jarry.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Piano Trio no.3 in F minor Op.65 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Shaham-Erez-Wallfisch.
    • Nimbus.
  • Albert Ketèlbey

    A Passing Storm-Cloud on a Summer Day (3 Fanciful Etchings - Suite)

    Orchestra: 91ȱ Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Les Soirées de Nazelles (Final)

    Performer: Emmanuel Despax.
    • Signum.
  • Johann Christian Bach

    Herr, nun Lässest du deiner in friede fahen

    Ensemble: Solomon's Knot.
    • Prospero.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony no.4 in A Op.90 'Italian' (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Les Ambassadeurs ~ La Grande Écurie. Conductor: Alexis Kossenko.
    • Aparte.
  • Frank Martin

    Piano Quintet in D minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Martin Klett. Ensemble: Armida Quartett.
    • Avi.
  • Maurice Ravel

    L'heure Espagnole: Un financier

    Orchestra: Les Siècles. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Benjamin Britten

    We committed his body to the deep (Billy Budd)

    Singer: John Mark Ainsley. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Mark Elder.
    • Glyndebourne.
  • George Frideric Handel

    The Harmonius Blacksmith (Harpsichord Suite no.5 )

    Performer: Sviatoslav Richter.
    • The Very Best of Sviatoslav Richter.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 104.
  • Leos Janáček

    Violin Sonata (1st mvt)

    Performer: Benjamin Baker. Performer: Daniel Lebhardt.
    • 1919: Boulanger, Janáček, Elgar, Debussy.
    • Delphian.
    • 1.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Mass in G minor (Credo)

    Choir: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Conductor: James O’Donnell.
    • HYPERION.
    • 3.
  • Johanna Müller-Hermann

    Piano Quintet in A minor Op.31 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Oliver Triendl. Performer: Daniel Gaede. Performer: Nina Karmon. Performer: Benedikt Schneider. Performer: Antoaneta Emanuilova.
    • Johanna Müller-Hermann: Piano Quintet Op. 31 • Violin Sonata Op. 5.
    • HAENSSLER CLASSIC.
    • 1.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Bolero

    Orchestra: Les Siècles. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Joseph Haydn

    Quartet in E flat major Op.33`2 'Joke'

    Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.
    • Haydn: String Quartets Op. 33 Nos 1-3.
    • BIS.

Record Review

9.00am


More Bach. Works by JS, CPE and WF Bach

Elbipolis Barockorchester Hamburg

Jürgen Groß (violin & director)

Challenge Classics CC72960

Charpentier: David & Jonathas

Reinoud Van Mechelen (tenor)

Caroline Arnaud (soprano)

David Witczak (baritone)

Francois-Olivier Jean (tenor)

Antonin Rondepierre (tenor)

Geoffroy Buffiere (bass)

Virgile Ancely (bass)

Ensemble Marguerite Louise

Gaetan Jarry (conductor)

Chateau de Versailles CVS102 (2CDs + DVD + BLU-RAY)

Antonín Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor

Shaham Erez Wallfisch Trio

Nimbus NI5952

Albert Ketelby – orchestral music

91ȱ Concert Orchestra

Martin Yates (conductor)

Dutton Epoch CDLX 7407 (Hybrid Multi-Channel SACD)

Après un rêve: Belle Époque: Nights at the piano. Music by Faure, Poulenc, Debussy etc.

Emmanuel Despax (piano)

Signum SIGCD747

09.30am –Ben Johnson: New Releases

Bach Motets

Solomon’s Knot

Prospero PROSP0073

Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5

Les Ambassadeurs ~ La Grande Écurie

Alexis Kossenko (conductor)

Aparté AP315

Franck & Martin: Piano Quintets

Armida Quartett

Martin Klett (piano)

C-Avi AVI8553527

Maurice Ravel: L’heure espagnol, Bolero

Isabelle Druet (mezzo-soprano)

Julien Behr (tenor)

Loïc Félix (tenor)

Thomas Dolié (baritone)

Jean Teitgen (bass)

Les Siècles

François-Xavier Roth (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMM905361



Ben Johnson: On Repeat

Britten: Billy Budd (Glyndebourne Festival 2010)

John Mark Ainsley (tenor - Captain Vere)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Mark Elder (conductor)

Glyndebourne GFOCD017-10 (3 CDs)

Listener On Repeat

Handel - Keyboard Suites I

Sviatoslav Richter & Andrei Gavrilov (piano)

Warner Classics 5865402



10.10am – New Releases


1919: Coda - Janacek, Boulanger, Debussy, Elgar.

Benjamin Baker (violin)/Daniel Lebhardt (piano)

Delphian DCD34288

Vaughan Williams, MacMillan & Tavener: Choral works

The Choir of Westminster Abbey

James O’Donnell (conductor)

Hyperion CDA68420

10.30am – Building a Library: Roger Parker on Puccini’s Tosca


Recommended recording:

Leontyne Price (soprano – Tosca)

Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor – Cavaradossi)

Piero De Palma (tenor – Spoletta)

Herbert Weiss (treble – Pastore)

Giuseppe Taddei (baritone – Scarpia)

Carlo Cava (bass – Angelotti)

Alfredo Mariotti (bass – Carceriere)

Fernando Corena (bass – Sagrestano)

Leonardo Monreale (bass – Sciarrone)

Vienna State Opera Chorus

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

Decca 421 670-2 (2 CDs)



11.15am – New Releases

Johanna Müller-Hermann: Piano Quintet Op.31 & Violin Sonata Op.5

Oliver Triendl (piano)

Daniel Gaede (violin)

Nina Karmon (violin)

Benedikt Schneider (viola)

Antoaneta Emanuilova (cello)

Hänssler Classic HC22082

Maurice Ravel: L’heure espagnol, Bolero

Isabelle Druet (mezzo-soprano)

Julien Behr (tenor)

Loïc Félix (tenor)

Thomas Dolié (baritone)

Jean Teitgen (bass)

Les Siècles

François-Xavier Roth (conductor)

Harmonia Mundi HMM905361

11.25am – Record of the Week

Haydn: String Quartets Op. 33 Nos 1-3

Chiaroscuro Quartet

BIS BIS-2588 SACD (Hybrid SACD)


Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Jun 2023 09:00

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