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Brahms's Clarinet Trio in Building a Library with Natasha Loges and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library Natasha Loges chooses her favourite version of Brahms's Clarinet Trio, and Jeremy Sams shares some exciting new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Jeremy Sams shares some exciting new releases.

10.30 am
In Building a Library Natasha Loges chooses her favourite version of Brahms's Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114.

Brahms' Clarinet Trio is one of his great late chamber works. It was written in the summer of 1891 for the clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld whose playing Brahms adored and whom he referred to as his Fräulein Klarinette, or "his dear nightingale". A friend of Brahms, wrote of the trio that "It is as though the instruments were in love with each other." The painter Adolph Menzel was in the audience during the first public performance. He was so moved that he sketched Mühlfeld in the guise of a Greek god, saying to Brahms, "We often think of you here, and often enough, comparing notes, we confess our suspicions that on a certain night the Muse itself appeared in person for the purpose of executing a certain woodwind part. On this page I have tried to capture the sublime vision."

Natasha's recommended recording:
Emanuel Ax (piano), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Richard Stoltzman (clarinet)
Decca 4101142

Also recommended:
George Pieterson (clarinet), Menahem Pressler (piano), Bernard Greenhouse (cello)
Philips 4383652

András Schiff (piano), Peter Schmidl (clarinet), Friedrich Dolezal (cello)
Decca 4101142

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew’s top pick.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @91ȱRadio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Jean‐Philippe Rameau

    Daphnis et Églé, RCT 34: Premier et second Tambourins

    Singer: Cyrille Dubois. Conductor: György Vashegyi. Orchestra: Orfeo Orchestra.
    • Jouissons de nos beaux ans !.
    • 貹é.
    • 108.
  • Antoine Dauvergne

    Les Amours de Tempé: Mille tendres oiseaux sous cet ombrage frais... (Bacchus)

    Singer: Cyrille Dubois. Orchestra: Orfeo Orchestra. Conductor: György Vashegyi.
    • Jouissons de nos beaux ans !.
    • 貹é.
    • 103.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67 i) Allegro con brio

    Orchestra: Potsdam Chamber Academy. Conductor: Antonello Manacorda.
    • Sony.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    13 Preludes, Op. 32 No. 13, Grave

    Performer: Lukas Geniušas.
    • Alpha.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Samson, HWV 57: Total Eclipse

    Performer: Rachel Brown. Music Arranger: John Walsh. Music Arranger: Rachel Brown. Ensemble: London Händel Players.
    • Total Eclipse: Handel at 91ȱ, Vol. 2.
    • SOMM Recordings.
    • 109.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    La Voila (La Princesse de Trébizonde)

    Singer: Virginie Verrez. Singer: Anne-Catherine Gillet. Choir: Opera Rara Chorus. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Daniel.
    • Opera Rara.
  • Kurt Weill

    Tango-ballade / ballade du Mac

    Composer: Bertolt Brecht. Composer: Elisabeth Hauptmann. Ensemble: Comédie-Française. Orchestra: Le Balcon. Conductor: Maxime Pascal.
  • Henri Duparc

    Aux Étoiles

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 109 i) Allegro

    Performer: Xavier Phillips. Performer: Cédric Tiberghien.
    • La Dolce Volta.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Stabat mater

    Singer: Marianne Croux. Ensemble: Ensemble Vocal Aedes. Orchestra: Les Siècles. Conductor: Mathieu Romano.
    • 貹é.
  • Henri Sauguet

    Berceuse

    Performer: John Wustman. Singer: Régine Crespin.
    • Erato.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    The Isle of the Dead, Op. 29

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
    • The Very Best of Rachmaninov.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 12.
  • Georg Muffat

    Benedictus & Agnus Dei (Missa In Labore Requies)

    Ensemble: Le Banquet Céleste. Ensemble: La Guilde des Mercenaires. Conductor: Damien Guillon.
    • Chateau de Versailles.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 16 Ouverture, Variation 17

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Music Arranger: Chad Kelly. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.
    • Channel Classics.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 18 Canone alla Sesta

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Music Arranger: Chad Kelly. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.
    • Channel Classics.
  • Henry Purcell

    Dido and Aeneas (Act 3)

    Singer: Fleur Barron. Singer: Matthew Brook. Singer: Giulia Semenzato. Singer: Avery Amereau. Singer: Nicky Spence. Singer: Helen Charlston. Singer: Martha McLorinan. Ensemble: La Nuova Musica. Director: David Bates.
    • PENTATONE.

Broadcast

  • Sat 21 Oct 2023 09:00

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