Main content

Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 8th Symphony in Building a Library with Nigel Simeone and Andrew McGregor

Sarah Walker makes her pick of the best new releases and Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 8th Symphony, presented by Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

1405
Sarah Walker makes her pick of the best new releases

1500
Building a Library
Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 8th Symphony

Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 lyrical 8th Symphony, infused with the spirit of Bohemian folk music, was written between August and November 1889 and first performed on 2 Feb 1890 to mark Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 admission to the Czech Academy of Arts and Sciences. It has a very original symphonic structure, appearing to be in the usual four movements, but Dvo艡谩k said he wanted to handle themes in a 鈥榙ifferent way鈥 in this piece.

First choice:
Prague Symphony Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor)
Supraphon SU38482

1545
Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick.

To listen on most smart speakers just say 鈥渁sk 91热爆 Sounds to play Record Review鈥

21 days left to listen

1 hour, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Pablo de Sarasate

    Concert fantasy on 'Carmen' Op.25 (Gypsy Dance)

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: 91热爆 Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Juanjo Mena.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 13.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland TWV.1:1178

    Singer: Miriam Allan. Singer: Maarten Engeltjes. Orchestra: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: Paul Agnew.
    • J. S. Bach: A Life in Music (Vol. 2) - The Weimar Years (1708-1717).
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 8-9.
  • Edward Elgar

    Owls (4 Choral songs Op.53)

    Choir: The King鈥檚 Singers.
    • Signum.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Be Still My Soul

    Music Arranger: Nick Ashby. Choir: The King鈥檚 Singers.
    • Signum.
  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Twilight Way (Poetic tone pictures Op.85)

    Performer: Jonas Vitaud.
    • Vers un monde nouveau.
    • Mirare.
    • 15.
  • Jean鈥怋aptiste Lully

    Alceste: Ouverture; Prologue Le h茅ros que j'attends; Rondeau pour la Gloire

    Ensemble: Les 脡pop茅es. Singer: C茅cile Achille. Singer: Claire Lefilli芒tre. Singer: Camille Poul. Singer: Juliette Mey. Choir: Ch艙ur de l'Op茅ra Royal. Conductor: St茅phane Fuget.
    • Ch芒teau de Versailles Spectacles.
  • Heitor Villa鈥怢obos

    Aria [Cantilena] (Bachiana Brasileira no.5)

    Singer: Ana Beard Fern脿ndez. Ensemble: Endellion Cellists. Conductor: William Vann.
    • Somm.
  • Joaqu铆n Nin y Castellanos

    Message a Ravel (Cadena de valses)

    Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.
    • Ravel: Fragments.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 3.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Pi猫ce en forme de habanera

    Music Arranger: Bertrand Chamayou. Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.
    • Ravel: Fragments.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 8.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Fugue pour le Concours d'essaie, Prix de Rome

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Georges Bizet

    脭 roi des cieux, souverain ma卯tre (Le Retour de Virginie)

    Singer: Marie-Andr茅e Bouchard-Lesieur. Singer: Cyrille Dubois. Singer: Patrick Bolleire. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Ben Glassberg.
    • Bru Zane.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    The Art of the Fugue BWV.1080 (Contrapunctus 9 & 10)

    Performer: Daniel Hyde. Ensemble: Phantasm.
    • Linn Records.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony no. 3 in D minor (Part 1; 1st mvt)

    Singer: Catriona Morison. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 3.
    • Pentatone.
    • 101.

Broadcast

  • Last Saturday 14:00

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.