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Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony with Mark Simpson and Andrew McGregor

Mark Simpson chooses his favourite recording of Richard Strauss's epic An Alpine Symphony, plus a new box set showcasing the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

9.30 Building a Library
Mark Simpson compares recordings of Richard Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie and chooses his favourite.

The epic Alpine Symphony is Strauss's vivid evocation of the thrills and spills of a day out in his beloved Bavarian Alps, including dangerous moments and a glacier on the way up to a spectacular view from the summit. On the way down there's a violent thunderstorm and at the end, as the sun sets and night falls, the deep, emotional satisfaction of having completed an arduous and exhausting journey. The 1915 tone poem thrillingly tests an orchestra, at once collectively, its individual sections and its principal players. And it also tests a conductor who has to convincingly marshal a score calling for 130-plus musicians including 34 brass players (with 12 offstage horns) and a percussion section stocked with, among other things, wind machine, thunder machine and cowbells. Spare a thought, too, for the recording engineers...

10.40
Sarah Devonald has been listening to a box set of newly released live radio recordings made in the late 90s and early 2000s by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, including symphonies by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.

11.20
Record of the Week
Andrew recommends an outstanding new release.

2 hours, 47 minutes

Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Sinfonia in D Major for 2 Horns, Strings and Continuo: V. Allegro assai

    Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Director: Gottfried von der Goltz.
    • Telemann, Platti, Vivaldi & Geminiani: Concerti All'arrabbiata.
    • Aparte.
    • 5.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Introduction & Rondo capriccioso, Op. 28

    Performer: Jinjoo Cho. Ensemble: Ensemble Appassionato. Conductor: Mathieu Herzog.
    • Saint-Saens: Works For Violin & Orchestra.
    • Naive.
    • 1.
  • Franz Liszt

    Harmonies poétiques et religieuses III, S. 173: No. 2, Ave Maria

    • Liszt: Harmonies poétiques et religieuses III, S. 173.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 2.
  • Ib Glindemann

    Trumpet Concerto: I. Allegro con brio

    Conductor: Giordano Bellincampi. Ensemble: Odense Symfoniorkester.
    • Ib Glindemann: Concertos.
    • Dacapo.
    • 1.
  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Sinfonia in G Major "Grillen-Symphonie", TWV 50:1: I. Etwas lebhaft

    Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Director: Gottfried von der Goltz.
    • Telemann, Platti, Vivaldi & Geminiani: Concerti All'arrabbiata.
    • Aparte.
    • 13.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in D major, RV 213: III. Allegro - Cadenza

    Performer: Bojan Čičić. Ensemble: The Illyria Consort.
    • Pyrotechnia: Fire & Fury from 18th-Century Italy.
    • Delphian.
    • 6.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Warnung 'Manner suchen stehts zu naschen', K433

    Performer: Leopold Hager. Singer: Rafael Fingerlos.
    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mozart Made in Salzburg.
    • Solo Musica.
    • 2.
  • Paul Hindemith

    Clarinet Concerto: III. Ruhig

    Performer: Sharon Kam. Orchestra: Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Conductor: Daniel Cohen.
    • Hindemith: Clarinet Concerto, Clarinet Quartet & Clarinet Sonata.
    • Orfeo.
    • 3.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Io t'abbraccio (from Rodelinda)

    Performer: Barnaby Smith. Ensemble: The Illyria Consort.
    • Barnaby Smith: Handel.
    • VOCES8 RECORDS.
    • 7.
  • Jonathan Nott

    Pelleas et Melisande (Symphonic Suite)

    Conductor: Jonathan Nott. Orchestra: L'orchestre de la Suisse Romande.
    • Debussy & Schoenberg: Pelléas & Mélisande.
    • PENTATONE.
    • 9.

Record Review


9.00am

Concerti All'arrabbiata – Music by Telemann, Platti, Vivaldi & Geminiani

Freiburger Barockorchester

Gottfried von der Goltz (conductor)

Aparté AP262

Saint-Saëns: Works For Violin & Orchestra

Jinjoo Cho (violin)

Appasionato

Mathieu Herzog (conductor)

Naive V7422

Liszt: Harmonies poétiques et religieuses

Saskia Giorgini (piano)

Pentatone PTC5186296

Ib Glindemann: Concertos

Per Morten Bye (trumpet)

Robert Homsted (trombone)

Odense Symphony Orchestra

Giordan Bellincampi (conductor)

Dacapo 6.220665 (Hybrid SACD)

9.30am – Building a Library – Mark Simpson on R. Strauss Alpine Symphony

Recommended Recording:

Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

Berliner Philharmoniker

DG E4742812

Other recommendations:

Mariss Jansons (conductor)

Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

BR Klassik 900148

Sir Georg Solti

Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Decca 4406182



10.15am – New Releases

Pyrotechnia: Fire & Fury from 18th-Century Italy – Music by Locatelli, Tartini & Vivaldi

Bojan Čičić (violin)

The Illyria Consort

Delphian DCD34249

Mozart Made in Salzburg

Rafael Fingerlos (baritone)

Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra

Leopold Hager (conductor/piano)

Solo Musica SM 377

Hindemith: Clarinet Concerto, Clarinet Quartet & Clarinet Sonata

Sharon Kam (clarinet)

Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra

Daniel Cohen, Enrico Pace (piano)

Orfeo C210041

Barnaby Smith: Handel

Barnaby Smith (countertenor / director)

Catriona McDermid & Mary Bevan (soprano)

Bojan Čičić (violin)

The Illyria Consort

Voces8 Records VCM136D

10.40am Sarah Devonald on Chamber Orchestra of Europe /Nickolaus Harnoncourt box set

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor)

ICA Classics ICAC5161 (4 CDs)

11.20am – Record of the Week

Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande Suite

Orchestre de La Suisse Romande

Jonathan Nott (arranger /conductor)

Pentatone PTC5186782 (Hybrid SACD)

Broadcast

  • Sat 13 Nov 2021 09:00

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