
Beethoven Symphony No. 8 in Building a Library with Richard Wigmore and Andrew McGregor
In Building a Library, Richard Wigmore chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Symphony No 8 in F, and pianist Charles Owen shares a clutch of exciting new releases.
Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.
9.30 am
Pianist Charles Owen is in the studio with a clutch of exciting new releases and shares his 'On Repeat' track – a recording which he is currently listening to again and again.
10.30 am
Richard Wigmore chooses his favourite recording of Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93.
Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 has often suffered in comparison to its immediate symphonic neighbours (when asked why people favoured the Seventh symphony over the Eighth, Beethoven replied “Because the Eighth is so much better”). In one sense the Eighth is just like all Beethoven's symphonies, each one of which is revolutionary and breaks new musical ground compared to its predecessor. This time, Beethoven's preoccupations were concision, formal subversion, ebullient energy and musical humour. Beethoven's instrumental writing is remarkable, too, and well over a century after its 1814 premiere, the Eighth impressed no less a judge than Igor Stravinsky, who knew a thing or two about orchestration.
Richard's recommended recording:
Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Paavo Järvi (conductor)
RCA 88697006552
Recommended period instrument recording:
London Classical Players
Roger Norrington (conductor)
Erato 0834232
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 @ѿýRadio3
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Music Played
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Maurice Ravel
Cinq mélodies populaires grecques: No. 4, Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques
Singer: Magdalena Kožená. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.- Pentatone.
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Antonio Vivaldi
Violin Concerto in D major, RV 229: I. Allegro
Performer: Fabio Biondi. Orchestra: Europa Galante.- Naive.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: II. Courante & III. Sarabande
Performer: Mahan Esfahani.- Bach: The French Suites.
- Decca (UMO) (Classics).
- 10.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Symphony No. 31 in D, K297 'Paris': I. Allegro assai
Orchestra: Academy for Ancient Music Berlin. Conductor: Bernhard Forck.- Pentatone.
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James McMillan
I Saw Eternity the Other Night
Ensemble: Tenebrae. Conductor: Nigel Short.- Bach & Macmillan: Motets and Sacred Songs (Live).
- Signum Records.
- 7.
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Joseph Haydn
Symphony No. 97 in C Major: IV. Finale
Orchestra: DR UnderholdningsOrkestret. Conductor: 8 Bit.- Naxos.
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Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto in B Minor, RV 580 III. Allegro
Performer: Miloš Karadaglić. Music Arranger: Michael Lewin. Ensemble: Arcangelo. Conductor: Jonathan Cohen.- Sony.
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François Couperin
Les baricades mistérieuses
Performer: Miloš Karadaglić.- Sony.
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Thomas Adès
Alchymia: I. A Sea-Change (...Those Are Pearls...)
Performer: Mark Simpson. Ensemble: Quatuor Diotima.- Orchid Classics.
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Maurice Ravel
Piano Concerto in G Major: III. Presto
Performer: Alexandre Tharaud. Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Louis Langrée.- Erato.
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George Frideric Handel
As steals the morn upon the night (L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato)
Singer: Christine Brandes. Singer: Ian Bostridge. Orchestra: Ensemble orchestral de Paris. Conductor: John Nelson.- HANDEL.
- Warner Classics.
- 214.
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Richard Strauss
R. Strauss: Festliches Präludium, Op. 61, TrV 229
Performer: Olivier Latry. Conductor: Andris Nelsons. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig.- Strauss.
- Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
- 93.
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Nicola Matteis
Ayres for the Violin, Book I: Scaramuccia
Performer: Ophélie Gaillard. Orchestra: Pulcinella Orchestra.- Napoli!.
- 貹é.
- 103.
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Franz Schubert
Die Schöne Müllerin, D. 795: No. 6, Der Neugierige
Performer: Daniel Heide. Singer: Konstantin Krimmel.- Schubert: Die Schöne Müllerin.
- Alpha Classics.
- 6.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Goldberg Variations, BWV988
Performer: Víkingur Ólafsson.- DG.
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Béla Bartók
Concerto for Orchestra: II. Presentando le coppie
Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Alexandre Bloch.- Bartók: Concerto pour orchestre - Concerto pour alto.
- Alpha Classics.
- 2.
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John Sheppard
Gaude gaude gaude Maria
Ensemble: Tallis Scholars. Conductor: Peter Phillips.- Gimell.
Broadcast
- Sat 14 Oct 2023 09:00ѿý Radio 3
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