Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

JS Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041, in Building a Library with Simon Heighes and Andrew McGregor

In Building a Library, Simon Heighes chooses his favourite recording of JS Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor, and mezzo-soprano Christine Rice shares some exciting new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Mezzo soprano Christine Rice, whose international career has taken her to the world's premiere opera stages, is in the studio with a clutch of exciting new releases and shares her 'On Repeat' track 鈥� a recording which she is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Building a Library
Simon Heighes chooses his favourite recording of Johann Sebastian Bach's Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV. 1041.

JS Bach, himself a violinist, well understood the possibilities of the violin as the eight sonatas for violin and harpsichord, and six works for unaccompanied violin amply demonstrate. Bach's two surviving solo violin concertos are thought to have been written around 1730 for Leipzig's renowned Collegium Musicum, a convivial group of university students and professionals which Bach directed and who met on Friday evenings at Zimmermann鈥檚 coffee house.

The A minor Violin Concerto has long been a cornerstone of the repertoire, and its many recordings, including by some of the major violinists of the last century, tellingly illustrate the ever-changing fashions of musical performance.

Simon's choice:
Rachel Podger (violin and director)
Brecon Baroque
Channel Classics CCSSA30910

Also recommended:
Alina Ibragimova: Arcangelo/Cohen/Hyperion CDA68068
Fredrik From: Concerto Copenhagen/Mortensen/CPO 7779042
Pablo Valetti: Caf茅 Zimmermann/Alpha ALPHA137

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @蜜芽传媒Radio3

2 hours, 47 minutes

Last on

Sat 4 Nov 2023 09:00
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Schubert鈥檚 Impromptus in Building a Library with Iain Burnside and Andrew McGregor

Next

Dvo艡谩k 'New World' Symphony in Building a Library with Katy Hamilton and Andrew McGregor

See all episodes from Record Review

Music Played

  • Eduard K眉nneke

    Dance Suite: Overture

    Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra. Conductor: Ernst Theis.
    • Der wilde Sound der 20er: 1929.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 101.

  • Henry Purcell

    When I Am Laid in Earth (Dido and Aeneas)

    Music Arranger: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: United Strings of Europe. Conductor: Julian Azkoul.
    • Through the Night.
    • BIS.
    • 106.

  • Traditional (Norway)

    Vetrahalling

    Performer: Ragnhild Hemsing.
    • Berlin Classics.

  • L奴cija Gar奴ta

    膧产别濒

    Choir: Latvian Radio Choir. Conductor: Sigurds Klava.
    • Skani.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503: iii) Allegretto

    Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Orchestra: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Gottfried von der Goltz.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos K. 238 & 503.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 106.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony No. 3 in A minor 'Scottish', Op. 56 (1st mvt)

    Conductor: Maxim Emelyanychev. Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
    • Linn.

  • Zolt谩n Kod谩ly

    Budav谩ri Te Deum: VIII. Et rege eos; IX. In te Domine speravi

    Singer: Luiza Fatyol. Singer: Roxana Constantinescu. Singer: Marius Vlad. Singer: Bogdan Baciu. Choir: Transylvania State Philharmonic Choir. Orchestra: Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Lawrence Foster.
    • Pentatone.

  • Claude Debussy

    脡tudes: Pour les arp猫ges compos茅s

    Performer: Steven Osborne.
    • Hyperion.

  • Rob Buckland

    Soundscapes: I. Mojito

    Ensemble: Neoteric Ensemble.
    • Ulysses Arts.

  • Engelbert Humperdinck

    Evening Prayer (H盲nsel und Gretel)

    Singer: Rebecca Evans. Singer: Jennifer Larmore. Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Choir: New London Children's Chorus.
    • Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel: New London Children's Choir/Philharmonia/Mackerr.
    • Chandos.

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Vespro della Beata Vergine (Invitatorium: Versiculum et responsorium)

    Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Rapha毛l Pichon.
    • Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 101.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130: iv) Alla danza tedesca

    Ensemble: Chiaroscuro Quartet.
    • Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 10 & 13, Opp. 74 & 130.
    • BIS.
    • 108.

  • Witold Lutos艂awski

    Concerto for Orchestra: ii) Capriccio notturno ed arioso

    Orchestra: The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Lutos艂awski: Concerto for Orchestra, Partita (Version for Violin & Orchestra) &.
    • Ondine.
    • 102.

  • Jean鈥怭hilippe Rameau

    La poule

    Performer: Bruce Liu.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • John Pickard

    Mass in Troubled Times: iv) Credo

    Choir: 蜜芽传媒 Singers. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • John Pickard: Mass in Troubled Times.
    • BIS.
    • 114.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Daphnis et Chlo茅: Part 3

    Choir: Sinfonia of London Chorus. Orchestra: Sinfonia of London. Conductor: John Wilson.
    • Ravel: Daphnis et Chlo茅 (Complete Ballet).
    • Chandos.

Broadcast

  • Sat 4 Nov 2023 09:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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.