
Vaughan Williams's Symphony No.5 in Building a Library with Kate Kennedy and Gillian Moore
Gillian Moore is joined by conductor Alice Farnham to assess some of the week's new releases, and Kate Kennedy picks her favourite recording of Vaughan Williams's Symphony No.5.
Gillian Moore with the best new recordings of classical music.
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Conductor Alice Farnham joins Gillian for a look at some of the week's new releases.
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Building a Library
Kate Kennedy picks her favourite recording of Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 5.
Premiered at the Proms in June 1943, Vaughan Williams's fifth symphony calls for the smallest orchestra of any of his symphonies, and its mellowness is in stark contrast to the angry violence of its immediate predecessor. From the gentle horn calls and string cantibile of the opening, through the delicate scherzo, poignant romanza and passacaglia finale, the work is infused with a sense of deep peace - balm from the horrors of the Second World War.
Top Choice:
London Symphony Orchestra
Richard Hickox (conductor)
Chandos CHAN9666
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Record of the Week: Gillian’s top pick.
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Music Played
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Chaconne pour Madame la Princesse de Conti (Idylle sur la paix)
Ensemble: Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble.- Lully: Idylle sur la Paix - Charpentier: La Fête de Rueil.
- CPO.
- 12.
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Johannes Brahms
Blinde Kuh (8 Songs Op.58)
Singer: Florian Boesch. Performer: Malcolm Martineau.- LINN.
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Hugo Wolf
Harfenspieler 2 (Goethe-Lieder)
Singer: Florian Boesch. Performer: Malcolm Martineau.- LINN.
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Elsa Barraine
Symphony no.2 'Voïna' (3rd mvt)
Orchestra: WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne. Conductor: Elena Schwarz.- Elsa Barraine: Symphonies 1 & 2.
- CPO.
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George Frideric Handel
Why so full of grief? / Put thy trust in God (Chandos Anthem no.6)
Ensemble: Arcangelo. Conductor: Jonathan Cohen.- Alpha.
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Morten Lauridsen
O nata lux (Lux aeterna)
Choir: Bavarian Radio Symphony Choir. Conductor: Joseph R. Olefirowicz.- Morten Lauridsen: Lux aeterna.
- BR-Klassik.
- 3.
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Florence Price
Piano Concerto in One Movement (Andantino)
Performer: Han Chen. Orchestra: Malmö Operaorkester. Conductor: John Jeter.- Price: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 & Other Orchestral Works.
- Naxos.
- 105.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Madamina, il catalogo è questo (Don Giovanni K.527)
Singer: Andrè Schuen. Orchestra: Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg. Conductor: Roberto González-Monjas.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Arion (14 Songs Op.34)
Singer: Julia Lezhneva. Performer: Alexander Melnikov.- Visiting Rachmaninoff: Chopin Variations - Romances.
- harmonia mundi.
- 142.
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William Marsey
Ghost Story (Man with Limp Wrist)
Orchestra: Hallé. Conductor: Thomas Adès.- Halle.
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Carl Heinrich Biber
Sonata representativa in A major (The Frog / The Hen and the Cockerel)
Performer: Rachel Podger. Ensemble: Brecon Baroque.- Just Biber.
- Channel.
- 19.
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Dmitry Shostakovich
Prelude and Fugue no.19 in E flat major Op.87 no.19
Performer: Yulianna Avdeeva.- Pentatone.
Broadcast
- Sat 5 Jul 2025 14:00ѿý Radio 3
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