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Strauss's Le bourgeois gentilhomme in Building a Library with Nigel Simeone and Andrew McGregor

Allyson Devenish joins Andrew McGregor to discuss her pick of the best new releases, and Building a Library on Richard Strauss's Le bourgeois gentilhomme with Nigel Simeone.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

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Allyson Devenish selects her pick of the best new releases

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Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Richard Strauss's compilation of incidental music to Molière's play, Le bourgeois gentilhomme.

Originally conceived as incidental music for an adaptation of Molière's play that was to be prefixed to a performance of his opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, the trajectory of Strauss' music for Le bourgeois gentilhomme was somewhat convoluted before settling into a nine-movement concert suite we know today. Recreating the mood of the seventeenth century, Strauss invokes the spirit the French composer Lully - who had written the original incidental music to Molière's play in 1670 – and draws rich instrumental colours from a chamber orchestra comprised just three dozen musicians, while deploying the musical language of the twentieth century.

Recommended recording:
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Richard Armstrong (conductor)
CHANDOS CHAN 3168(2)

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Record of the Week: Andrew’s top pick.

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1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sat 20 Sep 2025 14:00

Music Played

  • Édouard Lalo

    Sérénade (Namouna - suite no.1)

    Ensemble: Les Siècles. Conductor: François‐Xavier Roth.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
  • Louis‐Nicolas Clérambault

    Miserere mei Deus (Miserere)

    Performer: Emmanuel Arakélian. Ensemble: La Nereide.
    • Le Cœur et la Raison.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 2.
  • Nodar Gabunia

    Waltz and Dedication

    Performer: Nino Gvetadze.
    • Challenge Classics.
  • Kevin Puts

    Silent Night Elegy

    Orchestra: Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Stéphane Denève.
    • Kevin Puts: Concerto for Orchestra, Silent Night Elegy & Virelai (After Guillaum.
    • Delos.
    • 7.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Piano Concerto in D major for the left hand (conclusion)

    Performer: Nelson Goerner. Orchestra: Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Kazuki Yamada.
    • Alpha.
  • Maurice Ravel

    Alborado del gracioso [extract] (Miroirs)

    Performer: Aïda Lahlou.
    • Resonus.
  • Ernesto Lecuona

    Andalucía (Suite Andalucía)

    Performer: Aïda Lahlou.
    • RESONUS.
  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Verklarte Nacht Op.4 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Kirill Petrenko.
    • Arnold Schoenberg.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker Recordings.
    • 4.
  • Andreas Hammerschmidt

    Ich schlafe, aber mein Herz wachet for 2 voices and continuo

    Performer: Yoann Moulin. Performer: Stéphanie de Failly. Ensemble: Clematis Ensemble.
    • Ricercar.
  • Hugo Alfvén

    I stilla timmar [In quiet hours]

    Singer: Tobias Westman. Orchestra: Göteborg Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Patrik Ringborg.
    • dB Productions.
  • Arvo Pärt

    Puss in Boots (4 Easy dance pieces)

    Performer: Georgijs Osokins.
    • For Arvo.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.
  • Arvo Pärt

    Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf (4 Easy dance pieces)

    Performer: Georgijs Osokins.
    • For Arvo.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 5.
  • Arvo Pärt

    Butterflies (4 Easy dance pieces)

    Performer: Georgijs Osokins.
    • For Arvo.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 6.
  • Arvo Pärt

    Dance of the ducklings (4 Easy dance pieces)

    Performer: Georgijs Osokins.
    • For Arvo.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 7.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quintet in G minor K.516 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Spunicunifait.
    • Mozart: 6 String Quintets on Historical Instruments.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 8.

Broadcast

  • Sat 20 Sep 2025 14:00

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