What are you listening two?

[fergus]

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15 / Haitink....

[Seán]

Jean Sibelius
Symphony No. 5 & 6
London Symphony Orchestra
Colin Davis conducting.

I wonder how the LSO Live performances compare with Davis' older recordings with the LSO on Decca and indeed with the Boston SO?

I have no idea Fergus.

The latest Davis and LSO performance of the Fifth was the first choice BAL in 2012.

[fergus]

Shostakovich: String Quartets 5, 6 & 7....

[fergus]

Haydn: Symphonies 101 & 102 / Harnoncourt....





Full sounding performances but with a light, delicate touch which is an ideal combination for the London Symphonies.

[fergus]

Shostakovich: String Quartets 8, 9 & 10....

[Seán]

Fergus, I hope you are enjoying the Shostakovich string quartets?

It's time for more Mozart.



Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sinfonia Concertante KV 364
Concertone KV 190
Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra
Jaap Schroeder - Violin and conducting.

Lovely music making.

[DonKC]

If you like your Vivaldi lively and vivacious, then this is your album. Incredible playing by Maurice Steger on the recorders, the virtuosity is outstanding, but never just for show. I am sure maybe some purists would disagree, but for someone who is jaded on Vivaldi... this was a welcome find.

Vivaldi: Concerti per flauto
Maurice Steger, I Barocchisti and Diego Fasolis
Harmonia Mundi 902190

[Seán]

Thankfully, I don't listen to Vivaldi long enough to get jaded with his music as I am distracted by Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Schubert, Sibelius, Nielsen et al.

I listened to a terrific CD Review this morning. Jon Leifs music really interests me. The Sibelius section was very good and John Butt's interview was highly informative and the music was great.

Fergus you may want to listen to it later.

9.00am

BACH, J S: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012
Philip Higham (cello)
DELPHIAN DCD34150 (2CD mid-price)

Sugarloaf Mountain
An Appalachian Gathering conceived and arranged by Jeannette Sorrell
Apollo's Fire, Baroque Orchestra, Jeannette Sorrell (conductor)
AVIE AV2329 (CD)



9.30am Proms Composer - Jon Leifs

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. The music of this week's Proms Composer, Jon Leifs, is infused with the rugged, primal beauty of his native Iceland.

Leifs: Fine I & II, Elegy, Iceland Cantata & Icelandic Overture
LEIFS: Iceland Ouverture (Minni Islands) Op. 9 (Text: Einar Benediktsson and Jonas Hallgrimsson); Iceland Cantata (Pjothvot - Islandskantata) for mixed choir and orchestra Op. 13; Elegy (Hinsta kvedja) Op. 53 (In memoriam 30.9.1961); Fine I Op. 55 Farewell to Earthly Life for orchestra; Fine II (Kvedja til jardlifsins) Op. 56 (Farewell to earthly life)
Langholt Church Choir, Icelandic Opera Chorus, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Petri Sakari (conductor)
CHANDOS CHAN9433 (DOWNLOAD)

Jon Leifs - Complete Piano Music
LEIFS: Reverie (Vokudraumur); Torrek - Intermezzo Op. 1 No. 2; Four Pieces for the Piano Op. 2; Two Icelandic Folk-Songs Op. 19b; Icelandic Dances Op. 11; New Icelandic Dances Op. 14b; Strakalag (Boy's Song) Op. 49
Orn Magnusson (piano)
BIS BISCD692 (CD mid-price)

Jon Leifs - Dettifoss
LEIFS: Concerto for organ and orchestra Op. 7; Variazioni pastorale Op. 8. Variations on a Theme by Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine II (Kvedja til jardlifsins) Op. 56 (Farewell to earthly life); Dettifoss Op. 57 (Text: Einar Benediktsson)
Loftur Erlingsson (baritone), Reynir Sigurdsson (vibraphone), Bjorn Steinar Solbergsson (organ), Kor Hallgrimskirkju, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, En Shao (conductor)
BIS BISCD930 (CD)

Jon Leifs: Complete Songs
LEIFS: Memorial songs on the death of Jonas Hallgrimsson Op. 45; Songs from the Saga Symphony; Two Icelandic Folk-Songs Op. 19b; Tveir Songvar (Two Songs) Op. 14a (Text: Johann Jonsson); Three verses from Havamal; Stand-House of Stone; Two Songs Op. 18a; Three songs from Icelandic Sagas; Three Songs Op. 23; Memory-land Op. 27 No. 3; Love verses from the Edda Op. 18b; Old Scaldic verses from Iceland; Three Icelandic Hymns; Torrek - Intermezzo Op. 1 No. 2
Finnur Bjarnasson (tenor), Orn Magnusson (piano)
SMEKKLEYSA SMK20 (2CD mid-price)

Jon Leifs - Hekla and other orchestral works
LEIFS: Iceland Ouverture (Minni Islands) Op. 9 (Text: Einar Benediktsson and Jonas Hallgrimsson); Requiem Op. 33b for mixed choir a cappella (Text: Folk poetry and Jonas Hallgrimsson); Loftr-Suite Op. 6a; Reminiscence du Nord Op. 40; Hekla Op. 52; Elegy (Hinsta kvedja) Op. 53 (In memoriam 30.9.1961)
Kor Hallgrimskirkju, Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, En Shao (conductor)
BIS BISCD1030 (CD)

LEIFS: Edda, Part 1 - The Creation of the World (Skopun heimsins)
Gunnar Guobjornsson (tenor), Bjarni Thor Kristinsson (bass-baritone), Schola Cantorum, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Hermann Baumer (conductor)
BIS BISSACD1350 (Hybrid SACD)



10.10am New Releases of Sibelius

Sibelius: Lemminkainen Legends & Pohjola’s Daughter
SIBELIUS: Lemminkainen Suite Op. 22; Pohjola's Daughter Op. 49
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (conductor)
ONDINE ODE12625 (Hybrid SACD)

Sibelius: Belshazzar’s Feast
SIBELIUS: Belshazzar's Feast, JS48; Overture in E major, JS145; Scene de ballet, JS163; Wedding March for Act III of Adolf Paul's play 'The Language of the Birds'; Cortege; Menuetto; Processional (‘Onward, Ye Peoples') Op. 113 No. 6
Pia Pajala (soprano), Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (conductor)
NAXOS 8573300 (CD budget)

Folke Grasbeck plays Sibelius on the Ainola Piano
SIBELIUS: Andantino in B major, JS44; Allegretto in B flat minor, JS18; Largo in A major, JS117; Impromptu in G minor Op. 5, No. 2; Impromptu in B minor Op. 5, No. 5; [Caprice Op. 24 No. 3] (first version); Romance in D flat major Op. 24, No. 9; Finlandia Op. 26 (arranged for piano by the composer); King Kristian II, incidental music Op. 27: Musette; [Polka] Aino in C minor; Valse Triste Op. 44 No. 1; Pan and Echo Op. 53; Rondino in G sharp minor, Op .68, No. 1; The Spruce Tree Op. 75 No. 5; Thirteen Pieces Op. 76 (extracts); Pieces (5) Op. 85; Eight Piano Pieces Op. 99: Souvenir; Eight Piano Pieces Op. 99: Moment de valse; Two Pieces for Oscar Parviainen; Scene romantique Op. 101, No. 5; Landscape II
Folke Grasbeck (piano)
BIS BIS2132 (CD)

Sibelius: Pelleas et Melisande
SIBELIUS: Pelleas and Melisande Suite Op. 46; Musik zu Einer Scene; Valse lyrique Op. 96a; Valse chevaleresque Op. 96c; Morceau romantique
Pia Pajala (soprano), Sari Nordqvist (mezzo-soprano), Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Leif Segerstam (conductor)
NAXOS 8573301 (CD budget)


10.40am Interview - John Butt

Andrew talks to the acclaimed conductor, organist, harpsichordist, scholar and Music Director of the Dunedin Consort, John Butt

JS Bach: Magnificat & Christmas Cantata 63
BACH, J S: Magnificat in E flat major, BWV243a; Chorale Prelude BWV600 'Gott, durch deine Guete'; Cantata BWV63 'Christen, aetzet diesen Tag'
GABRIELI, G: Hodie Christus natus est a 10
Julia Doyle (soprano), Joanne Lunn (soprano), Clare Wilkinson (alto), Nicholas Mulroy (tenor), Matthew Brook (bass), Dunedin Consort, John Butt (conductor)
LINN CKD469 (Hybrid SACD) Released 16th October 2015

HANDEL: Messiah
Susan Hamilton (soprano), Annie Gill (mezzo), Clare Wilkinson (alto), Nicholas Mulroy (tenor), Matthew Brook (bass), Edward Caswell (bass), Dunedin Consort, John Butt (conductor)
LINN CKD285 (2Hybrid SACD mid-price)

BACH, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244
Nicholas Mulroy (Evangelist), Matthew Brook (Jesus), Susan Hamilton (Soprano), Cecilia Osmond (Soprano), Clare Wilkinson (Alto), Annie Gill (Alto), Malcolm Bennett (Tenor), Brian Bannatyne-Scott (Bass), Dunedin Consort, Players, John Butt (conductor)
LINN CKD313 (3Hybrid SACD mid-price)

BACH, J S: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 1-6 BWV1046-1051 (complete)
Dunedin Consort, John Butt (conductor)
LINN CKD430 (2Hybrid SACD mid-price)

BACH, J S: Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord Nos. 1-6, BWV1014-1019
John Butt (harpsichord), Lucy Russell (violin)
LINN CKD433 (2CD mid-price)

BACH, J S: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 & 2
John Butt (harpsichord)
LINN CKD463 (4CD budget)

BACH, J S: Mass in B minor, BWV232
Susan Hamilton (soprano), Cecilia Osmond (soprano), Margot Oitzinger (alto), Thomas Hobbs (tenor), Matthew Brook (bass), Dunedin Consort, Players, John Butt (director) (conductor)
LINN CKD354 (2Hybrid SACD mid-price)


11.45am Disc of the Week

Shostakovich Under Stalin's Shadow
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 10 in E minor Op. 93; Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Passacaglia
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons (conductor)
DG 4795059 (CD)

LISTEN TO CD REVIEW AT ANY TIME
CD Review is available to listen On Demand with the BBC iPlayer via the Radio 3 website.

[fergus]

Fergus, I hope you are enjoying the Shostakovich string quartets?

Yes, indeed I am Seán. I bought this cycle because it was recorded in consultation with the composer so I felt that it would be interesting to hear the resultant interpretations as it should lend an air of authenticity and a direct link to Shostakovich himself. The performances are terrific; very intense, assertive and focused. The recording quality is excellent but there is an issue in that the instruments are very closely miked particularly the cellist which can be just a little uncomfortable while listening. Otherwise an excellent set so far.

[fergus]

If you like your Vivaldi lively and vivacious, then this is your album. Incredible playing by Maurice Steger on the recorders, the virtuosity is outstanding, but never just for show. I am sure maybe some purists would disagree, but for someone who is jaded on Vivaldi... this was a welcome find.

Vivaldi: Concerti per flauto
Maurice Steger, I Barocchisti and Diego Fasolis
Harmonia Mundi 902190

I never tire of listening to Vivaldi's music and that one sounds right up my street Don, just the way I like Vivaldi' music performed. I think that I should check that one out!