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Elgar's Cello Concerto in Building a Library with David Owen Norris and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by Sarah Lenton and David Owen Norris who picks his favourite recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto.

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by guest reviewers Sarah Lenton and David Owen Norris.

14.10
Opera expert Sarah Lenton assesses her pick of new releases.

15.00
Building a Library: David Owen Norris surveys recordings of Elgar's Cello Concerto and picks his favourite.
Edward Elgar composed his contemplative and elegiac Cello Concerto in E minor in the aftermath of the First World War. It was premiered in 1919 with soloist Beatrice Harrison, with whom Elgar made two recordings of the work. Since then, every great cellist of their day has made a recording, from Pablo Cassals to Sheku Kanneh-Mason.

Top choice:
Jacqueline du Pre (cello), BBC Symphony Orchestra, John Barbirolli (cond.)
Live in Prague, 1966
Testament SBT1388

c15.45
Record of the Week
Andrew picks his favourite new release of the week.

13 days left to listen

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sat 17 Jan 202614:00
BBC Radio 3

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Alice Farnham and Andrew McGregor in Building a Library on Copland's Third Symphony

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Music Played

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Bajazet (Tamerlano) RV.703 (Sinfonia; 2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Café Zimmermann. Conductor: Pablo Valetti.
    • Vivaldi: Masques.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 2.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Bajazet (Tamerlano) RV.703 (Sinfonia: 3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Café Zimmermann. Conductor: Pablo Valetti.
    • Vivaldi: Masques.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 3.

  • Edward Elgar

    Enigma Variations Op.36 (Variation 7; Troyte)

    Orchestra: Royal Albert Hall Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Elgar.
    • Elgar from the Archives, Vol. 1.
    • SOMM Recordings.
    • 108.

  • Edward Elgar

    Great is the Lord (Psalm 48) Op.67

    Performer: Callum Knox. Choir: Chapel Choir of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Conductor: William Vann.
    • Light Out of Darkness.
    • SOMM Recordings.
    • 105.

  • Anonymous

    Une jeune fillette (extract)

    Music Arranger: Tamsin Lewis. Music Arranger: Ibrahim Aziz. Ensemble: Chelys Consort of Viols.
    • Les âges Du Monde (french Viol Consort Music Through the Ages).
    • BIS.
    • 10.

  • Eustache du Caurroy

    Fantasias on 'Une jeune fillette' (no.30 à 3)

    Ensemble: Chelys Consort of Viols.
    • Les âges Du Monde (french Viol Consort Music Through the Ages).
    • BIS.
    • 12.

  • François Campion

    Pièce en C mineur Op.1, Gigue (Nouvelles decouvertes sur la guitare)

    Performer: Jamie Akers.
    • Les âges Du Monde (french Viol Consort Music Through the Ages).
    • BIS.
    • 23.

  • Pierre Francisque Caroubel

    Gavotte (Terpsichore, Musarum Aoniarum)

    Ensemble: Chelys Consort of Viols.
    • Les âges Du Monde (french Viol Consort Music Through the Ages).
    • BIS.
    • 6.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Bajazet (Tamerlano) RV.703 (Cruda sorte)

    Singer: Sonia Prina. Orchestra: Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice. Conductor: Federico Maria Sardelli.
    • Vivaldi: Il Bajazet, RV 703.
    • Naxos.
    • 209.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in B minor, RV 387 'Per Signora Anna Maria' (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Andrés Gabetta. Orchestra: Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal.
    • Prime Donne.
    • Chateau de Versailles Spectacles.
    • 10.

  • Nicola Porpora

    Salve Regina in F major (Ad te clamamus)

    Singer: Marina Viotti. Orchestra: Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal. Conductor: Andrés Gabetta.
    • Prime Donne.
    • Chateau de Versailles Spectacles.
    • 3.

  • Angelo Tarchi

    Ah! Sol bramo (Il conte di Saldagna)

    Singer: Adriana González. Ensemble: Ensemble Diderot. Conductor: Iñaki Encina Oyón.
    • Rondos for Adriana.
    • Audax Records.
    • 104.

  • Samuel Barber

    Violin Concerto Op.14 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Stella Chen. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Jean‐Jacques Kantorow.
    • Beethoven & Barber: Violin Concertos.
    • Platoon.
    • 106.

  • Johannes Brahms

    6 Pieces Op.118 (no.2; Intermezzo in A major)

    Performer: Piotr Anderszewski.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Johannes Brahms

    7 Fantasies Op.116 (no.2; Intermezzo in A major)

    Performer: Piotr Anderszewski.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Franz Schubert

    Winterreise (nos 2-5)

    Music Arranger: Hans Zender. Singer: Allan Clayton. Orchestra: Aurora Orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Collon.
    • Schubert's Winterreise: A Composed Interpretation.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 105.

Broadcast

  • Sat 17 Jan 202614:00
    BBC Radio 3

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