Brahms's String Sextet No.1 in Building a Library with Tasmin Little and Andrew McGregor
Conductor Ben Gernon assesses a new box set of live recordings by Herbert von Karajan, and violinist Tasmin Little picks her favourite recording of Brahms's String Sextet No.1
Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.
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Conductor Ben Gernon assesses a new box set of live recordings of Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.
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Building a Library
Violinist Tasmin Little chooses her favourite recording of Brahms's String Sextet No. 1 in B flat, Op. 18 from the many available versions.
Virtuoso violinist Joseph Joachim led the ensemble that premiered Brahms's String Quartet No. 1 in October 1860. Brahms was 27 by the time he came to write his first Sextet. He clearly enjoyed the challenge, revelling in the unusually rich sonorities at his disposal. The Sextet also features significant use of Brahms's trademark 鈥榓cross the bar鈥� phrases of irregular length, employed here with maturity and delightfully telling effect.
First choice:
Nash Ensemble
ONYX ONYX4019
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Record of the Week: Andrew鈥檚 top pick.
To listen on most smart speakers just say 鈥渁sk 麻豆社 Sounds to play Record Review鈥�
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Music Played
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Fr茅d茅ric Chopin
Waltz in A minor [Morgan Library & Museum MS]
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.- Hyperion.
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Ferdinand Poise
La Surprise de l'amour, Act II: Chacun conna卯t de Colombine
Lyricist: Marivaux. Singer: Eva Za茂cik. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Pierre Dumoussaud.- Rebelle.
- Alpha Classics.
- 1.
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Sir Stephen Hough
Hough: Piano Concerto 'The World of Yesterday' II. Waltz Variations
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.- Hough: Piano Concerto, Sonatina & Partita.
- Hyperion.
- 1.
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Sir Stephen Hough
Piano Concerto 'The World of Yesterday' (Tarantella appassionata)
Performer: Sir Stephen Hough. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.- Hough: Piano Concerto, Sonatina & Partita.
- Hyperion.
- 3.
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Sergey Prokofiev
Symphony no.5 in B flat major Op.100 (4th mvt)
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.- Berliner philharmoniker.
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Claude Debussy
Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.- berliner philharmoniker.
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Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 9 in C "Great" (3rd mvt)
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.- berliner philharmoniker.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 in E flat "Eroica" (4th mvt)
Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.- Berliner Philharmoniker.
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Claude Debussy
12 脡tudes, L. 136: I. Pour les cinq doigts - d'apr猫s Monsieur Czerny
Performer: George Fu.- Colouring Book.
- Platoon.
- 101.
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Robert Fokkens
Dawn Chants on the Umfolozi
Ensemble: Karolos.- First Hand Records.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Domine Deus (Mass in B minor)
Singer: Julie Roset. Singer: Emiliano Gonzalez鈥怲oro. Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Rapha毛l Pichon.- J. S. Bach: Mass in B Minor, BWV 232.
- harmonia mundi.
- 108.
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Giuseppe Verdi
Simon Boccanegra (Act 3 Scene 5)
Singer: Germ谩n E. Alc谩ntara. Singer: William Thomas. Choir: Chorus of Opera North. Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Mark Elder.- Opera Rara.
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