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Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux in Building a Library with Keelan Carew and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor is joined by violinist Tasmin Little to assess a batch of new classical releases and Keelan Carew makes his top pick of recordings of Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux.

Andrew McGregor presents some of the week's best new classical releases.

2.10pm
Violinist Tasmin Little joins Andrew to discuss four new releases that have caught her attention.

3pm
Building a Library. Keelan Carew asseses recordings of Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux and makes a top recommendation.
Rachmaninov composed his two sets of Etudes-Tableaux ("study pictures"), Op. 33 and Op. 39, between 1911 and 1917, before he left Russia. They were intended to be "musical evocations of external visual stimuli", but Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each one, stating: "I do not believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let [the listener] paint for themselves what it most suggests." The pieces demand high levels of virtuosity to perform, calling for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength.

Top choice:
Nikolai Lugansky (piano)
Harmonia Mundi HMM902297

3.45pm
Record of the Week. Andrew picks the new recording that has most impressed him this week.

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sat 1 Nov 2025 14:00

Music Played

  • Maurice Ravel

    Malague帽a (Rapsodie espagnole)

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Domingo Hindoyan.
    • Onyx.
    • 7.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Sing ye to the Lord (Israel in Egypt)

    Orchestra: Le Concert Spirituel. Conductor: Herv茅 Niquet.
    • Handel: Israel in Egypt.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 32.
  • Edvard Grieg

    In the hall of the mountain king (Peer Gynt - suite no. 1 Op.46)

    Performer: Alexander Ullman. Music Arranger: Alexander Ullman. Performer: Alexander Ullman. Music Arranger: Alexander Ullman.
    • Grieg.
    • Rubicon.
    • 17.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Violin Concerto in D major Op.77 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Ning Feng. Orchestra: Berlin Konzerthausorchester. Conductor: Antony Hermus.
    • Channel Classics.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    String Quartet no.3 in F major Op.73 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Dudok Quartet Amsterdam.
    • Rubicon.
  • Gabriel Dupont

    Journe虂e de printemps (Au matin)

    Performer: Sylvia Huang. Performer: Boris Kusnezow.
    • Fuga Libera.
  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony no.1 in D major (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Tonhalle-Orchester Z眉rich. Conductor: Paavo J盲rvi.
    • Alpha.
  • Robert Russell Bennett

    Violin Concerto 'In the popular style' (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Chlo毛 Hanslip. Orchestra: Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
    • Bennett & Duke: Violin Works.
    • Chandos.
    • 103.
  • Robert Russell Bennett

    Violin Concerto 'In the popular style' (4th mvt)

    Performer: Chlo毛 Hanslip. Orchestra: Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Litton.
    • Bennett & Duke: Violin Works.
    • Chandos.
    • 104.
  • Henry Balfour Gardiner

    Evening hymn

    Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Performer: Jonathan Lee. Choir: The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge. Performer: Jonathan Lee. Director: Stephen Layton.
    • Hyperion.
  • Nicholas Roubanis

    Misirlou

    Ensemble: Delirium Musicum. Director: Etienne Gara.
    • Erato.
  • Michael Haydn

    Missa pro defunctis Archiepiscopo Sigismundo (Agnus Dei; Lux aeterna)

    Singer: Julia Doyle. Singer: Kate Symonds-Joy. Singer: James Robinson. Singer: Malachy Frame. Choir: Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Matthew Martin.
    • Michael Haydn: Requiem Pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismundo & Missa Sancti Hier.
    • Linn Records.
    • 7.
  • Michael Haydn

    Missa pro defunctis Archiepiscopo Sigismundo (Agnus Dei; Cum sanctis tuis)

    Choir: Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Matthew Martin.
    • Michael Haydn: Requiem Pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismundo & Missa Sancti Hier.
    • Linn Records.
    • 8.
  • Michael Haydn

    Missa pro defunctis Archiepiscopo Sigismundo (Agnus Dei; Dona nobis pacem)

    Singer: Julia Doyle. Singer: Kate Symonds-Joy. Singer: James Robinson. Singer: Malachy Frame. Choir: Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Matthew Martin.
    • Michael Haydn: Requiem Pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismundo & Missa Sancti Hier.
    • Linn Records.
    • 9.

Broadcast

  • Sat 1 Nov 2025 14:00

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