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Berlioz's Harold in Italy in Building a Library with Flora Willson and Andrew McGregor

Flora Willson picks her top recording of Berlioz's Harold in Italy, and Andrew McGregor is also joined by Samir Savant to assess some of the best new classical releases.

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

2.10pm
Samir Savant, Chief Executive of St George's Bristol, joins Andrew to discuss new choral releases that have caught his attention.

3pm
Building a Library. Music writer and historian Flora Willson assesses recordings of Berlioz's Harold in Italy and makes a top recommendation.
Berlioz's Harold in Italy grew from a commission by superstar violinist Paganini, who was keen for a new work to show off his newly acquired Stradivarius viola. Paganini was disappointed with the finished work, however, which is not the virtuosic concerto he was expecting. Berlioz was inspired by Lord Byron's poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: "My intention was to write a series of orchestral scenes. By placing it among the poetic memories formed from my wanderings in the Abruzzi, I wanted to make the viola a kind of melancholy dreamer in the manner of Byron's Childe-Harold."

Top choice:
Tabea Zimmermann (viola)
London Symphony Orchestra
Colin Davis (conductor)
LSO Live LSO0827

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 29 Nov 2025 14:00
Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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Beethoven: String Quartet Op.132

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Berlioz: Harold in Italy

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Music Played

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Violin Concerto in B flat major RV.362, Op.8 No.10 'La Caccia' (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: La Serenissima. Director: Adrian Chandler.
    • VIVALDI 8+, Volume 2.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 10.

  • Franciszek Lessel

    Symphony no.5 in G minor (Finale)

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Basel. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Alpha.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit 'Actus tragicus' BWV.106 (Sonatina)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Correspondances. Conductor: Sébastien Daucé.
    • J.S. Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden. Cantatas BWV 4, 106, 131.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 101.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit 'Actus tragicus' BWV.106 (Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Correspondances. Conductor: Sébastien Daucé.
    • J.S. Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden. Cantatas BWV 4, 106, 131.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 102.

  • Darius Lim

    Psalm 7:18 'Confitebor Domino'

    Choir: Voices of Singapore Children’s Choir. Choir: Voices of Singapore Ladies Choir. Conductor: Darius Lim.
    • Darius Lim: Songs of Dreams.
    • Naxos.
    • 113.

  • Manuel de Zumaya

    Celebren, publiquen

    Ensemble: Die Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.
    • ¡Feliz Navidad!: Mexican Baroque Music for Christmas.
    • CPO.
    • 109.

  • Johannes Brahms

    German Requiem Op.45 (Selig sind die Toten)

    Choir: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart. Orchestra: Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Hans-Christoph Rademann.
    • Accentus.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Fantasia and fugue in G minor BWV.542 (Fugue)

    Music Arranger: Jelte Althuis. Ensemble: Calefax Reed Quintet.
    • Organisms.
    • Pentatone.
    • 102.

  • Nicola Porpora

    Polifemo (Smanie d'affanno)

    Singer: Julia Lezhneva. Orchestra: Orchestre de l'Opéra Royal. Conductor: Stefan Plewniak.
    • Porpora: Polifemo.
    • Château de Versailles Spectacles.
    • 10.

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    String quartet in E flat major (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Consone Quartet.
    • Felix & Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartets.
    • Linn Records.
    • 8.

  • Erik Satie

    Sonatine bureaucratique (1st mvt)

    Performer: Guillaume Coppola.
    • Satie amoureux.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 22.

  • Philipp Nicolai

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

    Ensemble: Gli Angeli Genève. Director: Stephan MacLeod.
    • Bach: The Complete Chorale Cantatas / Cantatas 28-30.
    • ´¡±è²¹°ù³Ùé.
    • 18.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV.140 (Mein Freund is mein)

    Ensemble: Gli Angeli Genève. Director: Stephan MacLeod.
    • Bach: The Complete Chorale Cantatas / Cantatas 28-30.
    • ´¡±è²¹°ù³Ùé.
    • 24.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV.140 (Gloria sei dir gesungen)

    Ensemble: Gli Angeli Genève. Director: Stephan MacLeod.
    • Bach: The Complete Chorale Cantatas / Cantatas 28-30.
    • ´¡±è²¹°ù³Ùé.
    • 25.

Broadcast

  • Sat 29 Nov 2025 14:00
    Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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