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Brahms's Paganini Variations in Building a Library with Kenneth Hamilton and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by Charlotte Gardner and Kenneth Hamilton, who picks his favourite recording of Brahms's Paganini Variations.

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by guest reviewers Charlotte Gardner and Kenneth Hamilton.

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Music critic and journalist Charlotte Gardner talks through her pick of the week's new releases.

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Building a Library: Kenneth Hamilton surveys recordings of Brahms's Paganini Variations and picks his favourite. Published as a set of Studies for Pianoforte, the work consists of two books, each of which opens with the theme, Paganini's 24th Caprice in A minor, followed by fourteen variations. Fiendishly difficult and harmonically complicated the Variations are one of the pinnacles of the piano repertoire, requiring "fingers of steel, a heart of burning lava, and the courage of a lion", according to one critic.

Recommended recording:
Olga Kerns (piano)
HARMONIA MUNDI 907392DI

c.1545
Record of the Week
Andrew picks his favourite new release of the week.

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1 hour, 59 minutes

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Music Played

  • Alan Rawsthorne

    Street corner

    Orchestra: Â鶹Éç Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • Overtures from the British Isles, Vol. 3.
    • Chandos.
    • 103.

  • Johannes Brahms

    7 Fantasies Op.116 (no.7; Capriccio in D minor)

    Performer: Kenji Miura.
    • Heimat.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 23.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Wiegenlied (5 Songs Op.49)

    Music Arranger: Alfred Cortot. Performer: Kenji Miura.
    • Heimat.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 24.

  • Edward Elgar

    The Dream of Gerontius Op.38 (I can no more... Rescue him)

    Singer: David Butt Philip. Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society. Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • HYPERION.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Sonata for violin and cello (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Trio Wanderer.
    • Art nouveau: French chamber music around 1900.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 7.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Violin Concerto no.2 in D major K.211 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Roberto González-Monjas. Orchestra: Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg.
    • Berlin Classics.

  • Charles Gounod

    Meditation on the 1st Prelude of Bach (Ave Maria)

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Steven Isserlis. Performer: Connie Shih.
    • 1851: Schumann & Moscheles Sonatas.
    • HYPERION.

  • Trad.

    °ä¾±´Ç³¦Ã¢°ù±ô¾±²¹

    Music Arranger: Frederic Harranger. Performer: Dana Ciocarlie.
    • °ä¾±´Ç³¦Ã¢°ù±ô¾±²¹.
    • La Dolce Volta.
    • 1.

  • Arvo Pärt

    Kanon pokajanen (Ode 1)

    Choir: Cappella Amsterdam. Director: Daniel Reuss.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Cello Sonata (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Lidy Blijdorp. Performer: Pascal Rogé.
    • Onyx.

  • Jules Massenet

    5 Chansons des bois d'Amaranthe (O bon printemps)

    Singer: Hélène Guilmette. Singer: Marie-Andrée Bouchard-Lesieur. Singer: Julien Henric. Orchestra: Orchestre de L'Opera Normandie Rouen. Conductor: Pierre Dumoussaud.
    • Bru Zane.

  • Anton Webern

    Langsamer Satz

    Ensemble: Leonkoro Quartet.
    • Alpha.

Broadcast

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