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Building a Library: a guide to the best recordings of the greatest classical music. Each week an expert and enthusiast brings along a wide range of recordings of a well-known piece. They explore the music and the different ways of performing it, ending with a recommendation for your library

UK Only

Updated: weekly
Episodes available: indefinitely

Episodes to download

  •

    Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande

    Monday

    Jeremy Sams' personal recommendation from recordings of Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande.

  • Berlioz's Harold in Italy

    Mon 1 Dec 2025

    Flora Willson picks her top recording of Berlioz's Harold in Italy.

  • Beethoven's String Quartet Op.132

    Mon 24 Nov 2025

    Katy Hamilton's personal recommendation of Beethoven's String Quartet no.15 in A minor.

  • Bartok's Piano Concerto no. 2

    Mon 17 Nov 2025

    Joanna MacGregor's top recommendation of Bartok's Piano Concerto no.2.

  • Gershwin's An American in Paris

    Mon 10 Nov 2025

    Ben Gernon picks his favourite recording of Gershwin's An American in Paris.

  • Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux

    Mon 3 Nov 2025

    Keelan Carew makes his top pick of recordings of Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux.

  • Brahms' Symphony no.4

    Mon 27 Oct 2025

    William Mival with his personal choice of the best recording of Brahms' Symphony no.4.

  • Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major

    Mon 20 Oct 2025

    Yshani Perinpanayagam picks her favourite recording of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.

  • Purcell's Anthems

    Mon 13 Oct 2025

    Nicholas Kenyon with his personal recommendation from Purcell's numerous anthems.

  • Mozart's Cosi fan tutte

    Mon 6 Oct 2025

    Sarah Lenton chooses her favourite recording of Mozart's opera Cosi fan tutte.

  • Strauss's Le bourgeois gentilhomme

    Mon 22 Sep 2025

    Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Strauss's Le bourgeois gentilhomme.

  • Corelli's Concerti grossi

    Mon 14 Jul 2025

    Kirsten Gibson's personal recommendation of the Concerti grossi by Arcangelo Corelli.

  • Vaughan Williams's Symphony No.5

    Mon 7 Jul 2025

    Kate Kennedy picks her favourite recording of Vaughan Williams's Symphony No.5.

  • Satie's Sports et divertissements

    Mon 30 Jun 2025

    Kathryn Stott's personal recommendation of Satie's Sports et divertissements.

  • Haydn's The Seasons

    Mon 23 Jun 2025

    Jeremy Summerly chooses his favourite recording of Haydn's The Seasons.

  • Mozart's Piano Concerto no.21 K.467

    Mon 16 Jun 2025

    Joanna MacGregor picks her favourite recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto no.21 K.467

  • Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition

    Mon 9 Jun 2025

    Marina Frolova-Walker's recommendation for Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

  • Beethoven's Piano Trio no.7 'Archduke'

    Mon 2 Jun 2025

    Richard Wigmore's recommendation for Beethoven's Piano Trio no.7 Op.97 'Archduke'.

  • Stravinsky's Les Noces

    Thu 29 May 2025

    Jonathan Cross chooses his favourite recording of Stravinsky's Les Noces.

  • Schubert's Piano Sonata in C minor D.958

    Mon 19 May 2025

    Allyson Devenish picks her favourite recording of Schubert's Piano Sonata in C minor.

  • Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor

    Mon 12 May 2025

    Roger Parker chooses his favourite recording of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

  • Mozart's Coronation Mass

    Tue 6 May 2025

    Joseph McHardy picks his favourite recording of Mozart's Coronation Mass.

  • Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta

    Mon 28 Apr 2025

    Kate Molleson's recommendation for Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.

  • Handel's Acis and Galatea

    Tue 22 Apr 2025

    Mark Lowther's personal recommendation for Handel's opera Acis and Galatea.

  • Brahms's String Sextet no.1

    Mon 14 Apr 2025

    Tasmin Little picks her favourite recording of Brahms's String Sextet no.1.

  • Shostakovich's 10th Symphony

    Mon 7 Apr 2025

    Edward Seckerson's personal choice of Shostakovich's 10th Symphony.

  • Schumann's Carnaval

    Mon 31 Mar 2025

    Lucy Parham chooses her favourite recording of Schumann's Carnaval.

  • Bruckner's Symphony no.4

    Mon 24 Mar 2025

    William Mival joins Andrew to discuss Bruckner's Symphony no.4 in Building a Library.

  • Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 8th Symphony

    Mon 17 Mar 2025

    Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 8th Symphony.

  • Clara Schumann's lieder

    Mon 10 Mar 2025

    Laura Tunbridge joins Andrew to discuss lieder by Clara Schumann in Building a Library.

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Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

Browse previous episodes of the Record Review Podcast

All episodes since 2010, listed alphabetically by composer surname.

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