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Nielsen's Symphony No. 2 in Building a Library with Mark Lowther and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the week's best new classical releases, joined by Flora Willson to assess a new Wagner Ring cycle from Dallas, and Mark Lowther on Nielsen's Symphony No. 2.

Andrew McGregor with the week's best new classical releases, joined by Flora Willson to assess a new Wagner Ring cycle from Dallas, and Mark Lowther on Nielsen's Symphony No. 2.

c. 2.10pm
Andrew is joined by opera expert Flora Willson to discuss the recent recordings of Wagner's complete Ring cycle from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under its Music Director Fabio Luisi.

c.3pm
Building a Library
Andrew is joined by Mark Lowther to survey recordings of Nielsen's Symphony No. 2, "The Four Temperaments", and pick an overall recommendation.
Danish composer Carl Nielsen wrote his second symphony in 1901–1902. As its subtitle, The Four Temperaments, indicates, each of the work's four movements is a musical sketch of a humour of the four temperaments: choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic, and sanguine.

Top choice:
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Sakari Oramo (cond.)
BIS BIS2128

c3.45pm
Record of the Week: Andrew's top recommendation.

23 days left to listen

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Last Saturday 14:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Ich wünsche mir bei Gott zu leben (Cantata BWV.35)

    Performer: Johannes Lang. Singer: Benno Schachtner. Ensemble: Collegium 1704. Conductor: Václav Luks.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony no.1 in C minor Op.68 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg. Conductor: Kent Nagano.
    • Brahms: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2.
    • BIS.
    • 103.

  • Richard Wagner

    Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walkure)

    Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi.
    • Delos.

  • Richard Wagner

    Das Rheingold (scene 4)

    Singer: Mark Delavan. Singer: Tamara Mumford. Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi.
    • Delos.

  • Richard Wagner

    Siegfried (Act 2, sc.3)

    Singer: Michael Laurenz. Singer: Daniel Johannsen. Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi.
    • Delos.

  • Richard Wagner

    Gotterdammerung (Brunnhilde's immolation)

    Singer: Lise Lindstrom. Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi.
    • Delos.

  • Richard Wagner

    Gotterdammerung (conclusion)

    Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fabio Luisi.
    • Delos.

  • George Enescu

    String octet in C major Op.7 (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective.
    • Enescu: String Octet, Piano Quintet.
    • Chandos.
    • 102.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony no.2 in C minor 'Resurrection' (4th mvt)

    Singer: Karen Cargill. Orchestra: Orchestre national de France. Conductor: Cristian Măcelaru.
    • Naive.

  • Donnacha Dennehy

    Knit (Woven)

    Performer: Guy Johnston. Performer: Ji Hye Jung.
    • SPACES.
    • Pentatone.
    • 101.

  • Donnacha Dennehy

    Thread (Woven)

    Performer: Guy Johnston. Performer: Ji Hye Jung.
    • SPACES.
    • Pentatone.
    • 2.

  • Record of the Week

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      Geh, Leopold, zu deiner Ruh (Köthener Trauer-musik BWV.244a)

      Music Arranger: Chad Kelly. Ensemble: Solomon's Knot.
      • J. S. Bach: Köthener Trauermusik.
      • Linn.
      • 6.

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ach, Herr, lass dein’ lieb’ Engelrein (Köthener Trauer-musik BWV.244a)

      Ensemble: Solomon's Knot.
      • J. S. Bach: Köthener Trauermusik.
      • LINN.
      • 7.

Broadcast

  • Last Saturday 14:00
    BBC Radio 3

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