SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2008

SAT 01:00 Through the Night (b00df694)
With John Shea.

01:01AM
Grieg, Edvard Hagerup (1843-1907)
Peer Gynt - suite no. 1 (Op. 46)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Ole Kristian Ruud (conductor)

01:26AM
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847)
Symphony no. 1 (Op. 11) in C minor
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton (conductor)

01:57AM
Schubert, Franz (1797-1828)
Sonata (Op.53) in D major (D.850)
Alfred Brendel (piano)

02:35AM
Scarlatti, Alessandro (1660-1725)
Stabat Mater (1724)
Valeri Popova (soprano), Penka Dilova (mezzo-soprano), Tolbuhin Children’s Chorus, Bulgarian National Radio Sinfonietta, Dragomir Nenov (conductor)

03:16AM
Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych (1840-1893)
Symphony No. 5 in E minor, (Op. 64)
Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor)

04:01AM
Vivaldi, Antonio (1678-1741)
Concerto da Camera in C major (RV.87)
Camerata Köln: Michael Schneider (recorder), Hans-Peter Westermann (oboe), Michael McCraw (bassoon), Mary Utiger & Hajo Bäß (violins), Rainer Zipperling (cello), Harald Hoeren (harpsichord)

04:10AM
Raffaelli, Josip (1767-1843)
Introduction and theme with variations in A major
Vladimir Krpan (piano)

04:19AM
de Wert, Giaches (1535-1596)
Qual musico gentil – from L'ottavo libro de madrigali a cinque voci (Venice 1586)
The Consort of Musicke – Evelyn Tubb (soprano), Mary Nichols (alto), Andrew King (tenor), Rufus Müller (tenor), Richard Wistreich (bass), Anthony Rooley (director)

04:30AM
Järnefelt, Armas (1869-1958)
The Sound of Home
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ilpo Mansnerus (conductor)

04:41AM
Telemann, Georg Philipp (1681-1767)
Trio No.2 from Essercizii Musici, for Viola da gamba, Harpsichord obligato and continuo
Camerata Köln: Rainer Zipperling (solo viola da gamba), Ghislaine Wauters (continuo viola da gamba), Harald Hoeren (harpsichord)

04:52AM
Chopin, Frédéric (1810-1849)
Scherzo for piano No.3 (Op.39) in C sharp minor
Simon Trpceski (piano)

05:00AM
Abel, Carl Friedrich (1723-1787)
Symphony in D major (Op.10 No.5)
La Stagione Frankfurt, Michael Schneider (conductor)

05:09AM
Handel, Georg Friedrich (1685-1759)
Alceste: Gentle Morpheus, son of night
Emma Kirkby (soprano), Academy of Ancient Music, Andrew Manze (director)

05:18AM
Schumann, Clara (1819-1896)
Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann in F sharp minor (Op.20)
Angela Cheng (piano)

05:28AM
Svendsen, Johann (1840-1911)
Festival Polonaise – for orchestra (Op.12)
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Philippe Jordan (conductor)

05:37AM
Bach, Johann Michael (1648-1694)
Liebster Jesu, hor mein Flehen
Maria Zedelius (soprano), David Cordier (alto), Paul Elliott and Hein Meens (tenors), Michael Schopper (bass), Musica Antiqua Koln, Reinhard Goebel (director)

05:45AM
Humperdinck, Engelbert (1854-1921)
Overture from Hansel and Gretel
Symphony Nova Scotia, Georg Tintner (conductor)

05:53AM
Bizet, Georges (1838-75)
Habanera (L'amour est un oiseau rebelle) from Carmen
Jouko Harjanne (trumpet), Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Ari Rasilainen (conductor)

05:58AM
Villa-Lobos, Heitor (1887-1959)
Guitar Prelude No.3 in A minor
Norbert Kraft (guitar)

06:06AM
Respighi, Ottorino (1879-1936)
Antiche Arie e Danze – Suite no.3 (1932)
Croatian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Igor Kuljeric (conductor)

06:25AM
Mendelssohn, Fanny Hensel (1805-1847)
Sonata in C minor
Sylviane Deferne (piano)

06:40AM
Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel (1714-1788)
Concerto for flute and strings in A major (Wq.168)
Robert Aitken (flute), CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Mario Bernardi (conductor)


SAT 07:00 Breakfast (b00djpxk)
With Martin Handley.

Featuring an ocean-going tone poem by Sibelius and a 19-part motet from Scotland. With Free Thought.

07:03

SUPPÉ
Overture: The Jolly Robbers (Banditenstreiche)
Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Charles Dutoit (conductor)
DECCA 414 408-2 Tr 4

07:11

HANDEL
I know that my redeemer liveth (Messiah)
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
The Sixteen (Orchestra)
Harry Christophers (conductor)
CORO COR 16062 D2 T22

07:18

MENDELSSOHN
Scherzo (Symphony No.3 'Scottish')
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor)
TELDEC 9031-72308-2 Tr 2

07:23

POULENC
Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone
Alan Civil (horn)
John Wilbraham (trumpet)
John Iveson (trombone)
EMI CMS5 66831-2 CD5 Tr 17-19

07:33

BRAHMS orch. Martin Schmeling
Hungarian Dances Nos. 5 & 6
Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Istvan Bogar (conductor)
NAXOS 8.550110 Tr 5 & 6

07:39

CHOPIN
Fantasy in F Minor
Maria-Joao Pires (piano)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 457 585-2 Tr 4

07:55

Julio de CARO arr. Leopoldo Federico & Felix Lipesker
La rayuela (gran tango milonga) for solo Bandoneon
Per Arne Glorvigen (bandoneon)
EMI 5577782 Tr 7

08:03

Pierre LEEMANS
Belgian Paratroopers March
The Cleveland Symphonic Winds
Frederic Fennell (conductor)
TELARC CD-80099 Tr 5

08:07

Robert CARVER
O bone Jesu (a 19)
Taverner Choir
Andrew Parrott (conductor)
EMI CDC7 49661-2 Tr 3

08:19

ROGERS / HART
Little Girl Blue
Oscar Peterson (piano)
MPS 821 843-2 Tr 8

08:25

GRIEG
Cow-Call & Peasant Dance (Nordic Melody Op.63 No.2)
Strings of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi (conductor)
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON 471 747-2 CD1 Tr 4

08:31

GOTTSCHALK
Vision
Philip Martin (piano)
HYPERION CDA67349 Tr 3

08:37

RZEWSKI
‘The People United Shall Never be Defeated’
Ursula Oppens (piano)
VANGUARD CLASSICS 08805671 Tr 1-3

08:43

WEILL
That's Him
Dawn Upshaw (soprano)
Orchestra conducted by Eric Stern
ELEKTRA-NONESUCH 755979345-2 Tr 4

08:46

BERIO
Wasserklavier
David Arden (piano)
NEW ALBON NA089CD Tr 20

08:49

SIBELIUS
The Oceanides (Aallottaret)
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
Simon Rattle (conductor)
EMI CDM7 64119-2 Tr 5


SAT 09:00 CD Review (b00djt04)
Building a Library: Mendelssohn's Symphony No 3 in A minor (Scottish)

Building a Library:
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 3 in A minor Op. 56, “Scottish”

Reviewer - Chris de Souza

First Choice:
Complete Mendelssohn Symphonies
(c/w Symphonies Nos. 1-2 and 4-5) from disc
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Vladimir Ashkenazy (conductor)
Decca 470 946-2 (3 CDs, Budget)

CD Review BAL Catalogue Data
bal.mendelssohn:
bal.mendelssohn.symphony.no.3.op.56

09.05am

HANDEL: Concerto Grosso No. 2 in F Major HWV320 from disc Concerti Grossi Op. 6
(c/w Concerto Grosso No. 1 HWV 319; Concerti Grossi Nos. 312 HWV321-330)
Arte Dei Suonatori, Martin Gester (conductor)
BIS SACD 1705/06 (3 Hybrid SACDs, Mid Price)

MENDELSSOHN: Sonata No. 2 Op. 58 from disc Felix Mendelssohn Complete works for cello and pianoforte
(c/w Lied ohne Worte Op. 109; Variations concertantes Op. 17; Sonata No. 1 Op. 45)
Sergei Istomin (cello), Viviana Sofronitsky (fortepiano)
Passacaille 947 (CD)

MARTINU: Violin Concerto No. 1 H226 (third movement) from disc Martinu: The Complete Music for Violin and Orchestra Volume 4
(c/w Violin Concerto No. 2 H293)
Bohuslav Matousek (violin), Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Christopher Hogwood (conductor)
Hyperion CDA67674 (CD)

09.30 am
Building a Library Recommendation

Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 in A minor Op. 56, “Scottish”

Reviewer – Chris de Souza

Next week Hilary Finch examines recordings of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 Op. 31/2, “Tempest”

10.20 Interview with Sir John Eliot Gardiner

JS BACH: Sie werden euch in den Bann tun II BWV 183 (tenor aria) from disc Bach Cantatas Volume 25
(c/w Cantatas for the Fifth Sunday after Easter:
Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch BWV 86; Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen BWV 87; In allen meinen Taten BWV 97;
Cantatas for the Sunday after Ascension Day:
Sie werden euch in den Bann tun I BWV 44; Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich BWV 150; Johann Christoph Bach - Fürchte dich nicht)
Soloists (cantatas for fifth Sunday after Easter): Katharine Fuge, Robin Tyson, Steve Davislim, Stephan Loges;
Soloists (Sunday after Ascension Day): Joanne Lunn, Daniel Taylor, Paul Agnew, Panajotis Iconomou; The Monteverdi Choir, The English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)
Soli Deo Gloria SDG144 (2 CDs)

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1 (first movement)
(c/w Begrabnisgesang, Op. 13; Schicksalslied Op. 54; MENDELSSOHN: Mitten wir in Leben sind Op. 23)
Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, The Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)
Soli Deo Gloria SDG702 (CD)

11.15 Britten Opera Releases

BRITTEN: Albert Herring (recorded 1949)
Joan Cross (Lady Billows), Gladys Parr (Florence Pike), Margaret Ritchie (Miss Wordsworth), Otakar Kraus (Mr. Gedge), Roy Ashton (Mr. Upfold), Norman Lumsden (Superintendent Budd), Denis Dowling (Sid Butcher’s shophand), Peter Pears (Albert Herring), Nancy Evans (Nancy), Catherine Lawson (Mrs Herring), Anne Sharp (Emmie), Elisabeth Parry (Cis), Alan Thompson (Harry),
The English Opera Group Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten (conductor)
Nimbus NI5824/6 (3 CDs, Mid Price)

BRITTEN: Owen Wingrave
Peter Colman-Wright (Owen Wingrave), Robin Leggate (General Sir Philip Wingrave and Narrator), Elizabeth Connell (Miss Wingrave), Janice Watson (Mrs. Coyle), Sarah Fox (Mrs. Julian), Alan Opie (Spencer Coyle), Pamela Helen Stephen (Kate), James Gilchrist (Lechmere), Tiffin Boys Choir, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox (conductor)
Chandos CHAN10473(2) (2 CDs)

BRITTEN: Billy Budd
Nathan Gunn (Billy Budd), Ian Bostridge (Captain Vere), Gidon Saks (Claggart), Neal Davies (Mr Redburn), Jonathan Lemalu (Mr. Flint), Matthew Rose (Lieutenant Ratcliffe), Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers), Daniel Teadt (Donald), Matthew Best (Dansker), Andrew Kennedy (Novice), Andrew Tortise (Squeak), Adam Green (First Mate), Mark Stone (Bosun), Darren Jeffery (Second Mate/Gunner's Mate), Andrew Staples (Maintop), Roderick Williams (Novice's Friend/Arthur Jones),
London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Daniel Harding (conductor)
Virgin 5190392 (3 CDs, Mid Price)

BRITTEN: Peter Grimes
Dean Peterson (Hobson), John Del Carlo (Swallow), Anthony Dean Griffey (Peter Grimes), Felicity Palmer (Mrs. Sedley), Patricia Racette (Ellene Orford), Jill Grove (Auntie), Greg Fedderly (Bob Boles), Anthony Michaels-Moore (Captain Balstrode), Bernard Fitch (Rev. Horace Adams), Leah Partridge, Erin Morley (Two nieces), Teddy Tahu Rhodes (Ned Keene), Logan William Erickson (Boy), Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Donald Runnicles (conductor)
EMI 2 17414 9 (2 DVDs)


11.40m Disc of the Week

GUBAIDULINA: In tempus praesens
(c/w JS BACH: Violin Concertos BWV 1041 and 1042)
Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin; conductor for the Bach), Trondheim Soloists (Bach concertos), London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon 477 7450 (CD)


SAT 12:15 Music Matters (b00dktv3)
King’s Place

Tom visits London’s newest concert hall, Kings Place, the brain child of Peter Millican, set to host chamber music, jazz, and world music events from the start of October. Peter’s plan is an ambitious one: to finance the year-round artistic programme with the rents from the Guardian and other corporate clients renting space at the complex. But can he make King’s Place fly without cash from the Arts Council? And what will the impact be on London’s flagship chamber music venue, the Wigmore Hall? Tom talks to John Gilhooly of the Wigmore Hall, and to two wise men of British culture: John Tusa, former Chief Executive of the Barbican and now Chairman of the University of the Arts, and Anthony Sargent, General Director at the Sage in Gateshead.
www.kingsplace.co.uk

Mauricio Kagel

Composer Mauricio Kagel died on Thursday, at the age of 76. Growing up in Argentina, Kagel studied with Borges before moving to Cologne in 1957, and throwing himself into the musical avant-garde. But Kagel remained a literary composer, in the sense that he questioned all of the received wisdoms of the musical world. He staged pieces like Match, for two cellists and a percussionist who referees their musical tug-of-war, to a recent theatre work that faked a kidnapping in a concert hall. Tom remembers this master of the avant-garde with composer and ex-Kagel pupil Gerald Barry, and Kagel expert Björn Heile.

Bjorn Heile’s Mauricio Kagel website
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/bh25/kagel.htm

La Calisto

Francesco Cavalli’s 17th century tale of conflict between gods and mortals, La Calisto, opens at the Royal Opera House on Tuesday. This is the first time that any of Cavalli’s dozens of operas have made it to the stage at Covent Garden. Tom explores why it has taken so long to showcase the work of a composer who made Venetian opera his own in the wake of Monteverdi’s advances in the mid 17th century, and wrote among the first public (as opposed to princely) operatic entertainments. Tom went along to rehearsals at the Royal Opera House and spoke to director David Alden, conductor Ivor Bolton, and Soprano Sally Matthews.

La Calisto is at the Royal Opera House September 23rd – October 10th
http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/production.aspx?pid=6573

You can hear La Calisto on Opera on 3 on Saturday October 25th
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/operaon3/

Anthony Marwood

There is something of a musical revolution going on in Ireland at the moment and one of those at the forefront is violinist Anthony Marwood, who conducts the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the Wigmore Hall on Tuesday. Marwood’s career as chamber musician and soloist – he performs with the Florestan Trio and premiered Thomas Adès’s Violin Concerto – sees him navigate the extremes of the violin’s repertoire. But Marwood’s skills extend beyond music. He has combined his acting and dancing skills with his violin-playing in recent years, notably in a production of Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, where he played the Soldier – and the violin part. Tom meets him to ask how all this musical multi-tasking is connected.

Don’t miss Music Matters special Irish edition on October 11th when Tom will be travelling across Ireland to get a sense of what has shaped Irish musical life.

Anthony Marwood directs the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the Wigmore Hall on Tuesday 23rd September
http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/irish-chamber-orchestra-21697


SAT 13:00 The Early Music Show (b00djt6g)
Purcell wrote sacred music throughout his creative life and left a fantastic body of "verse anthems" for strings and voices, several of which were featured in a concert given by the Gabrieli Consort, directed by Paul McCreesh, at the 2008 Brinkburn Festival. Performed in the wonderful acoustic of Brinkburn Priory the concert features Purcell's popular "O Sing Unto the Lord" and "Rejoice in the Lord Alway".

Playlist:

Gabrieli: Omnes gentes a 16 (1597) (excerpt)
Robert Harre-Jones (falsetto) /Charles Daniels (tenor) /Peter Harvey (baritone) Gabrieli Consort and Players
Director Paul McCreesh
VIRGIN 0777 7590062
Track: 29

Henry Purcell: Bell Anthem “Rejoice in the lord”
Performed at the Festival by The Gabrieli Consort
Directed by Paul McCreesh

Henry Purcell: “Let mine eyes run down with tears”
Performed at the Festival by The Gabrieli Consort
Directed by Paul McCreesh

Thomas Morgan: Mr Henry Purcell's Farewell Tune (excerpt)
The Parley of Instruments
Roy Goodman (director)
HYPERION CDA 66578
(CD title: 'Odes on the death of Henry Purcell')

Henry Purcell: Ground, Z.D222 (from 'Celebrate the festival') (excerpt)
Richard Egarr (harpsichord)
HARMONIA MUNDI HMU 907428
(CD title: 'Henry Purcell: Keyboard Suites & Grounds')

John Blow: Ode on the death of Mr Henry Purcell ('Mark how the Lark and Linnet Sing') (excerpt)
Michael Chance (countertenor)
James Bowman (countertenor)
The King's Consort
Robert King (director)
HYPERION CDA 66253 (CD)
(CD title: 'Countertenor duets by Purcell and Blow')

Henry Purcell: “My beloved spake”
Performed at the Festival by The Gabrieli Consort
Directed by Paul McCreesh

Henry Purcell: “O sing unto the Lord”
Performed at the Festival by The Gabrieli Consort
Directed by Paul McCreesh


SAT 14:00 Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert (b00df54q)
Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduces the American Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio performing an all-Beethoven programme, with the two Op 70 Piano Trios, including the Ghost.


SAT 15:00 World Routes (b008jysf)
Jordan - Amman: Ilham Al Madfai

Moshe Morad travels to Jordan's capital Amman to record one of the Middle East's biggest stars, Iraqi singer-songwriter Ilham Al Madfai. Ilham performs with his full band, as well as on his own in a more intimate setting, and talks about his love for the lost city of Baghdad.

Recorded 19 May 2007 at Café Khuttar in Amman, Jordan


SAT 16:00 Jazz Library (b00djvbp)
Harry James

Trumpeter Guy Barker joins Alyn Shipton to select the essential recordings by Harry James, one of the most notable brass technicians in jazz.


SAT 17:00 Jazz Record Requests (b00djvc2)
Jazz Record Requests
Presented by Geoffrey Smith
Producer: Benedict Warren
Saturday 20 September 2008 5pm–6pm

Playlist

JRR Signature Tune:
Oh, but on the Third Day (Happy Feet Blues) (Marsalis)
Performed by Wynton Marsalis (tpt), Marcus Roberts (pno), Todd Williams (tsx), Dr Michael White (clt), Danny Barker (bjo), Teddy Riley (tpt), Freddie Lonzo (tbn), Reginald Veal (bs), Herlin Riley (dms)
Recorded 28 October 1988
Taken from the album The Majesty of the Blues
1989 CD (CBS 465129 2)

Double Check Stomp (Duke Ellington / Barney Bigard / Irving Mills / Johnny Hodges / Wellman Braud) (2’52’’)
Performed by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra:
Cootie Williams, Arthur Whetsol (tp) Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton, Juan Tizol (tb) Barney Bigard (cl,ts) Johnny Hodges (as) Harry Carney (bar,cl,as) Duke Ellington (p) Fred Guy (bj) Wellman Braud (b) Sonny Greer (d)
Recorded NY, Apr 11 1930
Taken from the album Jazz Cocktail
CD (ASV CDAJA5024(1); Track 13)

How Come You Do Me Like You Do? (Austin / Bergere) (2’56’’)
Performed by Red Nichols, Wingy Mannone, Charlie Teagarden (tp) Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Bud Freeman (ts) Adrian Rollini (bassax) Joe Sullivan (p)
Recorded NY, Aug 27 1930
Taken from the album Red Nichols and His Five Pennies 1929-31
LP (Sunbeam SB 137; Side 2 / Track 6)

Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (Jimmy Cox) (2’56’’)
Performed by Bessie Smith (vcl) Ed Allen (cnt) Garvin Bushell (as) Greely Walton (ts) Clarence Williams (p) Cyrus St. Clair (tu)
Recorded NY, May 15 1929
Taken from the album Sweet Mistreater
2005 CD (Blue Orchid Blue202CD; Disc 2 / Track 16)

Sweet Muscatel (3’49’’)
Performed by Humphrey Lyttelton (tenor-horn) Mick Pyne (p)
Recorded London, Apr 22 1976
Taken from the album One in a While
1979 LP (Black Lion BLP 12149; Side 1 / Track 4)

On a Slow Boat to China (Frank Loesser) (2’36’’)
Performed by Sonny Rollins (ts) Kenny Drew (p) Percy Heath (b) Art Blakey (d)
Recorded NY, Dec 17 1951
Taken from the album This Love of Mine
1993 CD (Prestige CDSGP043(1); Track 7)

Satin Doll (Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn) (5’35’’)
Performed by The McCoy Tyner Trio
McCoy Tyner (p) Steve Davis (b) Lex Humphries (d)
Recorded NJ, Mar 4 1963
Taken from the album Night of Ballads and Blues
LP (Impulse A 39; Side 1 / Track 1)

The Sage (3’32’’)
Performed by Buddy Collette (fl) Fred Katz (cello) Jim Hall (g) Carson Smith (b) Chico Hamilton (d)
Recorded LA, Aug 23 1955
Taken from the album Music from the Film Sweet Smell of Success
EP (Vogue EPV 1227)

Camille (Christine Tobin) (4’31’’)
Performed by Christine Tobin (vcl) Liam Noble (p) Kate Shortt (cello) Phil Robson (g) Dave Whitford (b) Thebe Lipere (perc) Simon Lea (d)
Recorded 2007
Taken from the album Secret Life of a Girl
2008 CD (Babel BDV 2875; Track 2)

If I Should Lose You (Leo Robin / Ralph Rainger) (5’06’’)
Performed by Hank Mobley (ts) Wynton Kelly (p) Paul Chambers (b) Art Blakey (d)
Recorded NJ, Feb 7 1960
Taken from the album Soul Station
1998 CD (Blue Note 4953432; Track 6)

Moon Ray (Artie Shaw / Paul Madison / Arthur Quenzer) (6’39’’)
Performed by Roland Kirk (ts,manzello) Tommy Flanagan (p) Henry grimes (b) Roy Haynes (d)
Recorded May 23 1962
Taken from the album Out of the Afternoon
1996 CD (Impulse IMP11802(1); Track 1)

Mamacita (Joe Henderson) (10’47’’)
Performed by The Kenny Dorham Quintet:
Kenny Dorham (tp) Joe Henderson (ts) Tommy Flanagan (p) Richard Davis (b) Albert “Tootie” Heath (d)
Recorded NJ, Sep 14 1964
Taken from the album Trumpeta Toccata
CD (Blue Note CDP7841812(1); Track 3)

Don't forget, you can have your say on today's programme, or any aspect of jazz, by visiting the Jazz Messageboard.


SAT 18:00 Opera on 3 (b00dk49w)
The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

A concert performance of Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht's anti-capitalist masterpiece, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny given by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by HK Gruber. Recorded at the Usher Hall on August 8th at the opening concert of the Edinburgh International Festival. Introduced by Donald McLeod who also talks to the conductor about the context of the piece and Weill and Brecht's influence on subsequent operatic developments.

CAST
Leokadja Begbick: Susan Bickley (mezzo soprano)
Fatty: Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (tenor)
Trinity Moses: Alan Opie (baritone)
Jenny: Giselle Allen (soprano)
Jimmy Mahoney: Anthony Dean Griffey (tenor)
Jack Smith, Toby Higgins: Peter Hoare (tenor)
Bill: Stephan Loges( baritone)
Joe: Brindley Sherratt (bass)
Hannah Gordon - Narrator
Ladies of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Edinburgh Festival Chorus
Christopher Bell - chorus master
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
HK Gruber - conductor

SYNOPSIS
ACT I
A battered truck breaks down; its passengers are Leokadja Begbick, Fatty and Trinity Moses, three fugitives from justice who are charged with slave-trading and fraud. Realizing that it will be easier to extract gold from men than from the rivers they find themselves in, they decide to found a city of pleasure: it will be called Mahagonny, a spiderweb to attract men to have fun (as there is nothing else dependable in life). News of Mahagonny spreads; it attracts Jenny Smith, a prostitute, and her friends (the ‘sharks’). Singing the Alabama Song, they set out in pursuit of whisky, dollars and pretty boys. Fatty and Moses go to the big industrial cities to recruit the disillusioned to join them in their city of gold. Four Alaskan lumberjacks (Jim Mahoney and his friends Jack, Bill and Joe), who have shared hard times and made their fortunes, look forward to the pleasures of Mahagonny. Begbick introduces herself and tries to interest them in her girls. Haggling ensues, and Jim chooses Jenny; they get to know one another. Mahagonny suffers a financial recession: people are leaving in droves and crime is high; the price of whisky is falling. Begbick suggests going back to ‘civilization’ but she is still a hunted woman. Jim also wants to leave but is dissuaded by his friends. In front of the Hotel Rich Man, the men of Mahagonny are smoking and drinking and listening to a pianist playing ‘The Maiden’s Prayer’. Jim says that Mahagonny has become too peaceful and dull. As if in answer to his complaint, the city is threatened by a hurricane. Jim compares the savagery of Nature with the greater destructiveness of Man. He protests that there are too many regulations in the city and that society should be based on permissiveness: ‘In this world you must make your own bed’.

ACT II
The hurricane miraculously bypasses Mahagonny. Jim’s theory must be right: every man for himself. They will devote themselves to the four pleasures of life: eating, lechery, fighting and drinking. At groaning tables, the men gorge and Jack eats himself to death. Then Begbick presides over the Mandalay Brothel and the men queue for Jenny and the other prostitutes. Jim bets all his money on Joe in a boxing match between Joe and Trinity Moses, but Joe is killed. To drown his sorrows, Jim buys rounds of drinks for everyone, but their drunken games damage Begbick’s furnishings. When Begbick demands payment for that and for the drinks, Jim turns to Jenny for a loan; she throws his own selfish philosophy back at him and refuses. Jim is led off to prison.

ACT III
Jim dreads the dawning of the next day. In the court room Moses sells tickets for the forthcoming trials. He is prosecutor, Fatty the defence lawyer and Begbick the judge. The first defendant, Toby Higgins, is acquitted of murder, having handed over money to the court. Jim is summoned and led in by Billy, from whom he tries to borrow money so that he too can bribe his way off the charges. Billy refuses. Jim is accused of violating Jenny, being an accessory to the murder of Joe, inciting the crowd on the night of the hurricane by singing illegal songs, and failing to pay Begbick for drinks and criminal damage. This last charge is deemed the most serious and he is sentenced to death. As Jim is led off to await execution, everyone dreams of another city, sunny Benares, only to learn that it has been destroyed by an earthquake. Now, they wonder, where else might they go? Jim says goodbye to Jenny, who declares herself his widow. He tells the people of Mahagonny to live life to the full as there is no afterlife. They describe a visit by God to Mahagonny; God cannot condemn the inhabitants to Hell as they are there already. Jim is executed. While the city burns, there are demonstrations and conflicts between groups of protesters. Jim’s possessions are paraded like sacred relics as the various processions merge, the marchers proclaiming ‘Nothing will help him or us or you now!’.

©Alison Leighton


SAT 21:00 Two Masses (b00dktv5)
Two a capella mass settings separated by over 400 years.

Choir of Westminster Cathedral
James O'Donnell (Master of Music)

Francisco Guerrero: Missa Sancta et immaculata
Roxanna Panufnik: Westminster Mass.


SAT 22:05 Pre-Hear (b00dktv7)
Featuring James MacMillan's Sinfonietta, performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, with the composer conducting.


SAT 22:30 Hear and Now (b00djw9g)
Sara Mohr-Pietsch introduces recordings from this year's Vale of Glamorgan festival including a new work by Piers Hellawell inspired by the work of sculptor David Smith.

Henryk Gorecki: Three Dances
Guto Puw: Oboe Concerto
Piers Hellawell: Agricolas for clarinet and orchestra (World Premiere)
Pawel Szymanski: Quasi una sinfonietta

David Cowley (oboe)
Robert Plane (clarinet)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Michal Dworzynski