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Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 in Building a Library with Yshani Perinpanayagam and Andrew McGregor

Andrew McGregor with the best new classical releases, joined by Joseph McHardy and Yshani Perinpanayagam, who chooses her favourite recording of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9.

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

c2.10pm Harpsichordist and choral director Joseph McHardy joins Andrew with a batch of his favourite new releases.

3pm Building a Library: Pianist and composer Yshani Perinpanayagam surveys recordings of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 and makes a top recommendation.
"Musicians will like to play it, and critics will delight in blasting it." That's what Shostakovich acurately predicted of his Symphony No. 9, premiered by the Leningrad Philharmonic in 1945. Initially intended as a celebration of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, the work is lighter in character than most of Shostakovich's other symphonies.

Top choice:
WDR Symphony Orchestra, Rudolph Barshai (cond.)
Brilliant Classics 6324

c3.45pm Record of the Week. Andrew's top pick of the week's new releases.

1 hour, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Georg Philipp Telemann

    Concerto in E minor TWV.52: e3 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Rachel Podger. Performer: Ashley Solomon. Ensemble: Florilegium.
    • Telemann: Ino Cantata and Double Concertos.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 1.
  • Erich Wolfgang Korngold

    Gl眉ck, das mir verblieb (Die tote Stadt Op.12)

    Singer: Malin Bystr枚m. Orchestra: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas S酶nderg氓rd.
    • BIS.
  • Marianna Martines

    Keyboard Sonata in G Major (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Idith Meshulam Korman.
    • Martines: The Complete Keyboard Works.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 120.
  • Alfonso Ferrabosco

    A Fancie

    Performer: Joanna Levine. Performer: Sam Stadlen. Performer: Richard Boothby.
    • Music to Hear: Alfonso Ferrabosco, Music for Lyra Viol from 1609: Volumes 2 & 3.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 201.
  • Leonora d'Este

    Sicut lilium

    Ensemble: Papagena.
    • Tomorrow is today.
    • SOMM.
    • 7.
  • Caroline Shaw

    Dolce Cantavi

    Ensemble: Papagena.
    • Tomorrow is today.
    • SOMM.
    • 13.
  • Alonso Mudarra

    Claros y frescos r铆os

    Singer: C茅line Scheen. Ensemble: L鈥橝rpeggiata. Conductor: Christina Pluhar.
    • La Torre del Oro.
    • Erato.
    • 11.
  • Traditional Mexican

    La Petenera

    Singer: Vincenzo Capezzuto. Ensemble: L鈥橝rpeggiata. Conductor: Christina Pluhar.
    • La Torre del Oro.
    • Erato.
    • 13.
  • Ernest Chausson

    Concerto in D major Op.21 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Renaud Capu莽on. Performer: Nicholas Angelich. Ensemble: Quatuor 脡b猫ne.
    • Erato.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Gigue (Partita no.3 in E major BWV.1006)

    Music Arranger: Sergey Rachmaninov. Performer: Vsevolod Zavidov.
    • Vsevolod Zavidov Plays Rachmaninoff.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 3.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Symphony no. 3 in A minor Op.56 'Scottish' (2nd mvt)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.
    • Mendelssohn: Symphonies & Oratorios.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 111.
  • Record of the Week

    • Gustav Mahler

      Symphony no.8 'Symphony of a thousand' (conclusion)

      Choir: Prague Philharmonic Choir. Choir: Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno. Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
      • Gustav Mahler: Symphonies 1-9.
      • PENTATONE.
      • 11,12.

Broadcast

  • Sat 18 Apr 2026 14:00

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