Record Review Podcast

Andrew Mellor compares recordings of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.5, the ‘Reformation’. It was written to mark the 300th anniversary of the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession in 1530, a critical event of the Protestant Reformation

Edward Seckerson joins Andrew live to recommend a recording of Jerome Kern's Show Boat.

Julian Johnson recommends a recording of Debussy's Nocturnes.

Anna Picard compares recordings of Mascagni's perennially popular 'Cavalleria Rusticana'

Ivan Hewett surveys recordings of music by Henri Dutilleux, a composer with a unique voice who took inspiration from the tradition of Ravel, Debussy and Roussel, but created a sound world of sensuous harmony and colour that was all his own.

Nicholas Baragwanath recommends a version of Beethoven's 5th Symphony

Oliver Condy recommends a version of Poulenc's Organ Concerto

Stephen Johnson surveys recordings of Nielsen's Symphony No.6, his "Sinfonia semplice"

Gillian Moore recommends a recorded version of Sibelius's 1st Symphony in E minor

Jeremy Summerly compares recordings of Mass No. 6 in E flat, D950, by Schubert - a powerful masterpiece, written during the final year of the composer's life.

Roger Parker recommends a recording of Bellini's opera Norma

Harriet Smith compares recordings of Bartok's Second Piano Concerto, widely recognised as one of the most technically challenging pieces in the repertoire, and makes a personal recommendation.

David Owen Norris recommends a version of Poulenc's Flute Sonata

With Andrew McGregor, an edited version of the regular CD Review slot.

Kate Molleson recommends a version of Berg's Violin Concerto

Building a Library: Richard Wigmore compares recordings of Mozart's Symphony No. 36 in C major, K425, known as the Linz Symphony, which was written in just four days during the Mozarts' stopover in the Austrian town of Linz whilst travelling in late 1783. When the local count heard of their arrival he announced a concert, and the composer had very little time to provide a symphony for it!

Helen Wallace recommends a recorded version of Rebecca Clarke's Viola Sonata

As part of BBC Music's Ten Pieces Secondary, which aims to open up the world of classical music to children aged 11 and above, Hannah French compares available versions of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E flat major and makes a personal recommendation. A favourite of the trumpet repertoire and possibly Haydn's most popular concerto, this work was composed in 1796 while the composer was working on The Creation. It was written for his long-time friend Anton Weidinger who had developed a keyed trumpet which could play chromatically, unlike the natural trumpet which had a more limited choice of notes.

Flora Willson recommends a recorded version of Verdi's Requiem

Rob Cowan recommends a recorded version of Beethoven's 4th Symphony.