Record Review Podcast

Andrew talks to Simon Heighes about a box set of operas by Gluck from Decca. In his anniversary year, Gluck is being reassessed and we are finding out that he was more than just the instigator of operatic reforms and the composer of Orfeo ed Euridice and the 2 Iphegenia operas. His career was in fact multi-faceted and, coming between Handel and Mozart, his style is a tantalising mix of late Baroque and early Classical.

Andrew talks to soprano Jessye Norman about her new memoir, the extraordinary recording career, memories of finding herself working in a divided Berlin having grown up in the segregated American south, a bizarre encounter during a song recital, the joy of performing Tippett's A Child of our Time with its innovative use of spirituals and her deeply held conviction that the arts are an essential part of life which touch the depths of the human spirit.

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer. This week's Proms Composer, is the American John Adams who is strongly influenced by minimalism. Known equally for his orchestral works such as Short Ride in a Fast Machine, chamber music such as Shaker Loops, vocal music like The Wound-Dresser and his operas which include Nixon in China, The Death of Klinghoffer and Doctor Atomic.

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. This week's Proms Composer, Zoltán Kodály, was a Hungarian composer and ethnomusicologist. In the early 1900s he visited remote villages to notate the folk music of Hungary and the Hungarian-inhabited areas of Slovakia and Romania. Kodaly and his friend Bela Bartok recorded the songs on phonograph cylinders. His work is an attractive mixture of late-romantic, impressionistic and modernist musical styles inflected with folk idioms. His most famous pieces include the Háry János Overture, Dances of Marosszék, Dances of Galánta and Psalmus Hungaricus.

Andrew talks to Rob Cowan about the recently-released collection of RCA's 'Living Stereo' recordings, celebrating a golden age in the American label's history.

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. The music of this week's Proms Composer, Jon Leifs, is infused with the rugged, primal beauty of his native Iceland.

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. This week's Proms Composer, William Alwyn, was a flautist with the LSO and wrote no fewer than five symphonies along with operas, songs and chamber music but he’s perhaps best remembered as the composer of over 200 film scores.

Sir Neville Marriner reflects on half-a-century of recording history with the ensemble he founded in the late 50s, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Caroline Gill joins Andrew live to discuss a 50-CD box set dedicated to L’Oiseau-Lyre’s founding commitment – the music of the Baroque. It contains a range of acclaimed, pioneering recordings that span a fascinating range of repertoire and performing styles.

Each week during the BBC Proms Andrew recommends recordings of music by a composer featured at the festival whose music deserves to be heard more often. Alfredo Casella was an Italian composer influenced by time spent in Paris in the 1910s. Along with a large compositional output, some of which boasts fantastically original scorings, he was a busy teacher, concert organiser and promoter of new music.

Each week Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. This week's Proms Composer, Sally Beamish, is an individual voice who draws both on her Scottish heritage and her background as a distinguished chamber musician.

A session report from Istanbul. Andrew talks to the conductor and players from The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra as they record Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade. Their Austrian conductor, Sascha Goetzel, explains their vision of being a bridge between the people of Turkey and the European tradition in classical music.

Andrew talks to Kristian Bezuidenhout about his cycle of Mozart keyboard works and the joys (and challenges) of playing fortepianos.

Each week during the Proms Andrew recommends recordings of music by a Proms composer whose music deserves to be heard more often. This week's Proms Composer, E.J.Moeran, was heavily influenced by English folk song and wrote in a very lyrical, accessible style recognisably his own.

Martin Cotton with a personal recommendation from recordings of Wagner's intimate musical birthday gift for his wife, Cosima

Simon Heighes compares recordings of Gluck's great reform opera on both CD and DVD and makes a personal recommendation

William Mival compares recordings of Ravel's La Valse and makes a personal recommendation

Helen Wallace with a personal recommendation from recordings of Elgar's autumnal Cello Concerto

Nicholas Kenyon compares recordings on both harpsichord and piano of Rameau's volumes of harpsichord music and makes a personal recommendation

Richard Osborne considers the available recordings of Strauss's opera Der Rosenkavalier and recommends his favourite version