The Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert

Monday 13th November 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Julia Fischer Quartet.

Hannah French presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with the Julia Fischer Quartet performing Mozart and Janacek. Volinist Fischer leads her quartet in two staples of the repertoire in Mozart's String Quartet in C, known as the Dissonance Quartet due to its strange and unusually dissonant opening, and the second of Janacek's two quartets, aka Intimate Letters, referring to a correspondence between the composer and his unattainable beloved Kamila Stosslova. Mozart: String Quartet in C, K 465, Dissonance. Janacek: String Quartet No 2, Intimate Letters. Julia Fischer Quartet.
(Live)

Wednesday 15th November 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Essentially Strauss: Catriona Morison and Malcolm Martineau.

Al Ryan continues the series of chamber music by Richard Strauss and his contemporaries. Today, mezzo Catriona Morison sings Lieder by Strauss, Brahms, Mahler and Berg, with pianist Malcolm Martineau. Strauss: Funf Lieder, Op. 15. Berg: Vier Lieder, Op. 2. Brahms: Dein blaues Auge. Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer. Meine Liebe ist grün. Auf dem Kirchhofe. Mahler: Rheinlegendchen (Knaben Wunderhorn). Ich atmet einen Lindenduft (Rückert Lieder). Urlicht (Knaben Wunderhorn). Liebst du um Schönheit (Rückert Lieder). Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht? (Knaben Wunderhorn). Catriona Morison (soprano), Malcolm Martineau (piano).

Tuesday 21st November 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Schwarzenberg Festival 2023 (1/4). Episode 1.

Sarah Walker presents highlights of this year's Schubertiade, a celebration of Schubert's music held in the Austrian village of Schwarzenberg. To begin, the Pavel Hass Quartet play Schubert's last quartet. Schubert: String Quartet in G, D 887. Pavel Haas Quartet.
(Episode 1)

Monday 27th November 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Daniel Hope.

Martin Handley presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with violinist Daniel Hope and pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips playing music by Enescu, Jake Heggie and Dvorak. Two exceptional soloists come together for a programme of duo works that introduces an important recent piece to the UK. Best known for his burgeoning and widely successful operas, Jake Heggie's Fantasy Suite was inspired by Beethoven's residency at the Theater an der Wien in 1803. Enescu: Impromptu concertant in G flat. Jake Heggie: Fantasy Suite 1803 (UK premiere). Dvorak: Sonatina in G, Op 100. Daniel Hope (violin), Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano).
(Live)

Tuesday 5th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Belfast International Arts Festival 2023 (1/4). Episode 1.

John Toal presents the first performance of four from Elisabeth Brauss and friends, recorded as part of the 2023 International Arts Festival at St Mark's Church in Belfast. Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Flat, Op 44. Chaos Quartet, Elisabeth Brauss (piano); Mozart: String Quartet No 1 in G, K 80. Chaos Quartet.
(Episode 1)

Monday 11th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Roderick Williams.

Andrew McGregor presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with baritone Roderick Williams and pianist Iain Burnside performing songs from the turn of the 20th century, including music by Quilter, Faure, Alma Mahler, Rebecca Clarke and Rachmaninov. Quilter: Love's Philosophy. Bonis: Chanson d'amour. Fauré: Mandoline; En sourdine; Green. Quilter: Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal. Bonis: Songe. Quilter: Fill a Glass with Golden Wine. Alma Mahler: Die stille Stadt. Rebecca Clarke: Stimme im Dunkeln. A Mahler: Bei dir ist es traut. R Clarke: Aufblick. A Mahler: Laue Sommernacht. Rachmaninov: Ana, kak pold'en khorasha, Op 14 No 9. Debussy: Colloque sentimental. Rachmaninov: Fchera mi fstr'etilis, Op 26 No 13; O, n'et, mal'u, n'e ukhadi, Op 4 No 1. Debussy: Green; Beau Soir. Rachmaninov: Zd'es kharasho, Op 21 No 7; Ya bil u n'ej, Op 14 No 4. Roderick Williams (baritone), Iain Burnside (piano).
(Live)

Tuesday 12th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Schwarzenberg Festival 2023 (1/3). Episode 1.

Sarah Walker presents highlights of this year's Schubertiade, a celebration of Schubert's music held in the Austrian village of Schwarzenberg, famed for its traditional rustic wooden houses. The concerts took place in the Angelika Kauffmann Hall, a timber-framed building overlooking mountain pastures, whose exquisite acoustics and intimate atmosphere make it an ideal venue for Schubert's chamber music. Schubert: String Quintet, D956. Simply Quartet, Harriet Krijgh (cello).
(Episode 1)

Monday 18th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

The Sixteen Sing Christmas Music from the Renaissance.

Martin Handley presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with the Sixteen celebrating Christmas with a feast of Christmas music. The world-famous choir's programme is called Resonet in Laudibus and is an hour-long celebration of some of the finest Christmas music of the Renaissance along with some traditional carols from Ireland, England and the Basque country. Anon: Resonemus laudibus. Palestrina: Kyrie from Missa Hodie Christus natus est. Byrd: Lulla, Lullaby, My Sweet Little Baby. Basque traditional: Gabriel's Message, Byrd: This Day Christ Was Born. Jacob Handl: Resonet in laudibus. Irish traditional: Wexford Carol. Jean Mouton: Nesciens mater Virgo virum. Palestrina: Hodie Christus natus est. Walter Lambe: Nesciens mater. English traditional: Sans Day Carol. Lassus: Resonet in laudibus. Palestrina: Gloria from Missa Hodie Christus natus est. Anon: Herrick's Carol. Sheppard: Reges Tharsis. The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (director).
(Live)

Tuesday 19th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

LSO St Luke's: Saint-Saens's Circle.

Hannah French presents the first in a series of Lunchtime Concerts devoted to Saint-Saens and his circle. Today, the Nash Ensemble play music by Saint-Saens and his pupil Faure. Recorded at LSO St Luke's in London on March 25 2022. Saint-Saens: Caprice sur des airs danois et Russes for piano, flute, oboe and clarinet; Tarantelle in A minor Op 6 for piano, flute and clarinet. Faure: Quartet in G minor Op 45. Nash Ensemble.
(Episode 1)

Wednesday 27th December 2023 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Catriona Morison and Malcolm Martineau at the Edinburgh International Festival.

From the Edinburgh International Festival, mezzo-soprano Catriona Morison and pianist Malcolm Martineau perform songs by Schubert, Josephine Lang, Pauline Viardot and Mahler. Presented by Stephen Broad. Schubert: Die Junge Nonne D828; An Den Mond D193; Nacht und Traume D827; Rastlose Liebe D138; Fruhlingsglaube D686; Gretchen Am Spinnrade D118; Josephine Lang: Scheideblick Op10 No 5; Ob Ich Manchmal Dein Gedenke Op 27 No 3; Die Schwalben Op10 No 3; Mignons Klage Op 10 No 2; Pauline Viardot: Nixe Binsefuss VWV 1132; In Der Fruhe VWV 1090; Der Gartner VWV1097; Mahler: Rheinlegendchen; Das Irdische Leben; Urlicht; Wer Hat Dies Liedlein Erdacht. Catriona Morison (mezzo-soprano), Malcolm Martineau (piano).

Monday 8th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Chloe Hanslip & Danny Driver.

Andrew McGregor presents a live recital From London's Wigmore Hall by violinist Chloe Hanslip and pianist Danny Driver. The duo perform a programme of much-loved 20th-century works, including Stravinsky's Divertimento and Ravel's bluesy Violin Sonata in G, which bookend Arvo Part's Spiegel im Spiegel, a timeless portrayal of the infinite reflections of a mirror within a mirror. Stravinsky: Divertimento for violin and piano. Arvo Part: Spiegel im Spiegel. Ravel: Violin Sonata No 2 in G. Chloe Hanslip (violin), Danny Driver (piano).
(Live)

Tuesday 9th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Baroque Fancies: Lucie Horsch.

Sarah Walker presents the first in a series of concerts from LSO St Luke's in London, in which rising star Lucie Horsch performs music from the golden age of the recorder, featuring sonatas and fantasies by Bach, Telemann and Castello. Van Eyck: Fantasia & Echo from Der Fluyten Lust-Hof. Castello: Sonata seconda. Handel: Sonata in F, HWV.369. Van Eyck: Prince Robert's Masque from Der Fluyten Lust-Hof. Telemann: Fantasia No 9 in G, TWV 40:10; Sonata in C, TWV 41:C5. Van Eyck: Prince Robert's Masque - Boffons from Der Fluyten Lust-Hof. Fiorenza: Sonata a flauto solo in A. Bach: Sonata in E BWV 1035. Lucie Horsch (recorder), Tom Foster (harpsichord). Recorded at LSO St Luke's in London in November 2023.

Thursday 11th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Baroque Fancies: Mahan Esfahani.

Sarah Walker presents harpischord virtuoso Mahan Esfahani in concert at LSO St Luke's in London, crossing centuries, from music by the Bach family to postwar Czech repertoire, via Tudor England. At the centre of the programme is Bach's Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, a masterpiece full of drama and virtuosity. WF Bach: Fantasia in E minor. Kalabis: Six Canonic Inventions. JS Bach: Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue in D minor. Byrd: Fantasia in A Minor MB 13. Benda: Keyboard Sonata No 3 in D minor. Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord). Recorded at LSO St Luke's in London in November 2023.

Friday 12th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Baroque Fancies: Rachel Podger and Friends.

In the final concert of the series, Sarah Walker presents the baroque superstar violinist, Rachel Podger, with lutenist Elizabeth Kenny and hapsichordist Marcin Swiatkiewicz, in a programme of highly virtuosic showpieces of the Baroque era, from Biber to Telemann and Froberger to Verancini. Biber: Sonata representativa. Telemann: Fantasie No 7 in E-flat major. Froberger: Toccata in D major. Biber: Sonata No 6 in C minor, 'The Agony in the Garden'. De Visse: Chaconne for lute. Telemann: Fantasie No 3 in F minor. Verancini: Violin Sonata No 12 in D minor. Rachel Podger (violin), Elizabeth Kenny (lute), Marcin ?wi?tkiewicz (harpsichord). Recorded at LSO St Luke's in London in November 2023.

Tuesday 16th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Verbier Festival (1/4).

Sarah Walker presents Alexandre Kantorow playing piano transcriptions of Schubert songs and Leonidas Kavakos, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax join together for Beethoven's Archduke Trio. Schubert (arranger); Liszt: Der Müller und der Bach, from 'Die schöne Müllerin, D 795'. Schubert (arranger); Liszt: Frühlingsglaube, D 686. Alexandre Kantorow (piano). Beethoven: Piano Trio No 7 in B flat, Op 97 ('Archduke'). Leonidas Kavakos (violin); Yo-Yo Ma (cello); Emanuel Ax (piano). Bach: Corrente from Partita No 6 in E minor, BWV 830. Alexandra Dovgan (piano).

Monday 22nd January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Brentano Quartet.

Hannah French presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with the Brentano Quartet playing two masterworks from the classical era. Haydn's Bird quartet, so-called because of the repeated notes the violin plays at the very opening, is coupled with Mozart's String Quartet in D, written for his good friend the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister. Haydn: String Quartet in C, Op 33 No 3, The Bird. Mozart: String Quartet No 20 in D, K499, Hoffmeister. Brentanto Quartet.
(Live)

Tuesday 23rd January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Edinburgh in Winter. Episode 2.

Elizabeth Alker presents the first of four concerts from Edinburgh's Queen's Hall this week, featuring former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists the Amatis Trio. One of Beethoven's early works for piano trio opens this recital, with a theme and variations on a popular song of the time from Joseph Weigl's comic opera Il Corsaro. Romanian composer George Enescu's Piano Trio No 1 follows, an intricate and passionate work written when he was a teenager and rarely performed. Beethoven: Trio in B flat, Op 11; Enescu: Trio No 1 in G minor. The Amatis Trio.
(Episode 1)

Tuesday 30th January 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Leeds International Concert Season (1/4).

Hannah French presents chamber music highlights from last year's Leeds International Concert Season, curated by flautist Adam Walker. Canadian pianist Louis Lortie - one of the leading pianists of this generation, plays the complete set of Chopin's Opus 10 Etudes and an all-star trio plays Paul Silverthorne's arrangement for flute, vioa and harp of Ravel's 'Tombeau de Couperin'. Plus, three members of the Orsino Ensemble perform Saint-Saens' lively tarantella for flute, clarinet and piano. Saint-Saens: Tarantelle for flute, clarinet & piano. Orsino Ensemble. Chopin: Etudes, Op 10. Louis Lortie (piano). Ravel; arr Paul Silverthorne: Le Tombeau de Couperin. Adam Walker (flute); Timothy Ridout (viola); Anneleen Lenaerts (harp).

Monday 19th February 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Leonkoro Quartet.

Hannah French presents a live recital from London's Wigmore Hall, with the Leonkoro Quartet playing Janacek and Schumann. The shadow of Beethoven joins the dots in this recital from the current Radio 3 New Generation Artists, with Janacek's String Quartet No 1 being composed in just two weeks during an intensely creative period. It was inspired by Leo Tolstoy's novella The Kreutzer Sonata, which in turn was inspired by the eponymous violin sonata by Beethoven, who was a key source of inspiration for Schumann in his three string quartets, of which the last is performed here. Janacek: String Quartet No 1 - Kreutzer Sonata; Schumann: String Quartet in A, Op 41 No 3. Leonkoro Quartet.
(Live)

Tuesday 20th February 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Brahms from Perth Concert Hall (1/4).

Maxwell Quartet and friends bring Brahms's joyful String Sextet No 2 to Perth audiences, at the Perth Concert Hall. Presented by Stephen Broad. Brahms: String Sextet No 2 in G; Trad. Arr. Maxwell: MacIntosh's Lament & Reels - Auld Foula, Oot and In Da Harbour; Maxwell: Haripol; Trad. Arr Maxwell Quartet: Cill Mhuire. Maxwell String Quartet, Scott Dickinson (viola), Su'a Lee (cello).

Tuesday 19th March 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Natalie Clein and Friends.

John Toal introduces cellist Natalie Clein and friends performing music by Schubert, Beethoven and Bloch at the 2022 Belfast International Arts Festival. Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata D. 821. Natalie Clein (cello), Julius Drake (piano). Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79. Christian Ihle Hadland (piano). Bloch: Méditation hébraïque. Natalie Clein (cello), Christian Ihle Hadland (piano). Schubert: Auf dem Strom D. 943. Natalie Clein (cello), Ruby Hughes (soprano), Julius Drake (piano).
(Episode 1)

Monday 25th March 2024 (starting this afternoon)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00 (1 hour long)

Nelson Goerner.

A live recital from London's Wigmore Hall by Argentinian pianist Nelson Goerner. The celebrated musician brings together Handel's Chaconne with Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze, which the composer began working on just a week after his secret engagement to Clara. Goerner closes with Balakirev's Islamey, described by music critic Harold C Schonberg as one of the most difficult of all piano pieces. Handel: Chaconne in G, HWV 435; Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze Op 6; Balakirev: Islamey. Nelson Goerner (piano).
(Live)