Schumann’s Symphony No 3, ‘Rhenish’, in Building a Library with Marina Frolova-Walker and Andrew McGregor

The best new classical releases, plus Marina Frolova-Walker chooses her favourite recording of Schumann’s Third Symphony, and Andrew McGregor reviews new chamber music discs.

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with Andrew McGregor

9.30 Building a LibraryMarina Frolova-Walker chooses her favourite recording of Schumann’s Symphony No 3 in E flat major, Op 97, nicknamed the ‘Rhenish’.

In the autumn of 1850, Schumann moved to the Rhineland to take up the position of municipal music director in Düsseldorf. He composed his Third Symphony quickly in the November and filled the score with the impressions of his new home, stating that the symphony “perhaps reflects something of Rhenish life here and there”. The symphony has five movements including a fourth movement, the cathedral movement, that was marked by Schumann ‘in the character of the accompaniment to a solemn ceremony’, and was inspired by his visit to Cologne Cathedral.

10.45Iain Burnside reviews new releases of chamber music on disc including Russian Tales played by cellist Andreas Brantelid, a survey of Vienna around 1900, and new arrangements of Beethoven and Bach.

11.20Record of the WeekAndrew recommends an outstanding new release.

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