Classical Music

Pianist Martha Argerich and conductor Seiji Ozawa both have long, distinguished careers and have each won multiple Grammy Awards. But Ozawa, 82, and Argerich, 76, have never recorded an album together until now.

They have just released a new recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 1 on the Decca label. The Mito Chamber Orchestra performs under Ozawa's baton and with Argerich at the piano. The album also includes a performance of Beethoven's Symphony no. 1. 

Verdi’s Luisa Miller returns to the network for the first time since 2006. It stars Sonya Yoncheva as Luisa, and Piotr Beczala as Rodolfo, the lover she is forced to betray. Both artists make role debuts in this production. Singing Luisa’s father, Miller, Plácido Domingo also adds a new role to his repertoire – the 149th of his legendary career. The cast also features Olesya Petrova as Duchess Federica, Alexander Vinogradov as Count Walter, Rodolfo’s father, and Dmitry Belosselskiy as the scheming Wurm. Bertrand de Billy conducts this thrilling, but lesser-known Verdi score.

Thanks to listeners in Carp Lake, Torch Lake, Lake Leelanau, Bear Lake, Mullet Lake and many other places for your requests this week.

1. Kow Otani, music from the original motion picture soundtrack of Blade of the Immortal

2. Domenico Gabrieli, Cello sonata in G minor; Richte van der Meer, Roel Dieltiens, Konrad Junghänel

3. Maurice Ravel, Bolero; Eiji Oue/Minnesota Orchestra

4. Charles Tournemire, Symphony no. 1 (first movement); Antonio de Almeida/Moscow Symphony Orchestra

5. Frederic Chopin, Heroic Polonaise in A-flat major; Vladimir Horowitz

Pianist Maurizio Pollini has just released a new album featuring Book II of Claude Debussy's Preludes. The album is a long-awaited follow-up to Pollini's 1998 recording of Debussy's Book I of preludes.

Johannes Brahms published three violin sonatas during his lifetime. Violinist Tasmin Little and pianist Piers Lane present complete performances of all three sonatas on a new album from Chandos.

Donizetti’s bel canto tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor, starring soprano Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti in the iconic title role. Tenor Vittorio Grigolo stars opposite her as Lucia’s lover, Edgardo. They are joined by baritone Massimo Cavalletti as Enrico, the brother who pushes Lucia into a forced marriage, and bass Vitalij Kowaljow as the chaplain Raimondo. Roberto Abbado conducts.

Listen LIVE on Classical IPR on Saturday, April 7 at 1:00pm ET.

Thanks to listeners in Ludington, Petoskey, Williamsburg, Cadillac, and many other places for your requests this week.

1. Camille Saint-Saens, Africa fantasie; Geoffrey Simon/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Gwendolyn Mok

2. Johann Sebastian Bach, Christ ist erstanden (chorale prelude); Simon Preston

3. Franz Reisenstein, Concerto popolare (A Piano Concerto to End All Piano Concertos); Norman del Mar/Hoffnung Symphony Orchestra/Yvonne Arnaud

4. Martin Luther, A Mighty Fortress is Our God; James Litton/American Boychoir

The Doric String Quartet is in the process of recording all of Franz Joseph Haydn's string quartets. They recently released their third volume of quartets. This new two-disc set features all six quartets from Haydn's opus 64.

Haydn composed all six of the op. 64 quartets in 1790, at the same time that he was leaving his long-time employment as a court composer and exploring options as a freelance composer in London. The most famous of the six quartets is no. 5, called "The Lark" for its soaring, birdlike themes. 

The Calidore String Quartet is one of the most remarkable new string quartets on the classical music scene today. In 2016, they were the first winners of the M-Prize International Chamber Music Competition, which came with a $100,000 grand prize. They’ve also been recognized as a Lincoln Center Emerging Artist, and BBC Radio 3 has named them a New Generation Artist.