Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux in Building a Library with Keelan Carew and Andrew McGregor

Available for 11 days

Andrew McGregor presents some of the week's best new classical releases. 2.10pm Violinist Tasmin Little joins Andrew to discuss four new releases that have caught her attention. 3pm Building a Library. Keelan Carew asseses recordings of Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux and makes a top recommendation. Rachmaninov composed his two sets of Etudes-Tableaux ("study pictures"), Op. 33 and Op. 39, between 1911 and 1917, before he left Russia. They were intended to be "musical evocations of external visual stimuli", but Rachmaninoff did not disclose what inspired each one, stating: "I do not believe in the artist that discloses too much of his images. Let [the listener] paint for themselves what it most suggests." The pieces demand high levels of virtuosity to perform, calling for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength. Top choice: Nikolai Lugansky (piano) Harmonia Mundi HMM902297 3.45pm Record of the Week. Andrew picks the new recording that has most impressed him this week.