This Saturday at 8:00 p.m., “This Just In” on WHRO-FM brings you another three hours of new classical releases, handpicked by Raymond Jones to keep your ear on the pulse of today’s classical music world.
The evening begins with a brilliant showcase of the French horn, featuring British composer Ruth Gipps’s Horn Concerto, performed by Martin Owen with the BBC Philharmonic under Rumon Gamba. Released this January on Chandos as part of “Gipps: Orchestral Works, Vol. 3,” the recording is part of an ongoing revival of Gipps’s music, offering a concerto that is lyrical yet powerful, with sweeping orchestral colors that reflect her distinctive British voice.
We then continue our exploration of Sibelius’s symphonic journey with his Fourth Symphony, part of “Nordic Symphonies” from Brilliant Classics, performed by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra under Kurt Sanderling. Unlike the expansive emotional sweep of his Second and Third Symphonies, the Fourth is darker, restrained, and introspective, reflecting Sibelius’s turn toward a leaner, modernist aesthetic.
Adding a whimsical twist, Raymond Jones presents two composers named Mendelssohn and two composers named Ravel (though one spells it R-e-v-e-l). We will hear Fanny Hensel (born Mendelssohn) and her “Trio in D minor,” performed by the Boulanger Trio. Then we’ll enjoy her brother’s Nocturne from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in a unique arrangement for flugelhorn and organ, performed on the mighty Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia. We then turn to Maurice Ravel’s “Concerto in D for the Left Hand,” featured in a new interpretation with Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Martyn Brabbins. And finally, we will enjoy a delightful contrast with Harry Revel’s 1930s light classic “I Feel Like a Feather in the Breeze,” performed by pianist Paul Guinery.
The program also features Charles Koechlin’s Symphony No. 1, performed by the Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen under Ariane Matiakh, from a recent Capriccio release. Known for his lush orchestrations and subtle harmonic language, Koechlin’s First Symphony is a rare treat, expanding our understanding of French symphonic writing in the early 20th century.
Finally, we spotlight a delicate “Sicilienne” for guitar by Wenzel Matiegka, a close friend of Schubert, performed by guitar virtuoso David Starobin. This charming work offers a moment of intimacy and grace, a quiet gem among this week’s discoveries.
This Just In continues to bring fresh recordings, hidden treasures, and rare repertoire to WHRO-FM listeners each Saturday, reminding us that the classical world is ever-evolving and full of new delights. Tune in at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday, or stream online, for an evening of exploration, insight, and the joy of discovery.
