Record Review

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Music: Classical

A thorough look at the week's classical music releases, plus news and recommendations.

A thorough look at the week's classical music releases, plus news and the Radio 3 Disc of the Week recommendation.

Record Review: Mahler's Symphony No 6 in Building a Library with Edward Seckerson and Andrew McGregor

Mahler's Symphony No 6 in Building a Library with Edward Seckerson and Andrew McGregor

BBC Radio 3 - Record Review, Mahler's Symphony No 6 in Building a Library with Edward Seckerson and Andrew McGregor

Edward Seckerson chooses his favourite recording of Mahler's Sixth Symphony.

In Building a Library, Edward Seckerson chooses his favourite recording of Mahler's Symphony No 6 in A minor, plus a round-up of some of the best new classical releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Kate Kennedy shares some new releases that have caught her attention with Andrew and reveals her 'On Repeat' choice and explains her current preoccupation with it.

10.30 am
Building a Library
Edward Seckerson chooses his favourite recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 6 in A minor. 

More often than not, Mahler's symphonies end positively, whether in triumph, exaltation, joyful exuberance, quiet bliss, or resignation and acceptance. But the Sixth is unique in its tragic, minor-key conclusion and this Symphony as a whole is among his darkest music. Intriguingly, he wrote it during one of the happiest periods of his life, the summers of 1903 and 1904. Mahler was convinced that, in his music, he had the ability to foresee and even predict events and, painful though it might be, as an artist he could not avoid doing so. And in 1907, when he looked back on the Sixth Symphony's finale with its 'three hammer blows of fate' he could point to the death of his daughter Maria, the diagnosis of the severe heart disease which would kill him, and the bitter end of his decade as director of the Vienna Opera. Closer to our own times, some have suggested that, as well as tragic autobiography, Mahler was predicting the tragedies of a whole century.

11.20 am
Record of the Week
An exceptional new release.

Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCRadio3

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Mahler's Symphony No 6 in Building a Library with Edward Seckerson and Andrew McGregor

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