Record Review

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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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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: Handel's Coronation Anthems in Building a Library with Simon Heighes and Andrew McGregor

Handel's Coronation Anthems in Building a Library with Simon Heighes and Andrew McGregor

BBC Radio 3 - Record Review, Handel's Coronation Anthems in Building a Library with Simon Heighes and Andrew McGregor

Simon Heighes chooses his favourite recording of Handel's Coronation Anthems.

Simon Heighes chooses his favourite recording of Handel's Coronation Anthems in Building a Library, and Nigel Simeone shares some remarkable new releases.

Andrew McGregor with the best new recordings of classical music.

9.30 am
Nigel Simeone shares some new releases which have caught his ear and shares his 'On Repeat' track – a recording which he is currently listening to again and again.

10.30 am
Building a Library: Simon Heighes chooses his favourite recording of Handel's Coronation Anthems

In the build up to the coronation next week, Simon Heighes considers a set of anthems which contain possibly the most well-known choral movement in classical music: the glorious moment when after a steady crescendo from murmuring strings, the full forces of the choir explode on the words: Zadok the Priest.

Handel wrote these four anthems for the coronation of George II in 1727. And they have become standard for subsequent coronations. Handel had just become a naturalised British subject, and one of his first tasks was to write the coronation music. Their success added to the popular image of Handel as a composer whose music required a huge number of singers and musicians - the character criticised by Berlioz as "a barrel of pork and beer".  In fact these works vary the massed forces for maximum contrast and make skilful use of the wide spatial reverberation in Westminster Abbey.

11.20 am
Record of the Week: Andrew’s top pick.
Send us your On Repeat recommendations at recordreview@bbc.co.uk or tweet us @BBCRadio3

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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Handel's Coronation Anthems in Building a Library with Simon Heighes and Andrew McGregor

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