11/07/2026
Music critic Richard Bratby's pick of the week's new releases, and Dr Katy Hamilton recommends a top recording of Mendelssohn's 'Scottish' Symphony in Building a Library.
2.10 The Spectator's Chief Classical Music Critic Richard Bratby talks presenter Andrew McGregor through his pick of the week's new releases.
3.00 Building a Library: Dr Katy Hamilton recommends a top recording of Mendelssohn's Third Symphony, known as the 'Scottish'. The sombre opening theme came to him after he visited the chapel in the ruins of Holyrood Abbey in 1829, although his love of the Scottish landscape was also an inspiration for movements in the symphony. Mendelssohn didn't complete the symphony until 1842.
3.50 Record of the Week: Andrew McGregor chooses the recording that has impressed him the most this week.
On radio
Broadcast
- Sat 11 Jul 202614:00BBC Radio 3
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive Radio 3 audio archive of programmes about composers and their works.
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