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Frank Dupree plays Gershwin’s Piano Concerto

Mark Forrest showcases superb performances from the UK and beyond, including Riccardo Chailly conducting an American-themed concert at this year’s Lucerne Festival.

Mark Forrest showcases superb performances from the UK and beyond.

All this week, we’re spending time on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, hearing concerts given at this year’s Lucerne Festival. There’s a distinct American flavour today thanks to music by Copland, Gershwin and Ives as Riccardo Chailly conducts a programme marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, including pianist Frank Dupree as the soloist in Gershwin’s Piano Concerto.

We visit another Swiss music festival to hear French ensemble Les Kapsber’girls in concert at the International Sacred Music Festival, Fribourg, and there’s more from violinist Vilde Frang and her band as they explore the folk roots of Bartok’s music in a recital at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
Aaron Copland
Fanfare for the Common Man
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

George Gershwin
A Cuban Overture
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

Robert Schumann
String Quartet in A minor, Op. 41 No. 1
Dover Quartet

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
George Gershwin
Piano Concerto in F major
Frank Dupree (piano)
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

From the 2026 International Sacred Music Festival, Fribourg:
Johannes Hieronymous Kapsberger
Passacaglia
Les Kapsber’girls

Francesca Campana
Voi luci altere
Les Kapsber’girls

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
Charles Ives
Symphony No. 1 in D minor
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

From the Edinburgh International Festival 2026:
Music by Béla Bártok interspersed with folk tunes
Vilde Frang (violin)
Olli Mustonen (piano)
Benjamin Eredics (trumpet)
Salamon Eredics (accordion, recorder)

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Classical Live".

24 days left to listen

3 hours

Music Played

  • Aaron Copland

    Fanfare for the Common Man

    Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • George Gershwin

    Cuban Overture

    Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • Robert Schumann

    String Quartet in A minor, Op 41 No 1

    Ensemble: Dover Quartet.
  • Franz Liszt

    Transcendental Etude No 10, 'Appassionata'

    Performer: Yunchan Lim.
    • Live from The Cliburn - Liszt: Transcendental Etudes.
    • Steinway and Sons.
    • 110.
  • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

    Battalia

    Orchestra: Orchestra La Scintilla. Conductor: Riccardo Minasi.
  • George Gershwin

    Piano Concerto in F

    Performer: Frank Dupree. Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Mambo (West Side Story)

    Performer: Frank Dupree. Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • Darius Milhaud

    Sonatine for flute and piano, Op 76

    Performer: Adam Walker. Performer: Tom Poster.
  • Johannes Hieronymous Kapsberger

    Passacaglia

    Ensemble: The Kapsber'girls. Director: Albane Imbs.
    • CHRTS.
  • Francesca Campana

    Voi luci altere

    Ensemble: The Kapsber'girls. Director: Albane Imbs.
    • CHRTS.
  • Charles Ives

    Symphony No 1 in D minor

    Orchestra: Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    I Crisantemi

    Ensemble: Leonkoro Quartet.
  • Béla Bartók

    Arabian Song (44 Duos)

    Performer: Vilde Frang. Performer: Salamon Eredics.
  • Söndörgő

    Drago Kolo

    Performer: Vilde Frang. Performer: Salamon Eredics. Music Arranger: Salamon Eredics.
  • Béla Bartók

    3 Romanian Folk Dances

    Performer: Benjámin Eredics. Performer: Salamon Eredics. Performer: Olli Mustonen.

Broadcast

  • Last Tuesday13:00