The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs Rachmaninoff's choral symphony, ‘The Bells’

Elizabeth Alker presents an afternoon of exclusive music-making, with recordings from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and chamber and vocal music from the St. Magnus Festival on Orkney.

Today, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform with the Philharmonia Chorus Rachmaninoff's choral symphony 'The Bells,' inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, conducted by Vasily Petrenko.

Elsewhere, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performs Edward Elgar's Serenade for Strings, a wedding anniversary present for his wife Alice; and Elizabeth introduces highlights from the recent St. Magnus Festival on Orkne, including Grieg and Janacek from the Icelandic cellist Geirþrúður Guðmundsdóttir, with pianist Antoine Préat and medieval vocal music from the Marian Consort.

Edward Elgar
Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Andrew Manze (conductor)

St Magnus @ 50:
Edvard Grieg
Cello Sonata in A minor, Op. 36
Geirþrúður Guðmundsdóttir (cello)
Antoine Préat (piano)

St Magnus @ 50:
Pierre Certon
Inviolata, integra et casta es
Marian Consort

Sergei Rachmaninoff
The Bells, Op. 35
Mirjam Mesak (soprano)
Pavel Petrov (tenor)
Andrii Kymach (baritone)
Philharmonia Chorus
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vasily Petrenko (conductor)

St Magnus @ 50:
Leoš Janáček
Pohádka (Fairytale)
Geirþrúður Anna Guðmundsdóttir (cello)
Antoine Préat (piano)

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