Mark Simpson compares recordings of Richard Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie and chooses his favourite. The epic Alpine Symphony is Strauss's vivid evocation of the thrills and spills of a day out in his beloved Bavarian Alps, including dangerous moments and a glacier on the way up to a spectacular view from the summit. On the way down there's a violent thunderstorm and at the end, as the sun sets and night falls, the deep, emotional satisfaction of having completed an arduous and exhausting journey. The 1915 tone poem thrillingly tests an orchestra, at once collectively, its individual sections and its principal players. And it also tests a conductor who has to convincingly marshal a score calling for 130-plus musicians including 34 brass players (with 12 offstage horns) and a percussion section stocked with, among other things, wind machine, thunder machine and cowbells. Spare a thought, too, for the recording engineers... Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Nigel Simeone chooses his favourite recording of Lehar's The Merry Widow.

The Merry Widow by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár is one of the most popular operettas in the repertoire. It's the story of a fabulously rich widow, and the political shenanigans involved in making sure her fortune stays in the principality by finding her the right husband. Since its 1905 premiere in Vienna, it continues to captivate and charm audiences with its tuneful score, including hits such as the "Vilja Song", "You'll Find Me at Maxim's" and the "Merry Widow Waltz".

Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Musicologist Marina Frolova-Walker chooses her favourite recording of Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a set of dazzling variations for piano and orchestra on Paganini's 24th Caprice for solo violin, was premiered in 1934 in Baltimore by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Leopold Stokowski with Rachmaninov playing the solo part. Rachmaninov had already written four piano concerti, and this Rhapsody parades as a one-movement piano concerto that takes Paganini's theme on a journey through brisk and highly virtuosic variations at the beginning and end and through richly lyrical variations in the slower middle section. The Rhapsody has become a cornerstone of the virtuoso piano repertoire and it has also been adapted for ballet.

Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Leonard Bernstein's exuberant Chichester Psalms was one of the composer's many strong connections with the UK, commissioned for the 1965 Southern Cathedrals Festival at Chichester Cathedral. Music journalist Edward Seckerson talks to Andrew about the background to the piece, whilst whittling down the available recordings to come up with the finest recording to buy, download or stream.

Iain Burnside chooses his favourite recording of Mozart's Quintet for Piano and Wind K.452.

Conductor and choral expert Jeremy Summerly chooses his favourite recordings of Carl Orff's iconic cantata, Carmina Burana. Carl Orff composed his cantata in 1936, based on 24 poems from the medieval collection Carmina Burana. The poems cover a wide range of subjects, which are just as topical today as they were in the 13th century: the fickleness of fortune and wealth, the ephemeral nature of life, the joy of the return of spring, and the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling, and lust. Orff said to his publisher "Everything I have written to date, and which you have, unfortunately, printed, can be destroyed. With Carmina Burana, my collected works begin." It became the most famous piece of music composed in Germany at the time. Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Academic and Sibelius enthusiast Dr Leah Broad chooses her favourite recordings of Sibelius' Violin Concerto. Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Baroque music specialist Dr Simon Heighes chooses his favourite version of Bach's Motets. These technically challenging works contain some of Bach's very best music and can be thrilling in performance by a top-notch group of singers. They're also the only of Bach's vocal works that stayed in the repertoire without interruption between his death in 1750 and the 19th-century Bach Revival. Recordings reviewed include performances by The Sixteen and Voces8 & The Senesino Players. Presented by Andrew McGregor.

Broadcaster and baroque flautist Hannah French selects her favourite recording of CPE Bach's Cello Concerto in A Major. Cellists featured include Alison McGillivray, Steve Isserlis and Truls Mørk. Conductors range from Andrew Manze and Jonathan Cohen to Gustav Leonhardt and Susanne von Gutzeit. Andrew McGregor presents.

Writer Anna Picard chooses from her favourite recordings of Bedřich Smetana's set of six symphonic Czech tone poems, Má Vlast. Performances range from 1939 to 2016, and include no less than six versions by the Czech Philharmonic. Andrew McGregor presents.