Programme information

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1 Programme information Saturday 10 March to Friday 16 March 2018 WEEK 11 Photo credit: Ray Burmiston TURNING POINTS Saturday 10 March, 9pm to 10pm The fourth programme in the six-part series, created in partnership with the Honda Jazz, which explores the people, moments and events that changed classical music history. This week, we celebrate the women who have made great strides in the concert hall or behind the scenes, including composers like Classic FM s current Composer in Residence Debbie Wiseman (above), and leaders of musical institutions such as Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra. Classic FM is available across the UK on FM, DAB digital radio and TV, at ClassicFM.com and on the Classic FM app. 1

2 WEEK 11 SATURDAY 10 MARCH 5pm to 7pm: SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES with ANDREW COLLINS Voting in the Classic FM Hall of Fame, the world s biggest annual poll of classical music tastes, closes this weekend. Tonight, Andrew Collins is rallying the last-minute voters with classical music that has been used to great effect on the silver screen. From the definitive appearance of Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss in Stanley Kubrick s masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, to more recent films including Manchester By The Sea, The Death of Stalin and Bridge of Spies which used familiar pieces by Albinoni, Mozart and Shostakovich respectively, in key scenes, this should help you choose your three favourite classical works. Voting is open at ClassicFM.com 7pm to 9pm: COWAN S CLASSICS with ROB COWAN Rob Cowan selects two hours of old favourites, new discoveries, and rarely-played performances. His Artist of the Week is the Belgian conductor Philippe Herreweghe, and Rob takes us Beyond the Hall of Fame with Bach s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, followed by a similar but lesser-played piece that will delight Bach fans. 9pm to 10pm: TURNING POINTS This is the fourth programme in the six-part series, created in partnership with the Honda Jazz, which explores the people, moments and events that changed classical music history. This week, we celebrate the women who have made great strides in the concert hall or behind the scenes, from music teachers such as Nadia Boulanger, composers like Classic FM s current Composer in Residence Debbie Wiseman, and leaders of musical institutions including Helen Sprott, Managing Director of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra. 2

3 SUNDAY 11 MARCH 3pm to 5pm: CHARLOTTE HAWKINS Charlotte plays the perfect selection of Classic FM favourites and new discoveries, with a particular focus on young artists as demonstrated with her Young Classical Star. This afternoon, Charlotte shines the spotlight on the 28-year old, Taiwanese-Australian violinist Ray Chen. Winning the first prize in the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition and then the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition a year later, Ray released a new album with Decca Classics last summer the first in a partnership with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 7pm to 9pm: DAVID MELLOR This week, David plays music requested by Classic FM listeners, including pieces written by Parry and Tchaikovsky. David will explore Richard Strauss s little known symphonic poem Aus Italien, Borodin s String Quartet No.2, string sonatas by Rossini and piano music by Sibelius. 9pm to 10pm: EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC with CATHERINE BOTT Catherine Bott regularly invites listeners to suggest ideas for her to explore in this, the longest-running non-fiction series in British radio history and tonight, Martin from Rustington asks: As a recent fan of classical music and as a taxi driver, both I and my passengers are really enjoying listening to Classic FM. I wonder if you could explain the different musical terms to me, ie. concerto, symphony, opus etc. Prepare for an insightful hour of classical music definitions, featuring those requested by Martin, along with examples of musical forms such as the cadence and fugue. 3

4 MONDAY 12 MARCH THE WORLD BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Classic FM s month-long celebration of the finest orchestras on the planet continues and tonight, Jane Jones celebrates the extraordinary music-making of one of America s most prestigious ensembles: the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Their heart-rending, historic recording of Barber s Adagio for Strings, under the baton of Charles Munch, is paired with more recent recordings, including an acclaimed interpretation of Brahms s Symphony No.1 under Andris Nelsons. We ll also enjoy ballet highlights from Offenbach s playful Gaite Parisienne, and the concert is book-ended by two fine violin works: Beethoven s beautiful Romance No.2, featuring Isaac Stern, and the richly romantic Violin Concerto by Robert Schumann, with Gidon Kremer as soloist. Ludwig van Beethoven Romance No.2 in F major Opus 50 Violin: Isaac Stern Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings Charles Munch conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra Johannes Brahms Symphony No.1 in C minor Opus 68 Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra Jacques Offenbach Gaite Parisienne (highlights) Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra Robert Schumann Violin Concerto in A minor Opus 129 Violin: Gidon Kremer Seiji Ozawa conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra 4

5 TUESDAY 13 MARCH THE WORLD LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA No celebration of the world s greatest orchestras would be complete without an evening dedicated to the London Symphony Orchestra and tonight, Jane Jones profiles Classic FM s Orchestra in the City of London with two hours of their finest recordings. Sir Simon Rattle has yet to record anything with the Orchestra during his tenure as their new Music Director, so tonight s celebration of the LSO offers us a chance to look back at their work with previous conductors. Highlights include Sir Colin Davis and Yevgeny Kissin joining forces for a sparkling rendition of Beethoven s Piano Concerto No.2, and a benchmark recording of Haydn s Cello Concerto No.2 from Jacqueline du Pre and Sir John Barbirolli. We ll also enjoy music by Dukas and Balakirev, but our concert begins with a piece that the LSO make sound as if it was written for them: Elgar s Cockaigne Overture, subtitled In London Town. Edward Elgar Cockaigne Overture Opus 40 ( In London Town ) Charles Mackerras conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat major Opus 19 Piano: Evgeny Kissin Colin Davis conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Paul Dukas The Sorcerer s Apprentice Charles Mackerras conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Joseph Haydn Cello Concerto No.2 in D major Cello: Jacqueline du Pre John Barbirolli conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Mily Balakirev Tamara Valery Gergiev conducts the London Symphony Orchestra 5

6 WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH THE WORLD LEIPZIG GEWANDHAUS ORCHESTRA Tonight, we continue Classic FM s Great Orchestras of the World series with two hours dedicated to one of Europe s oldest and finest ensembles. Founded in 1781, the Leipzig Gewandhaus is now universally acknowledged as one of the world s truly outstanding orchestras. Tonight, Jane Jones explains why, with benchmark recordings of Tchaikovksy and Bach forming the backbone of our concert. We begin with a thrilling recording of Beethoven s Egmont Overture, and Jane also includes a glorious discovery by Max Bruch: his Serenade for Violin and Orchestra, played with poise and precision by Salvatore Accardo. Ludwig van Beethoven Egmont Overture Opus 84 Riccardo Chailly conducts the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Johann Sebastian Bach Keyboard Concerto in A major Piano: Ramin Bahrami Riccardo Chailly conducts the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky Symphony No.1 in G minor Opus 13 Kurt Masur conducts the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Max Bruch Serenade for Violin and Orchestra Opus 75 Violin: Salvatore Accardo Kurt Masur conducts the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra 6

7 THURSDAY 15 MARCH THE WORLD THE ROYAL CONCERTGEBOUW ORCHESTRA Thirty years ago this year, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands bestowed the title Royal on the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and tonight, Catherine Bott continues Classic FM s Great Orchestras of the World series with a selection of recordings made by this outstanding ensemble over the last three decades. A selection of the Orchestra s Chief Conductors over that time are heard at the helm tonight, beginning with Riccardo Chailly, elected to the role in The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has also enjoyed an immensely fruitful relationship with the Latvian conductor Mariss Jansons, who spent over ten years as Chief Conductor; tonight, we hear his sumptuous interpretation of the Symphony No.2 by Brahms. Further highlights include the rarely-heard but beautiful Piano Concerto by Dvorak, with the French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard alongside the conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and there s a chance for the wind section of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra to shine as they perform a charming serenade by Richard Strauss. Richard Wagner Ride of the Valkyres Riccardo Chailly conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.2 in D major Opus 36 Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Richard Strauss Serenade in E-flat major Winds of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Antonin Dvorak Piano Concerto in G minor Opus 33 Piano: Pierre-Laurent Aimard Nikolaus Harnoncourt conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Maurice Ravel Rapsodie Espagnole Bernard Haitink conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 7

8 FRIDAY 16 MARCH THE WORLD ORPHEUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA So far this month, Classic FM s Great Orchestras of the World series has focused on large-scale symphony orchestras, often known for their mastery of late Romantic repertoire. Tonight, however, Catherine Bott turns our attention to the conductor-less, renowned as one of the world s finest chamber orchestras. Our Full Works Concert opens with one of Vaughan Williams most famous melodies, before we then enjoy music by Respighi, Mozart, Gluck and Richard Strauss. We end with a fine recording of Weber s Clarinet Concerto No.1, with Charles Niedich directing the from the clarinet. Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Greensleeves Ottorino Respighi Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No.1 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Serenade in C minor Christoph Willibald Gluck Dance of the Blessed Spirits Richard Strauss Divertimento Opus 86 Carl Maria von Weber Clarinet Concerto No.1 in F minor Clarinet: Charles Neidich 8