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Thursday - Rob Cowan with Mike Leigh

With Rob Cowan. Including Five Reasons to Love Brahms Late Piano Pieces; Musical challenge; Artist of the Week: conductor George Szell. With Sibelius's Symphony No 4.

9am
A selection of music including '5 reasons to love... Brahms late piano pieces'. Throughout the week Rob makes the case for Brahms's Indian summer piano works, showcasing recordings by pianists including Gerhard Oppitz, Yves Nat, Sviatoslav Richter, Arthur Rubinstein and Clifford Curzon.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: Two pieces of music have been altered. Can you identify them?

10am
Rob's guest this week, sharing his favourite classical music every day, is the celebrated writer and award-winning director Mike Leigh. Well known for films including Abigail's Party, Topsy-Turvy and Mr. Turner, Mike will be talking about the style of his work, how he chooses music for his films and his operatic directorial debut with a new staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance.

11am
Rob's artist of the week is the conductor George Szell. Known for being a harsh taskmaster, Szell moulded the musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra into a world-class ensemble. Throughout the week Rob explores Szell's recordings of favourite works including Sibelius's En Saga, Josef Strauss's Delerien Waltz and Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kije and reflects on the balance of mind and feeling in Szell's interpretations of five great Fourth symphonies.

Sibelius
Symphony No. 4 in A minor.

3 hours

Last on

Thu 14 May 2015 09:00

Music Played

  • Claude Debussy

    Minstrels (Preludes, Book 1)

    Orchestra: Lyon Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Jun Märkl.
    • NAXOS.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Norwegian Dance Op.35 no.1

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Bjarte Engeset.
    • NAXOS.
  • 5 Reasons To Love: Brahms Late Piano Works

    • Johannes Brahms

      Intermezzo in C sharp minor, Op.117 no.3

      Performer: Yves Nat.
      • EMI.
  • Artist Of The Week: George Szell

    • Daniel François Esprit Auber

      Fra Davolo: Overture

      Conductor: George Szell. Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra.
      • EMI.
  • Béla Bartók

    Evening

    Choir: Choir of Liszt Academy. Conductor: László Dobszay.
    • BMC RECORDS.
    • CD186.
    • 1.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in E minor RV409

    Performer: Julian Lloyd Webber. Orchestra: European Union Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Hans-Peter Hoffmann.
    • NAXOS.
  • Karol Szymanowski

    Myths - Trois Poemes (La fontaine d’Arethuse & Narcisie)

    Music Arranger: Willem Strietmann. Orchestra: Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Thierry Fischer.
    • ETCETERA.
    • KTC1400.
    • 2.
  • Gabriel Fauré

    Elegy op 24

    Performer: Paul Tortelier. Performer: Jean Hubeau.
    • Erato.
  • Mike Leigh: Choice 1

    • Arthur Sullivan

      The Pirates of Penzance (Overture)

      Orchestra: Pro Arte Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
      • EMI.
  • Mike Leigh: Choice 2

    • Arthur Sullivan

      Cello Concerto in D major (3rd mvt)

      Performer: Julian Lloyd Webber. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
      • EMI.
  • Mike Leigh: Choice 3

    • Arthur Sullivan

      The world is but a broken toy (Princess Ida)

      Singer: Elizabeth Harwood. Singer: David Palmer. Singer: Philip Potter. Singer: Jeffrey Skitch. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
      • LONDON.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Cello Sonata No.2 in F Op.99

    Performer: János Starker. Performer: György Sebök.
    • ERATO.
  • Artist Of The Week: George Szell

    • Jean Sibelius

      Symphony No.4 in A minor Op.63

      Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: George Szell.
      • MUSICAL ARTS ASSOCIATION.
  • Francisco Guerrero

    Maria Magdalena

    Ensemble: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • CORO.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Luric Pieces – Melodie Op.47 No.3 & Trolltog Op.54 No.3

    Performer: Javier Perianes.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMC902205.
    • 8.
  • André Previn

    Red, the Violent

    Conductor: Frank Sinatra. Orchestra: Orchestra.
    • CAPITOL.
    • W735.

IMPERFECT HARMONY

Bach
Suite for Solo Cello No. 6: Prelude
Maurice Gendron (cello)
PHILIPS

Faure
Elegy, Op. 24
Paul Tortelier (cello)
Jean Hubeau (piano)
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Broadcast

  • Thu 14 May 2015 09:00

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