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Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

With Rob Cowan. Including Five Reasons to Love Dvorak's Slavonic Dances; Artist of the Week: pianist Grigory Sokolov, featured in Beethoven's 33 Variations on a Theme of Diabelli.

9am
A selection of music including '5 reasons to love... DvorΓ‘k's Slavonic Dances'. DvorΓ‘k's dances were an instant hit on their publication in 1878, propelling the Czech composer to international fame. A second set brought the total to sixteen dances. Throughout the week Rob makes the case for these miniature masterpieces, showcasing interpretations by conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Jean Martinon and VΓ‘clav Talich.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: two pieces of music are played together. Can you work out what they are?

10am
Rob's guest is the stand-up comedian and actor Omid Djalili. Omid has a varied career across stage and screen and is well known for his popular sketch shows and sell-out international tours. He will be sharing a selection of his favourite classical music with Rob every day at 10am.

10.30am
Following on from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman on Monday, Rob explores other works with literary connections.

11am
Rob's artist of the week is Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov, whose performances display virtuosity, poetry and insight in equal measure. Sokolov is regarded as one of the greatest living pianists in Europe, but his refusal to make studio recordings has meant a relative lack of recognition in the UK and USA. This is starting to change following his recent contract, for live recordings only, with Deutsche Grammophon. Throughout the week Rob explores Sokolov's penetrating interpretations of masterpieces from Bach to Prokofiev and Stravinsky, by way of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms and Scriabin.

Beethoven
33 Variations on a Theme of Diabelli, Op 120.

3 hours

Last on

Wed 27 May 2015 09:00

Music Played

  • Jean‐Philippe Rameau

    Tambourin (Suite in E minor, Pièces de clavecin)

    Performer: Mahan Esfahani.
    • HYPERION.
  • Johann Wilhelm Hertel

    Trumpet Concerto in D

    Performer: HΓ₯kan Hardenberger. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • PHILIPS.
  • 5 Reasons to Love... Dvorak's Slavonic Dances

    • AntonΓ­n DvoΕ™Γ‘k

      Slavonic Dance in B flat, Op 72 No 6

      Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Conductor: George Szell.
      • PICKWICK.
  • JΓ³n Leifs

    Icelandic Folk Dances, Op 11

    Orchestra: Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo VΓ€nskΓ€.
    • BIS.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Rondo in G, Op 51 No 2

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • NAIVE.
  • Franz Schubert

    Notturno for piano, violin and cello, D897

    Performer: Frederique Fontanarosa. Performer: Patrice Fontanarosa. Performer: Renaud Fontanarosa.
    • DECCA.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Gestille Sehnsucht, Op.91 no.1

    Singer: Jessye Norman. Performer: Wolfram Christ. Performer: Daniel Barenboim.
    • DG.
  • Omid Djalili's Choice No. 1

    • Gabriel FaurΓ©

      Pavane Op. 50

      Choir: Montreal Symphony Chorus. Orchestra: Orchestre symphonique de MontrΓ©al.
      • DECCA.
  • Omid Djalili's Choice No. 2

    • Edward Elgar

      Troyte, W.N. and Nimrod from Enigma Variations Op. 36

      Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.
      • CLASSICS FOR PLEASURE.
  • Igor Stravinsky

    Variations, 'Aldous Huxley in memoriam'

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Robert Craft.
    • NAXOS.
  • Ernest Chausson

    Poeme for violin and orchestra, op 25

    Performer: Itzhak Perlman. Orchestra: New York Philharmonic.
  • Artist of the Week: Grigory Sokolov

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Diabelli Variations, Op 120

      Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
      • NAIVE.

Mystery Person

Luciano Pavarotti

Broadcast

  • Wed 27 May 2015 09:00

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