Wednesday - Rob Cowan with Mike Figgis
With Rob Cowan. Including Musical challenge; Music on Location: Barber's Antony and Cleopatra; Artist of the Week: Solomon Cutner, featured in Chopin's Fantaisie, Op 49.
9am
Rob sets the tone and mood of the day's programme with a range of music to intrigue, surprise and entertain.
9.30
Take part in today's musical challenge: two pieces of music are played together - can you identify them?
10am
Rob's guest this week is the film director, writer, photographer and composer Mike Figgis. Mike is best known as the director of films such as Leaving Las Vegas and Internal Affairs, but he came to film after many years in music and theatre. He plays the piano, guitar and trumpet and has played and recorded with various bands in London and France, including a 'free jazz' group. For a decade Mike was a member of the People Show, a long-running experimental theatre group based in London, and has directed operas for the Manchester International Music Festival and English National Opera. As well as discussing his life and work, Mike shares some of his favourite classical music throughout the week by composers including Ives, Zelenka and Schubert.
10.30
Music on Location: New York
In 1966 the Metropolitan Opera moved to its current home in the Lincoln Center. Rob shares part of Barber's opera Antony and Cleopatra, which was commissioned for that 'opening' opening night.
11am
Rob's featured artist is one of Britain's greatest pianists, Solomon Cutner - known to audiences simply as Solomon. He rose from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of his profession, and was en route to recording all of Beethoven's piano sonatas when tragedy struck; he suffered a severe stroke, and for the next 32 years Solomon the pianist was forced to become Solomon the concert-goer and listener. Solomon was a prime example of the notion that less is more; his reading of Beethoven's 'Waldstein' Sonata is perfectly proportioned, his Liszt and Chopin compelling but never sentimental, his Schubert abundantly lyrical, while in chamber music - especially with the cellist Gregor Piatigorsky - Solomon was the ideal duo partner. His performances are dignified and musically persuasive making his recordings well worth revisiting.
Chopin
Fantaisie in F minor, Op.49
Solomon (piano).
Last on
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Music Played
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Eric Coates
The Merrymakers
Orchestra: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.- IMP.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Rondo in G, Op.51 No .2
Performer: Hans Richter-Haaser.- EMI.
-
Michael Haydn
Missa pro tempore quadragesimae, for chorus and organ
Performer: David Van Bouwel. Choir: Ex Tempore. Ensemble: Academia Palatina. Conductor: Florian Heyerick.- ETCETERA.
-
Joseph Haydn
Divertimento for cello and orchestra
Performer: Gregor Piatigorsky. Orchestra: Orchestra.- SONY.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Chaconne from Partita No.2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV 1004
Performer: AndrΓ©s Segovia. Music Arranger: AndrΓ©s Segovia.- DG.
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MIke FIggis's Choice
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Grosse Fuge, Op.133
Ensemble: Emerson String Quartet.- DG.
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Antonio Vivaldi
Concerto in D minor, RV 566
Performer: Fabio Biondi, violin and direction. Orchestra: Europa Galante. -
Music On Location: Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Centre, New York
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Samuel Barber
Give me my robe (Antony and Cleopatra)
Singer: Leontyne Price. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Schippers.- RCA.
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Thomas Tallis
Gaude gloriosa
Choir: La chapelle du Roi. Conductor: Alistair Dixon. -
Artist of the Week: Solomon
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FrΓ©dΓ©ric Chopin
Fantasy in F minor, Op.49
Performer: Solomon.- AUDITE.
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Fritz Kreisler
Caprice viennois
Performer: Henryk Szeryng. Performer: Charles Reiner.- Mercury Living Presence.
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Johannes Brahms
Symphony No 4 in E minor, Op 98
Orchestra: North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: GΓΌnter Wand.
Musical Challenge: Heard on Screen
Broadcast
- Wed 5 Jul 2017 09:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3