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Suzy Klein explores how music's power to stir emotions gave it a crucial role in politics in the volatile years after the Russian Revolution and World War I.

In the first episode of this fascinating and entertaining series exploring the politics of music, Suzy Klein takes us back to the volatile years following the Russian Revolution and World War I, when music was seen as a tool to change society.

Suzy explores the gender-bending cabarets of 1920s Berlin, smashes a piano in the spirit of the Bolshevik revolution, and discovers that playing a theremin is harder than it looks. She also reveals why one orchestra decided to work without a conductor, uncovers the dark politics behind Mack the Knife and probes the satirical songs which tried to puncture the rise of the Nazis. Finally, she tells the story of the infamous Horst Wessel song, which helped bring Hitler to power.

Suzy's musical stories are richly brought to life with the help of the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales and its Chorus, as well as wonderful solo performers. This was a golden age for music, and its jazz, popular songs, experimental symphonies and classics like Rachmaninoff all provoke debate - what kind of culture do we want? Is music for the elite or for the people? Was this a new age of liberal freedom to be relished - or were we hurtling towards the apocalypse?

With music's incredible power to bypass our brains and get straight to our hearts, it can at once invoke the very best in us and, Suzy argues, inflame the very worst. Music lovers beware!

1 hour

Last on

Thu 14 May 2020 18:00
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Clips

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Appassionata Sonata No 23

    Performer: Suzy Klein.

  • Richard Wagner

    Die Walkure: Walkurenritt - The Valkyrie - Ride Of The Valkyries

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony No. 5 in D-Minor Op. 47

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • William Walton

    Prelude And Fugue - 'the Spitfire'

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Richard Strauss

    Metamorphosen

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Friedrich Hollaender

    Raus Mit Den Maennern

    Performer: Sigrid Grajek.

  • Eric Borchard

    Aggravatin Papa (1924)

    Performer: Eric Borchard.

  • Julian Fuhs

    Look! Who's Here (1925)

    Performer: Julian Fuhs und sein Orchester.

  • Berliner Philharmoniker

    Blues (From Dance Suite)

  • Kurt Tucholsky

    Rote Melodie

    Performer: Kate Kuhl.

  • Berliner Philharmoniker

    Blues (From Dance Suite)

  • Mischa Spoliansky

    The Lavender Song (1920)

    Performer: Le Poustra. Performer: Suzy Klein.

  • Horst Platen

    Hannelore

    Performer: Claire Waldoff.

  • Horst Platen

    Hannelore

    Performer: Sigrid Grajek.

  • Pierre Degeyter

    The Internationale

    Performer: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Chorus of Wales. Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Pierre Degeyter

    The Internationale

    Performer: Bolshoi Theater Chorus. Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra.

  • unknown

    Track 8

    Performer: unknown.

  • Modest Mussorgsky

    Gopak

    Performer: SlovenskΓ‘ filharmΓ³nia.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    PΓ©trouchka, Tableau 1: Danse Russe

    Performer: Sir Simon Rattle. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

  • Alexander Mosolov

    Piano Sonata No4 Op11

    Performer: Olga Andryushchenko.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    The Appassionata: Sonatas 8, 17 & 23

    Performer: Ingrid Fliter.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Prelude In C Sharp Minor

    Performer: Daniel Petrov.

  • Camille Saint‐SaΓ«ns

    The Swan

    Performer: Peter Theremin.

  • Arseny Avraamov

    Baku: Symphony Of Sirens

    Performer: Arseny Avraamov.

  • V Umans

    Vow-Vow

    Performer: Ama-Jazz.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Symphony No.2 In E-Minor Op.27 Movement Ii - Allegro Molto

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Kurt Weill

    Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)- Prelude: Overture

    Performer: Jan Latham-Koenig. Orchestra: The Konig Ensemble.

  • Kurt Weill

    Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (Mack The Knife)

    Performer: Stefan Kurt.

  • Kurt Weill

    Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (Mack The Knife)

    Performer: Bertolt Brecht.

  • Kurt Weill

    The Threepenny Opera - The Ballad Of Mack The Knife

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

  • Franz LehΓ‘r

    Dein Ist Mein Ganzes (You Are My Heart's Delight)

    Orchestra: Jack Hylton & His Orchestra.

  • Werner Richard Heymann

    Eine Nacht In Monte Carlo

    Orchestra: Mark Webber And His Orchestra.

  • Friedrich Hollaender

    It's All The Fault Of The Jews (An Allem Sind Die Juden Schuld!)

    Performer: Suzy Klein. Performer: Sigrid Grajek.

  • Horst Wessel

    Horst Wessel Lied

    Performer: Suzy Klein.

  • Horst Wessel

    Horst Wessel Lied/ Die Fahne Hoch

    Performer: Band of S.Strumbann X11.

  • Horst Wessel

    Horst Wessel Lied

    Performer: Suzy Klein.

  • Kurt Weill

    The Threepenny Opera - The Ballad Of Mack The Knife

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales.

Credits

Presenter Suzy Klein
Orchestra ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales
Choir ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Chorus of Wales
Conductor Otto Tausk
Interviewed Guest Sigrid Grajek
Music Group Le Pustra
Interviewed Guest Peter Aidu
Interviewed Guest Peter Theremin
Musician Stefan Kurt
Interviewed Guest Hans-Jorn Brandenburg
Director Helena Braun
Executive Producer Archie Baron
Executive Producer Debbie Lee

Broadcasts

Featured in...

Tunes for Tyrants - The Music

Tunes for Tyrants - The Music

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Music presents longer extracts from some of the key performances from this series.