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The Viola - Music's Secret Fire

Tom Service sets out to understand how the often overlooked viola can unlock music's secret fire.

Describing it as 'music's secret fire', Tom Service explores the world of the viola. Speaking to Lawrence Power, one of the world's great viola players, who has commissioned numerous works for his instrument, and Sally Beamish, viola player and composer, Tom sets out to unlock the key to the viola's elusive sound and to understand how it can drive the energy of the orchestra.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Fri 3 Feb 2023 16:30
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Suite for viola and small orchestra: Prelude

    Performer: Lawrence Power. Performer: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Martyn Brabbins.
    • Hyperion.
    • CDA 67839.

  • William Walton

    Concerto for viola and orchestra: 1st movement

    Performer: William Primrose. Performer: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.
    • NAXOS.
    • 8110316.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Sonata in F minor Op.120`1 for clarinet or viola and piano: 4th movement, Vivace

    Performer: Lawrence Power. Performer: Simon Crawford‐Phillips.
    • HYPERION.
    • CDA-67584.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Quartet in C major K.465 (Dissonance) for strings: 2nd movement, Andante cantabile

    Performer: Heutling String Quartet.
    • EMI.
    • 387920-2.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia concertante in E flat major K.364 for violin, viola and orchestra: 2nd movement, Andante

    Performer: Vilde Frang. Performer: Maxim Rysanov. Performer: Arcangelo. Performer: Jonathan Cohen.
    • WARNER.
    • 2564-627677.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Harold en Italie - symphony Op.16 for viola and orchestra: 3rd movement, Serenade

    Performer: GΓ©rard CaussΓ©. Performer: Toulouse Capitole Orchestra. Conductor: Michel Plasson.
    • EMI.
    • 3714672.

  • Hector Berlioz

    Harold en Italie - symphony Op.16 for viola and orchestra: 1st movement, Harold aux montagnes

    Performer: GΓ©rard CaussΓ©. Performer: Toulouse Capitole Orchestra. Conductor: Michel Plasson.
    • EMI.
    • 3714672.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Flos campi - suite for viola, small chorus and orchestra

    Performer: Sarah Jeffrey. Performer: Teng Li. Performer: Elmer Iseler Singers. Performer: Toronto S O. Conductor: Peter Oundjian.
    • Chandos.
    • CHSA 5201.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Elegie for viola (or violin) solo

    Performer: Dana Zemtsov.
    • CHANNEL CLASSICS.
    • CCSSA-35714.

  • Sally Beamish

    Concerto no. 2 for viola and orchestra: 1st movement

    Performer: Tabea Zimmermann. Performer: Swedish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Ola Rudner.
    • BIS.
    • BISCD-1241.

  • Lou Reed

    Venus In Furs

    Performer: The Velvet Underground.
    • SIRE.
    • W0224CD.

  • GΓ©rard Grisey

    Les Espaces acoustiques

    Conductor: Stefan Asbury. Performer: Garth Knox. Performer: Asko Ensemble. Performer: SWR Rundfunkorchester Kaiserslautern.
    • KAIROS.
    • KAI0012422.

  • Alicia Keys

    If I Ain't Got You

    Music Arranger: N/A. Performer: That Viola Kid (Drew Alexander Ford).

  • George Benjamin

    Viola, viola for 2 violas

    Performer: Misha Amory. Performer: Hsin-Yun Huang.
    • BRIDGE.
    • BRIDGE-9387.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Flos campi - suite for viola, small chorus and orchestra: final movement

    Performer: Sarah Jeffrey. Performer: Teng Li. Performer: Elmer Iseler Singers. Performer: Toronto S O. Conductor: Peter Oundjian.
    • Chandos.
    • CHSA 5201.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Mar 2021 17:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Fri 12 Mar 2021 16:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sun 29 Jan 2023 17:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Fri 3 Feb 2023 16:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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