Robert Simpson (1921-97)
Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Robert Simpson, in his centenary year
Robert Simpson - once described as "Britain's most important composer since Vaughan Williams", and "one of the century's most powerful and original symphonists" - was a man of integrity, a champion of lesser-known composers, and a man who lived his own life by strict principles: pacifism, socialism and what he called "anti-pessimism". This week, in Simpson's centenary year, Donald Macleod looks back at the life and work of Robert Simpson - from his childhood in the Salvation Army, to his experiences as a conscientious objector during the Second World War. He explores Simpson's writings on music and on life, and his time working at the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ, before his break from the Corporation and from this country. Along the way we'll hear from Simpson's considerable body of work, which included no fewer than 11 Symphonies and 15 String Quartets.
Music Featured:
Symphony No 4 (II. Presto)
In Media Morte in Vita Sumus
Energy (IV. Allegro molto; V. Presto vivo)
Symphony No 6 (excerpt)
Canzona for Brass
Symphony No 1 (excerpt)
String Quartet No 10 βfor peaceβ (III. Molto Adagio)
Symphony No 5 (Canone II β Adagio)
Piano Sonata (III. Allegro Vivace)
Allegro Deciso for String Orchestra
The Four Temperaments (I. Scherzo (Sanguine); II. Intermezzo Allegro (Phlegmatic))
Symphony No 3 (II. Adagio β Andante β Allegretto)
String Quartet No 6 (I. Adagio)
Symphony No 8 (II. Scherzo)
Michael Tippett, His Mystery
Variations on a theme by Carl Nielsen
Eppur si muove for organ (Ricercar)
String Quartet No 13 (IV. Andante)
Symphony No 9 (excerpt)
Quintet for Clarinet, Bass Clarinet and String Trio (I. Adagio tranquillo)
Symphony 7 (excerpt)
Vortex
Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Sam Phillips
For full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Robert Simpson (1921-97) /programmes/m000wkyc
And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers weβve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z
Podcast
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Composer of the Week
Donald Macleod explores the life and work of composers.