Ep 25: Classical music rediscovers the guitar ; Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo
When Rodrigo wrote his guitar concerto the instrument had been mostly forgotten by classical composers - Not loud enough to keep up with the huge sound that modern orchestras were generating, and the ‘Marshall Stack’ wouldn’t be available for another few decades. Rodrigo reminded the world how expressive the guitar can be in the right hands with the right accompaniment and influenced a whole new generation of guitarists and composers.
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Ep 24: A musical march through the history of Rome ; Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
Most visitors to Rome can't help but be inspired by the city's unique personality and history. Very few are so inspired they knock out a series of orchestral tone poems, but that's exactly what Ottorino Respighi did after moving there in 1913. This episode explores the meaning behind the second and most famous of these tone poems: Pines of Rome. A series of musical snapshots that take you on a journey through Rome's fascinating history, and still the cheapest way of visiting it without buying a plane ticket, or time machine.
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Ep 23: Classical music meets the machine ; Boléro by Maurice Ravel.
A steady beat and a catchy tune are unremarkable these days, but when Ravel wrote Boléro, repetition was radical. Did Ravel predict the future of popular music in a brilliant lightbulb moment? Or was he just being, well, a bit lazy? Is it deceptively complex or outrageously simple? Or both? What does Boléro tell us about how this eccentric French composer ticked? Let’s find out.
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Ep 22: A message to humanity: Symphony No.9 by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
Anthem of Anthems, Symphony of Symphonies - The Ninth barely needs introduction. It is the final work of a certified genius, full of innovation and beauty, with an influence on music that is still felt to this day. And its message of brotherhood and humanity is no less relevant. But it’s not all sunshine and roses, the story of Beethoven’s Ninth is one of deep contradictions and personal struggle.
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Ep 21: Sometimes the worst behaviour has the best soundtrack "Carmen by Georges Bizet"
What happens when a Frenchman writes a Greek tragedy, in an Italian style, about the ultimate Spanish Siren? It’s not the set up to a bad joke, it’s the set up to CARMEN - the spiciest opera ever written.
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Ep 20: Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Number 2 “From misery to melody.”
Tortured by a lack of confidence and an oversupply of vodka, Rachmaninoff was at rock bottom. This is the story of how he not only crawled back from the brink, but managed to drag a musical masterpiece along with him.
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Ep19: Antonio Vivaldi - The Four Seasons “How Vivaldi took the world by storm.. sun, snow, and rain.”
Groundbreaking, highly innovative, hugely influential, and loved by millions - But the genius of Antonio Vivaldi was almost overlooked by history. This episode tells the story of Vivaldi’s most iconic work.
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Ep 18 : “Why would a composer cancel his own music? Camille Saint-Saëns - Carnival of the Animals.”
It’s 1886 and by now 51 years old Camille Saint-Saëns is a serious public figure. A conservative composer of traditional music ... or is he?
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Ep 17 : “The Medieval Wheel of Fortune - Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.”
Although inspired by an obscure book of poetry from an even more obscure religious sect, the message in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is surprisingly relevant to modern audiences: no one is immune to the whims of Lady Luck.
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Epi 16 : “1924-The year Jazz crashed Classical Music’s party - Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin.”
George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue captured the spirit of American culture and art in the early 20th century - Exuberant, restless innovation, and a healthy disregard for the rulebook.
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Ep 15 : “The Mysterious Mr Elgar-The Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar”
How to win friends and influence people! They say great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget. Well, not if you're Edward Elgar. He counted up his friends. He gave them each a theme tune. He threw in an enigma. And he dazzled (and mystified...) generations to come.
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