Programme Information
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Programme information Saturday 26th September to Friday 2nd October 2020 WEEK 40 John Cleese | credit: Andy Gotts MOIRA STUART MEETS… JOHN CLEESE Sunday 27th September, 9pm to 10pm Moira Stuart concludes the first series of her interview programme. In the final show for now, Moira meets actor, comedian and writer John Cleese (above), best known for his roles writing and starring in Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, alongside children’s films including the Shrek and Harry Potter franchises. Moira and John discuss the music and performers who influenced him in his early career, and the works famously used in Monty Python sketches, such as Sousa’s Liberty Bell March, and Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube. Classic FM is available across the UK on 100-102 FM, DAB digital radio and TV, at ClassicFM.com, and on the Classic FM and Global Player apps. 1 WEEK 40 SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 3pm to 5pm: MOIRA STUART’S HALL OF FAME CONCERT Moira celebrates the birthday of composer George Gershwin, born on this day in 1898, with a showstopping performance of his Rhapsody in Blue from Jean-Yves Thibaudet, accompanied by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop. Elsewhere, two very different John Williams star, as the guitarist plays Tarrega’s Recuerdos de la Alhambra, before we hear the film composer’s theme for Seven Years in Tibet, and Mariss Jansons conducts the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra in a full performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5. Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis Andrew Manze conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Johann Sebastian Bach Concerto in D minor for 2 violins BWV.1043 Violins: Anne-Sophie Mutter and Salvatore Accardo English Chamber Orchestra George Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue Piano: Jean-Yves Thibaudet Marin Alsop conducts the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Giacomo Puccini ‘E lucevan le stelle’ (From Tosca) Tenor: Jonas Kaufmann Marco Armiliato conducts. The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Francisco Tarrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra Guitar: John Williams Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5 in E minor Opus 64 Mariss Jansons conducts the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra John Williams Seven Years in Tibet Cello: Yo-Yo Ma John Williams conducts a studio orchestra 2 SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 5pm to 7pm: SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES with ANDREW COLLINS Andrew continues his survey of the best movie scores across the decades, tonight playing film music from the 1990s and 2000s. The soundtracks for blockbusters such as Craig Armstrong’s Romeo + Juliet, James Horner’s Titanic, and Thomas Newman’s The Shawshank Redemption all feature. The second half of the programme includes Klaus Badelt’s iconic theme for Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as Hans Zimmer’s moving score to Ridley Scott’s masterpiece released in 2000, Gladiator. 7pm to 9pm: COWAN’S CLASSICS with ROB COWAN Rob marks the anniversary of one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, Fritz Wunderlich, born 90 years ago today; we hear him sing Schubert. Also on the programme are the combined forces of two great Czech string quartets, the Janáček Quartet and the Smetana Quartet, performing music by a teenage Mendelssohn, and an exhilarating performance of Mambo from Bernstein’s West Side Story from the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel. 9pm to 10pm: BEETHOVEN: THE MAN REVEALED with JOHN SUCHET (38 / 52) John continues to tell the story of Beethoven through the eventful year of 1812. The composer meets his literary hero, the German poet Goethe, but they do not get on. That doesn’t stop Beethoven continuing to compose music based on his poetry however, as John demonstrates when he plays a real rarity. He also reveals Beethoven’s reaction when he received a letter from his brother, informing him that he intended to marry the mother of an illegitimate child. What followed was a confrontation, a meeting with a Bishop, and a piece of music that perhaps reflected the great composer’s temperament at the time. It isn’t all low mood, though. John also plays the finale to the joyous symphony that Beethoven was also composing that year; his Symphony No.8. 3 SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 3pm to 5pm: JOHN HUMPHRYS John marks the anniversary of two significant classical music premieres: the first performance of Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Greensleeves, conducted by the composer in London in 1934; and then Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet No.3, which debuted on this day in 1797 in Eisenstadt in Austria. John also plays music from the latest album by a multi-award winning classical guitarist – Xuefei Yang’s Sketches of China. 5pm to 7pm: DAVID MELLOR David plays tribute to the Australian conductor Richard Bonynge, who turns 90 next week. He shares personal anecdotes of the great musician, and plays recordings from across his illustrious career, including excerpts from Verdi’s Othello, and Minkus’ La Bayadère. 7pm to 9pm: SMOOTH CLASSICS AT SEVEN with CHARLOTTE HAWKINS Charlotte presents a selection of laidback music, specially selected to provide a moment of calm and relaxation before thoughts turn to Monday morning. Charlotte's Young Classical Star is the 25-year-old pianist Tyler Hay. In 2016, he won the esteemed Gold Medal competition at the Royal Northern College of Music, and played in the prize winner's concert at Wigmore Hall. Since then, he has performed some of the most demanding works in the repertoire at Cadogan Hall, the Southbank Centre and the Queen Elizabeth Hall. 9pm to 10pm: MOIRA STUART MEETS… JOHN CLEESE (8 / 8) Moira Stuart concludes the first series of her interview programme. Moira has spoken with some of the most well-known names from the worlds of the arts, politics, sport and entertainment. In the final programme of the series, Moira meets actor, comedian and writer John Cleese, best known for his roles writing and starring in Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, alongside children’s films including the Shrek and Harry Potter franchises. Moira and John discuss the music and performers who influenced him in his early career, and the works famously used in Monty Python sketches, such as Sousa’s Liberty Bell March, and Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube. 4 MONDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: COMPOSER RIVALRIES This evening the gloves come off, as John explores some of the most notorious rivalries and feuds between great composers. The programme begins with the overture to The Magic Flute by Mozart, whose legendary and complex relationship with Salieri has been immortalised on stage and screen. After, music by Brahms, who had a peculiar skill for ruffling the feathers of his contemporaries, including Liszt and Tchaikovsky, the latter composer describing his music as “repellent to Russian hearts”. The programme culminates in a performance of Copland’s Rodeo – 4 Dance Episodes, and music by Vaughan Williams, about whom Copland gave one of the most cutting reviews: “Listening to the fifth symphony of Ralph Vaughan Williams is like staring at a cow pat”. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Magic Flute – Overture Claudio Abbado conducts the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Antonio Salieri Flute & Oboe Concerto in C major Flute: Susan Milan Oboe: David Theodore Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia Johannes Brahms Academic Festival Overture Opus 80 Marin Alsop conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra Franz Listz Consolation No.3 Piano: George Li Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings in C major Opus 48 Neeme Järvi conducts the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Aaron Copland Rodeo – 4 Dance Episodes Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra Ralph Vaughan Williams English Folksong Suite John Wilson conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra 5 TUESDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER 8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: RICHARD BONYNGE – A 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION John presents a very special celebration of the great conductor Richard Bonynge, in honour of his 90th birthday that falls today. We hear several recordings from his long partnership with the National Philharmonic Orchestra, including Lehár’s overture to The Merry Widow, Weber’s Invitation to the Dance, and Les Sylphides – Glazunov’s arrangement of Chopin’s piano works. There’s also a Verdi favourite from Bonynge’s professional and personal partner, Joan Sutherland, and he joins forces with the new generation of great musicians in a performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto, with soloist Simon Tedeschi. Franz Lehár The Merry Widow – Overture Richard Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor Opus 16 Piano: Simon Tedeschi Richard Bonynge conducts the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Carl Maria von Weber Invitation to the Dance Opus 65 Richard Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra Frédéric Chopin Les Sylphides Richard Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra Giuseppe Verdi ‘Libiamo ne’lieti calici’ (From La Traviata) Soprano: Joan Sutherland Tenor: Luciano Pavarotti Richard Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra and London Opera Chorus Paul Lincke Gavotte Pavlova Richard Bonynge conducts the London Symphony Orchestra Benjamin Britten Matinées Musicales Opus 24 Richard Bonynge conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra 6 WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: VARIATIONS ON A THEME John explores a programme of composers who adapted, enhanced and repurposed melodies to great effect. To begin, Vaughan Williams’ loving tribute to Thomas Tallis, which is based on a Psalter by the favourite composer of Queen Elizabeth I, in a performance from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra led by Pinchas Zukerman, before a mystery theme adapted by Elgar in his ‘Enigma’ variations. Later in the programme, Franz Bendel pays homage to Chopin, and Yuja Wang is the soloist in Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, the most famous of many works based on Paganini’s Caprice No.24.