Programme Information

Programme information

Saturday 3rd October to Friday 9th October 2020

WEEK 41

Chi-chi Nwanoku | Classic FM

CHI-CHI’S CLASSICAL CHAMPIONS (1 / 6)

Sunday 4th October, 9pm to 10pm

Classic FM launches a brand-new Sunday night series with Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, the renowned double-bass player and founder of the Chineke! Foundation, who makes her presenting debut on the UK’s most popular classical music station.

Chi-chi’s Classical Champions shines the spotlight on Black, Asian & ethnically diverse composers and performers – those who have enjoyed success, as well as those yet to receive recognition. Each week, Chi-chi champions brilliant music; tells the stories behind the works and performances, and plays a varied range of recordings – all personally chosen by her – by artists from diverse backgrounds from the 16th century up to the present day.

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 41

SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER

3pm to 5pm: MOIRA STUART’S HALL OF FAME CONCERT

Moira presents an all-British programme of music from the Classic FM Hall of Fame, beginning with John Barry, and his music from the film Dances with Wolves, which was released thirty years ago this month, before a moment for the clarinet to shine in Finzi’s 5 Bagatelles.

Moira also shines the spotlight on some of the country’s greatest young musicians, as star cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Elgar’s Cello Concerto, and Edward Gardner conducts the National Youth Orchestra in Holst’s showstopper The Planets.

John Barry Dances with Wolves – John Dunbar Theme Paul Bateman conducts the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Gerald Finzi 5 Bagatelles Opus 23 Clarinet: Robert Plane Howard Griffiths conducts the Royal Northern Sinfonia

Edward Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor Opus 85 Cello: Sheku Kanneh-Mason Simon Rattle conducts the London Symphony Orchestra

Ronald Binge Elizabethan Serenade Ian Sutherland conducts the Philharmonic Concert Orchestra

Karl Jenkins Adiemus Flute: Emma Halnan Karl Jenkins conducts the Adiemus Symphony Orchestra of Europe and London Philharmonic Choir

Gustav Holst The Planets Opus 32 Edward Gardner conducts the National Youth Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Youth Chorus

2 SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER

5pm to 7pm: SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES with ANDREW COLLINS

Andrew plays scores from films that have a real-life character as their protagonist: otherwise known as biopics. He starts with John Williams’ timeless melody from Stephen Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, which recently topped the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame. Maurice Jarre’s music from Lawrence of Arabia, and a work by Mozart, which underscored the Oscar-winning film Amadeus also feature.

7pm to 9pm: COWAN’S CLASSICS with ROB COWAN

The programme begins with legendary German pianist Wilhelm Kempff performing one of Schubert’s sparkling masterworks, the Impromptu in A-flat major D.935 No.2. Rob recalls the fascinating story of Dvořák’s long-lost symphony, his Symphony No. 1, performed by the German Radio Philharmonic Saarbrücken Kaiserlautern, under Karel Mark Chichon; and finishes with Dame Myra Hess’ colourful arrangement of Bach’s chorale ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’.

9pm to 10pm: BEETHOVEN: THE MAN REVEALED with JOHN SUCHET (39 / 52)

John explores the friendship between Beethoven and the German-born inventor and showman, Johann Nepomuk Malzel. Malzel has gone down in history as the probable inventor of the metronome, so John plays part of Beethoven’s Symphony No.8, said to be inspired by the metronome’s tick-tock rhythm. He also reveals the unusual piece that the great composer wrote for Malzel’s newly-invented “mechanical orchestra”.

Later, he tells the story of the disastrous concert that lead to Beethoven realising, for the first time, that deafness meant his performing days were over.

3 SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER

3pm to 5pm: JOHN HUMPHRYS

John marks the anniversary of the premiere of American composer Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, with its most popular movement, based on the Shaker theme ‘Simple Gifts’.

He then stays Stateside, with a celebration of the music of one of the greatest voices to take to the American stage; as soprano Kathleen Battle performs Mozart. Finally, John discovers a new recording from the multi-award winning violinist Daniel Hope, whose latest album was recorded in his living room during lockdown.

5pm to 7pm: DAVID MELLOR

Join David as he presents a specially curated selection of music perfect for a Sunday afternoon, including personal favourites, exciting new releases and rediscovered gems from his musical archive.

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 at the end of the weekend.

Charlotte shines a light on the US-born classical guitarist and conductor Michael Poll as her Young Classical Star. His debut guitar album, 7-String Bach, features Bach’s lute works played on a guitar, and was praised as “masterful” by Gramophone magazine. Michael also swaps the guitar for the baton from time to time, including leading Bloomsbury Opera’s 2018 production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, but tonight we hear him with his first love, the guitar.

4 SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER

9pm to 10pm: CHI-CHI’S CLASSICAL CHAMPIONS (1 / 6)

The series is focused on classical compositions that haven’t always had a platform – with the central aim that music featured will be broadcast on other programmes across Classic FM’s schedule.

The inaugural programme opens with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor, which was premiered at the Three Choirs Festival in 1898 after the composer was recommended to the festival by Edward Elgar. There’s then music by the first known female Brazilian composer, Chiquinha Gonzaga, followed by a celebrated recording of Handel featuring the soprano Kathleen Battle and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The programme concludes with pieces by Florence Price, Adolphus Hailstork and Fela Sowande respectively.

5 MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: LIVE IN L.A. – PART 1

John begins the second week of Classic FM’s Live Music Month stateside, for the third of three nights with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, one of America’s finest ensembles, and a selection of their electrifying recordings captured live in concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

In her debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Nathalie Stutzmann conducts an all-Beethoven programme, recorded in January 2020 as part of the orchestra’s Beethoven 250 celebrations. To begin, the Coriolan Overture, before Grammy-winning pianist Emanuel Ax takes to the stage for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3, and the programme ends with a full performance of the composer’s Symphony No.5.

Ludwig van Beethoven Coriolan Overture Opus 62 Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor Opus 37 Piano: Emanuel Ax Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.5 in C minor Opus 67 Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

6 TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: LIVE IN L.A. – PART 2

For the second night across the pond with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra as part of Classic FM’s Live Music Month, Music Director of the orchestra since 2009, Gustavo Dudamel, conducts an American favourite: Copland’s Appalachian Spring.

Before that, young star pianist Daniil Trifoniv joins him on-stage for a sparkling performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1, and later the orchestra’s concertmaster Martin Chalifour takes on the role of soloist in Telemann’s Violin Concerto in A major, nicknamed ‘The Frogs’.

Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor Opus 23 Piano: Daniil Trifonov Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Aaron Copland Appalachian Spring: Suite Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Georg-Philip Telemann Violin Concerto in A major ‘The Frogs’ Violin: Martin Chalifour Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

7 WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: LIVE IN L.A. – PART 3

For the final night in the company of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as part of Classic FM’s Live Music Month, John begins with a work by the man called “the Dean of American Composers” by his contemporaries: Aaron Copland.

We hear his Fanfare for the Common Man, inspired by a speech made by then American Vice President Henry Wallace in 1942, in a live recording from Walt Disney Hall in October 2019, before Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki directs the orchestra in Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’ symphony.

To end the programme, Bach’s Violin Concerto in G minor, adapted from one of his many keyboard concertos, and performed by Martin Chalifour in a live performance from January 2020.

Aaron Copland Fanfare for the Common Man Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No.3 in E-flat major Opus 55 (‘Eroica’) Susanna Mälkki conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

Johann Sebastian Bach Violin Concerto in G minor BWV.1056a Violin: Martin Chalifour Emmanuelle Haïm conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

8 THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: LIVE ON THE SOUTHBANK

As part of Classic FM’s Live Music Month, John presents a programme of live recordings from the Royal Festival Hall at the Southbank Centre, one of London’s greatest spots for classical music. Like many other venues it has felt the damaging effects of the Covid-19 crisis, so tonight John celebrates the good times, with hope for the future.

The programme begins with the overture to Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro, recorded by Carlo Maria Giulini and the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1981, before John Eliot Gardiner’s critically acclaimed live concert recording of Brahms’ Symphony No.4.

Later, Vladimir Horowitz is the star soloist in Schumann’s Kinderszenen, and there’s a folk-inspired Dvořák rarity from Charles MacKerras and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, recorded live in concert in 1992.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Marriage of Figaro – Overture Carlo Maria Giulini conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra

Johannes Brahms Symphony No.4 in E minor Opus 98 John Eliot Gardiner conducts the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique

Robert Schumann Kinderszenen Opus 15 Piano: Vladimir Horowitz Recorded live at RFH on 22nd May 1982

Antonín Dvořák Symphonic Variations Opus 78 Charles Mackerras conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra Recorded live at RFH on 24th April 1992

10pm to 1am: SMOOTH CLASSICS WITH LUCY COWARD

This evening, Lucy Coward invites you to join her for a special evening of Smooth Classics from the small screen.

Themes from past and present favourites feature, including historical dramas Victoria and The Crown, nature documentaries Blue Planet and Our Planet, and mystery series’ Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, Poirot, Lewis, Silent Witness and Broadchurch.

9 FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: JOHN WILLIAMS LIVE IN VIENNA

It was the famous film director Steven Spielberg who once said, "Without John Williams, bikes don't really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe."

Tonight on Classic FM, it’s a John Williams celebration, as we hear a full live concert with the man himself conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Vienna Musikverein in January 2020.

Williams conducts one of the world’s greatest orchestras in showstopping performances of his best-known soundtracks, including Hook, Star Wars, E.T, and Jaws, and star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter joins him on stage for new arrangements of themes from The Witches of Eastwick and Indiana Jones.

John Williams Hook – Flight to Neverland

John Williams Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Suite

John Williams The Witches of Eastwick – Devil’s Dance Violin: Anne-Sophie Mutter

John Williams E.T – Adventures on Earth

John Williams Jurassic Park – Theme

John Williams War Horse – Dartmoor, 1912

John Williams Jaws – Main Title and The Chase

John Williams Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark – Marion’s Theme

John Williams Star Wars – Main Theme

John Williams Star Wars Episode VIII – The Rebellion is Reborn

Continued…

FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

8pm to 10pm: THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT with JOHN SUCHET: JOHN WILLIAMS LIVE IN VIENNA

Continued…

John Williams Star Wars Episode VI – Luke and Leia

John Williams Star Wars Episode V – The Imperial March

John Williams Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark – Raider’s March Violin: Anne-Sophie Mutter

John Williams conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra