Composer of the Week

This week, Kate Molleson explores the life and music of Sergey Prokofiev – a composer whose imagination shaped some of the most vivid music of the 20th century. From childhood stories in rural Ukraine to bold experiments at the St Petersburg Conservatory, from revolutionary Russia to the bright lights of New York, and finally to his dramatic homecoming, Prokofiev’s journey is full of ambition, upheaval and colour. We hear music that tells tales – fairytales, fantasies and fragments of real life – revealing a composer who never stopped dreaming.Troika (from Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60) Cinderella Suite, Op. 87 The Winter Bonfire, Op. 122: IV–VIII Music for Children, Op. 65: Nos. 1–9 Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 Four Études, Op. 2 Autumnal Sketch Piano Concerto No. 1 in D flat major, Op. 10 The Ugly Duckling, Op. 18 Cinderella Suite No. 1, Op. 107: IV. Fairy Godmother and Winter Fairy Symphony No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 'Classical' Seven, They Are Seven, Op. 30 Scythian Suite, Op. 20: I–II Old Grandmother’s Tales, Op. 31: Nos. 1–4 Overture on Hebrew Themes The Love of Three Oranges: Suite Five Songs Without Words Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63: II. Andante assai Le Pas d’acier Suite, Op 41a: I, II The Prodigal Son, Op. 46, Scene 1: IV–VIII Romeo and Juliet: Dance of the KnightsPresented by Kate Molleson Produced by Ellie Ajao for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002n9nvAnd you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

This week, Donald Macleod visits Sir John Rutter at his Cambridgeshire home to celebrate his 80th birthday and explore the twists and turns of his extraordinary career. One of the most influential choral composers of the 20th and 21st centuries – and for many, the sound of Christmas – Rutter is also an international conductor, arranger, editor and producer, describing himself as a musical “magpie.” Across the week, we hear hallmark carols alongside music shaped by his life’s milestones: from childhood in London and formative years in Cambridge, to his long association with America, his response to personal tragedy, and his latest creative ventures. Music featured: Nativity Carol 4 Orchestral Miniatures: Dance to Your Daddy London Town: A Choral Celebration Shepherd’s Pipe Carol The Lord Bless You and Keep You Visions Cityscapes: Flower of Cities All Banquet Fugue (from The Reluctant Dragon) A Clare Benediction Reflections: Prelude What Sweeter Music Wind in the Willows (Extract – Opening) Somerset Wassail Candlelight Carol I’ll Make Me a World Gloria Cityscapes: Big Apple Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit Lord Make me an Instrument (arr. for orchestra) Requiem: Lux Aeterna Mass of the Children: Sanctus and Benedictus The Gift of Life: The Gift of Each Day There is a flower When Icicles Hang: Good Ale Bird Songs: If I were an Owl Dancing Tree (In My Garden) Celebration Overture All the Stars Looked Down Carol of the Magi Presented by Donald Macleod. Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC Audio Wales & West. 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 John Rutter (b 1945) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002mk0y. And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z.

This week, Kate Molleson explores the life and work of a musical giant – drummer and composer Max Roach – in the company of writer and broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre. Together they trace Roach’s extraordinary journey: from his early days at the heart of bebop alongside Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, through his pioneering role as a bandleader, his political activism during the civil rights era, and his later innovations in percussion and collaboration. Roach’s story is one of constant reinvention as performer, composer and activist, shaping jazz and beyond for more than half a century.Music includes: Dr Free-Zee (from Max Roach +4) Joy Spring (from Clifford Brown and Max Roach) Bu Dee Daht (from Coleman Hawkins: Rainbow Mist) Salt Peanuts (from Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker: Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945) Ko-Ko (from Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes) Bird Gets the Worm (from Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes) Move (from Miles Davis: The Complete Birth of the Cool) Cherokee (from Jazz at Massey Hall) Cou Manchi-Cou (from Max Roach Quartet, featuring Hank Mobley) Maximum (from In the Beginning) Daahoud (from Clifford Brown and Max Roach) Sandu (from Study in Brown) Take the A Train (from Study in Brown) Fleurette Africain (from Money Jungle) Driva’man (from We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite) Freedom Day (from We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite) Garvey’s Ghost (from Percussion Bitter Sweet) Lonesome Lover (from It’s Time: Max Roach, his Chorus and Orchestra) The Drum Also Waltzes (from Drums Unlimited) Libra (from Members Don’t Git Weary) Let Thy People Go (from Lift Every Voice and Sing) Joshua (from Lift Every Voice and Sing) A Quiet Place (from Collage) Double Delight (from Bright Moments) Spirit Possession (from Birth and Rebirth) Love is a Many Splendored Thing (from Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street) Presented by Kate Molleson. Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Audio Wales & West. 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 Max Roach (1924-2007) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002mb7w. And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z.

This week, Donald Macleod explores Wagner’s world of dreams – musical, romantic and revolutionary. Wagner didn’t just write operas; he imagined entire worlds, reshaping reality to fit his ideals. His stories blur fact and fantasy, turning myth into truth and politics into drama. From youthful ambitions and radical uprisings to scandal, patronage and the creation of Bayreuth, we follow a composer whose dreams were as grand as his music.Götterdämmerung, Act III: Siegfried’s Funeral March Die Feen, Act II: Weh uns, weh!; O musst du, Hoffnung, schwinden Piano Sonata in B-flat Major, WWV 21, Op. 1 (ii. Larghetto) Lohengrin, Act III: Prelude and Bridal Chorus Das Liebesverbot, Act 1: Kennst du das Leid der Elternlosen; Herbei, betrognes Volk The Flying Dutchman, Extract from Act III Rienzi, Overture Das Rheingold, Prelude and Scene 1 Tristan und Isolde, Act 3: Isoldes Liebestod Albumblatt (arr. August Wilhelmj) Huldigungsmarsch Lohengrin, Act III: In fernem Land “Grail Narration” Tristan und Isolde, Extract from Act II Siegfried, Love duet from Act III Scene 3 Parsifal, Act III Suite, ed. Abbado: Good Friday Music Siegfried, extract from Act II Scene 1 Kinder-Katechismus Die Walküre, Act III Scene 3: Wotan’s Farewell and Magic Fire MusicPresented by Donald Macleod. Produced by Ellie Ajao for BBC Audio Wales & West.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 Richard Wagner: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002m0kk.And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z.

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Elfrida Andrée, a Swedish composer and organist who fought for women’s rights in classical music. Featuring guests Anastasia Belina and Jonas Lundblad. Music Featured: Fritiof Suite Summer memories from Bjurslätt Piano Sonata in A, Op 3 An angel walks through the room Symphony No 1 Romance No 2 Serenade String Quartet in A major Chorale with variations in D minor Piano Quintet in E minor Andante quasi recitativo Swedish Mass No 1 Symphony No 2 Four Piano Pieces Symphony No 2 Piano Trio in G minor Organ Symphony No 1 in B minor Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Audio Wales & West 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 Elfrida Andrée (1841-1929): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002lnpf And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

This week, Donald Macleod explores the life and music of the often overlooked younger Haydn brother, Michael. From his early years in Vienna to his long tenure in Salzburg, Michael Haydn’s career was shaped by family ties, shifting patronage, and ecclesiastical politics. His relationship with the Mozart family ranged from friendly collaboration to bitter rivalry, and his music—both sacred and secular—reflected the changing demands of the church and court. As he aged, Michael faced new opportunities and challenges, including a long-awaited reunion with his brother Joseph and a prestigious job offer that stirred unexpected doubts.Requiem in C minor pro defuncto Archiepiscopo Sigismund, MH 155 Symphony No 32 in D Major, P 23 Missa Sancti Aloysii, MH 257 Concerto for Harpsichord and Viola in C major, MH 41 Missa Sanctae Crucis, MH 56 Symphony in B flat major, MH 82 Trumpet Concerto in C major, MH 60 Die Hochzeit auf der Alm Notturno in F major, MH 185 Missa Sancti Hieronymi Symphony No 24 in A major, P 15 Tenuisti manum, MH 695 Missa Quadragesimalis, MH 552 Divertimento in C major, P 98 Ninfe inbelli Missa Sancta Theresiae Der Obersulzer Wein, MH 697 Abendlied, MH 784 Trinklied im Freien, MH 790 Flute Concerto in D Major MH 81 Divertimento in C, MH 600 Missa sub titulo Sancti Leopoldi, MH 837 Endimione: Vado per un momento Presented by Donald Macleod. Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio Wales & West. 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 Michael Haydn https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002lcjr. And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z.

To celebrate the centenary of his birth, Kate Molleson explores the life and music of one of most influential figures in all of modern music – Luciano Berio. Berio’s music is lyrical and expressive, while never ignoring the most advanced techniques and technologies of his time. He worked with many key figures in 20th Century music while always following his own, very individual path, both through life and in his music, where he constantly pushed at and broke the boundaries he encountered. Music featured: Folk Différences Petite Suite Coro Sequenza IV Canzonetta for piano 4 hands Sequenza III Chamber Music No 1 “Strings in the Earth and Air” Visage Beatles Songs - “Yesterday” Requies Cinque variazioni Calmo (in memorium Bruno Maderna) Thema - Omaggio a Joyce Chemins I (su sequenza II) for harp and orchestra Folk Songs Sequenza V Laborintus II Sinfonia E si fussi pisci Sequenza IX Rendering (2nd mvt, Andante) Altra voce Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales & West 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 Luciano Berio (1925-2003): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kz1p And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Johann Sebastian Bach is a towering cultural icon, a composer who might be seen as the poster boy for “serious music” and spent most of his career in the service of the church. But he played many roles in the course of his life, and could be funny, sassy, conniving, obstinate, and rebellious. Donald Macleod dives into Bach's secular music, and follows his trail as he makes his way in the world, from courts to coffee houses, building a family, two-timing his bosses, and even a stint behind bars.Featured music: Brandenburg Concerto No 5, BWV1050 (i. Allegro) Flute Sonata in E minor, BWV1034 Capriccio in honorem Johann Christoph Bach BWV993 Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV1004 (v. Chaconne) Organ Sonata No 4, BWV528 Lute Suite No 1 in E minor, BWV996 Partita for Solo Violin in E major, BWV1006 (IV. Menuet) Fugue in G minor for violin and basso continuo, BWV1026 Trio Sonata No 2 in C minor, BWV 526 Concerto after Vivaldi in A minor, BWV593 (i. Allegro) Cantata BWV208 'Was mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd!' (excerpt) Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV565 Prelude and Fugue in F minor Prelude in D minor, BWV851 Brandenburg Concerto No 5, BWV1050 (iii. Allegro) Cantata BWV134a ‘Die Zeit, die Tag und Jahre macht’: Ergetzet auf Erden Bach Collegium Japan Cello Suite No 2 in D minor, BWV1008 (Sarabande and minuets) French Suite No 4 in E-flat major, BWV815 (1st-4th movements) Brandenburg Concerto No 4 in G major, BWV1049 Harpsichord Concerto BWV 1054 (iii. Allegro) Double Violin Concerto, BWV1043 (1st movement) Cantata, BWV214 “'Tönet, ihr Pauken'” (opening chorus) Orchestral Suite No 2, BWV1067 (3rd – 7th movements) Cantata BWV211 'Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht' (Coffee Cantata) “Peasant” Cantata – Mer hahn ein neue Oberkeet, BWV212: “Wir gehn nun wo der Dudelsak” Double Violin Concerto, BWV1043 (2nd movement) Orchestral Suite No 3, BWV1068 (iii. Gavotte to v. Gigue) Goldberg Variations, BWV988 (Aria and Variations 1-5) Musical Offering, BWV1079: Ricercar a 6 The Contest Between Phoebus and Pan, BWV201 (“Pan ist Meister”….end)Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Johann Sebastian Bach: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kdkg And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Kate Molleson speaks to Jamaican-born composer Eleanor Alberga about her life and career. Eleanor Alberga is a quietly rebellious composer. She draws inspiration from Jamaican folk songs, children's fairytales, ancient mythology - even chemistry. She was one of the first pianists to take modern dance seriously. And as a student, she arrived to performances on a motorcycle. Alberga joins Kate Molleson and takes us on a journey from Kingston to London and beyond. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Jamaican Medley Nightscape It’s Time Strata Tower The Soul’s Expression No Man’s Land Lullaby Dancing with the Shadow Clouds Ice Flow The Wild Blue Yonder String Quartet No. 3 Cwicseolfor Deep Blue Sea Piano Concerto Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & West 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 Eleanor Alberga https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002k3rh And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod explores the life of Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo.The Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo is responsible for one of the most instantly recognisable works for classical guitar - if not one of the most famous pieces of classical music full stop. But when he was just three years old, a bout of diptheria left him almost completely blind, and a future in composition seemed out of the question. How did he become one of Spain's most revered musical minds?Music featured: Concierto de Aranjuez 2 Esbozos Rumaniana 3 Evocaciones 5 Sonatas de Castilla con toccata a modo de pregón Juglares Zarabanda Lejana Pastorale 2 Berceuses Bagatela Preludio de anoranza Suite pour piano Preludio para un poema a la Alhambra 5 piezas infantiles Serenata española Tres Danzas de España Cuatro estampas andaluzas Sonada de adios (Homenaje a Paul Dukas) Per la flor del lliri blau Cuatros Piezas Cancion Del Cucu Coplas del pastor enamorado En los trigales Tiento antiguo Junto al Generalife Fantasia para un Gentilhombre: I. Villano y Ricercare Concierto de estio: Siciliana: Andantino Invocacion y danza Ausencias de Dulcinea Concierto para una fiesta: Andante calmoPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & West 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 Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002jfqx And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod explores Robert Schumann’s years in Dusseldorf – the city where he would spend the final years of his life. Despite often being portrayed as a creative disaster, during this period, Schumann was greatly inspired by the city and by the countryside which surrounded it, and would write some of his greatest music.Music featured: Marchenbilder, Op 113 (1st mvt, Nicht schnell) Symphony No 3 in E-flat major ‘Rhenish’ Op 97 5 Lieder, Op 40 (No 4, Der Spielmann) Geistervariationen in E-flat major for piano, WoO 24 Violin Concerto in D minor, WoO 23 (2nd & 3rd mvts) Konzertstück for 4 Horns and Orchestra, Op 86 (1st mvt) Lieder und Gesange aus Wilhelm Meister, Op 98a Scenes from Goethe’s Faust, Part 3 (excerpt) The Bride of Messina Overture Kinderszenen, Op 15 (No 7 Träumerei) Genovera Overture Op 81 Sechs Gesange, Op 107 (No 6 Abendlied) Adventlied (excerpt) Mass in C minor, Op 147 (Gloria) Symphony No 4 in D minor, Op 120 (1st mvt) Manfred Overture, Op 115 Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129 Violin Sonata No 1 in A minor, Op 105 (2nd mvt) Der Rose Pilgerfahrt, Op 112 Marchenerzahlungen, Op132 (No 3) Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra in C major, Op 131 Introduction and Concert Allegro, Op 134 Blumenstuck in D-flat Major, Op 19 Wenn mein Stundlein vorhanden istPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Schumann (1810-1856) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002hwtc And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald explores the life of Delius through five of his relationshipsDonald Macleod meets the people who found themselves bewitched by Frederick Delius - both the man and his music.Music Featured:The Walk to the Paradise Garden Irmelin Requiem Brigg Fair Songs of Farewell On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring North Country Sketches Florida Suite Violin Sonata No 3 Violin Sonata No 1 Paa Vidderne (On the Mountains) Koanga (excerpts) Sleigh Ride (Winter Night) Paris, Song of a Great City Piano Concerto in C minor Appalachia (Variations on an old slave song A Village Romeo and Juliet (The Walk to the Paradise Garden) On Craig Dhu (An impression of nature) Double Concerto String Quartet Cello Sonata Hassan (excerpt) A Late Lark Dance Rhapsody No 1Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor & Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Frederick Delius (1862-1934) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gcnkv And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod explores Dmitri Shostakovich’s life during the years of World War II, a period indelibly linked to his most famous work – the ‘Leningrad’ symphony - which became an international symbol of resistance against the Nazis when it was performed by an orchestra suffering from the effects of starvation during the siege of the city.Music Featured:Funeral march in Memory of Victims of the Revolution Piano Concerto No 2 in F Major, Op 102 (2nd mvt, Andante) Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District (Act IV, Vstaváy! Po mestám! Zívo!) Symphony No 5 in D minor, Op 47 (4th mvt, Allegro non troppo) Piano Quintet in G minor, Op 57 (1st mvt, Prelude – Lento) Symphony no 7, Op.60 “Leningrad” (2nd mvt, Moderato) King Lear (excerpt) The tale of the priest and his servant Balda, Op 36 (Finale) Symphony No 1 in F minor, Op 10 (2nd mvt, Allegro) Rothschild’s violin (excerpt) Piano Sonata No 1, Op 12 Symphony No 7 in C Major, Op 60 “Leningrad” (1st mvt, Allegretto) Counterplan, Op 33 (Song of the Counterplan) The Golden Age Suite, Op 22a (2nd mvt, Adagio) Preludes, Op 34 (Nos 9-13) Romances on English poets, Op 62 Sonata No 2 in D minor, Op 61 (3rd mvt, Moderato) Moscow-Chryomushki, Op 105 (1st mvt, A Spin through Moscow) Zoya Suite, Op 64a (1st mvt, Song about Zoya) Cello Concerto No 1 in E flat major, Op 107 (2nd mvt, Moderato) Symphony No 8, Op 65 (4th mvt, Largo) Piano Trio No 2 in E minor, Op 67 (4th mvt, Allegretto) Four Pushkin Romances (No 1, Rebirth) String Quartet No 2 in A major, Op 68 (3rd mvt, Valse Allegro) Symphony No 9 in E-flat major, Op 70 (5th mvt, Allegretto) Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 99 (1st mvt, Nocturne) From Jewish Poetry (No 8, Winter) Symphony No 13 (1st mvt, Babi Yar. Adagio)Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002gdl6And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Composer of the Week celebrates the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt, one of the world’s most-performed and recognisable living composers. A composer who had the courage to defy Soviet edicts, to spend years searching for answers, to invent a personal language that pivots on past and present, on sound, silence and clarity. This week, Kate Molleson explores Pärt’s landmark works and extraordinary story in conversation with his son Michael. Music Featured: The Deer’s Cry Songs from Childhood (I Am Already Big) Symphony No 1 (“Polyphonic” Sonatina No 1 Nekrolog Collage über BACH Ukuaru Waltz Festina Lente Credo Quintettino Symphony No 3 When Sarah Was Ninety Years Old (excerpt) Magnificat Arbos Für Alina Summa Fratres Tabula Rasa Missa Syllabica Hymn to a Great City De Profundis Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten Spiegel im Spiegel Passio Berlin Mass Estonian Lullaby Vater Unser Orient and Occident Which Was the Son Of… Littlemore Tractus And I Heard a VoicePresented by Kate Molleson Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Arvo Pärt https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002g1r7And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod explores Tchaikovsky’s life away from home. He spent significant parts of his peak years travelling or staying with friends, and a remarkable amount of his music was composed whilst staying with friends, on holiday or concert tours, or sometimes as a fugitive on the run. This evolved into a full decade of rootless wandering, which is peculiar given his frequent homesickness for Russia.Music Featured: Overture in C Minor Symphony No 1 in G Minor, Op 13, "Winter Daydreams" Cherevichki, Op 4 Symphony No 2 in C Minor, Op 17, "Little Russian" Piano Concerto No 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op 23 Eugene Onegin, Act III Scene 2, Onegin! Ya togda molozhe Swan Lake, Avt IV (excerpt) Symphony No 4 in F Minor, Op 36 Suite No 1 in D Major, Op 43 6 Romances, Op 38, No 6, Pimpinella (arr. E. Firsova) The Maid of Orleans, Op 4, Act I, Aria: Da, chas nastal - Ja, es ist Zeit … Lebt wohl, ihr Berge Capriccio Italien, Op 45 Mazeppa: Act II, Scene 2, O, Mariya, Mariya! (Mazepa) Vesper Service, Op 52 Les saisons (The Seasons), Op 37a Fantaisie de Concert in G Major, Op 56 Piano Trio in A Minor, Op 50 Suite No 4 in G Major "Mozartiana" Op 61 Manfred Symphony, Op 5 Symphony No 5 in E Minor, Op 64 The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame), Op 68: Act I Scene1 (excerpt) String Sextet in D, Souvenir de Florence, Op 70 The Nutcracker, Op 71: Act II Tableau 3: Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy Symphony No 6 in B Minor, "Pathétique" Op 74Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Iain Chambers for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002ftltAnd you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod delves into the life and music of Welsh composer, Grace Williams.Music Featured: Elegy for Cynddylan Missa Cambrensis Castell Caernafon Four Medieval Welsh Poems Trumpet Concerto Suite for 9 Instruments Hen Walia Sextet Elegy for Strings Suite for 9 Instrument Symphony No 1 Sea Sketches Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes The Dancers Penillion Symphony No 2 The Parlour Two Choruses Ballads Fairest of StarsPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Grace Williams (1906-1977) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002f7dd And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod explores the life of maverick composer Erik Satie, the inventor of “furniture music”, whose innovations delighted and divided France. Satie's compositions – and their peculiar annotations – were a revolution, paving the way for a new generation of musical rebels, including Les Six. He was just as odd in his day-to-day life, known for his quirky fashion and dramatic outbursts, he always kept a hammer in his pocket for fear of muggers and once even founded his own church.Music Featured:Allegro Valse-ballet Fantaisie-valse Chanson hongroise Untitled (Première pensée Rose+Croix) Ogives Sarabandes Gymnopédies Vexations Trois Gnossiennes Le Fils des étoiles Danses gothiques Prélude de la porte héroïque du ciel Pièces froides Je te veux La Diva de l’Empire Trois morceaux en forme de poire En habit de cheval Sports et divertissements Enfantillages pittoresques (No 1, Petit prélude à la journée) Descriptions automatiques Parade Musique d’ameublement Socrate (Mort de Socrate) Nocturnes Ludions Trois Mélodies Mercure Relâche, Pt. 1 (No 10, Final) Enfantines: Menus propos enfantins Enfantines: Peccadilles importunesPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Alice McKee for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Erik Satie (1866-1925) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002dy5k And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Kate Molleson meets Gavin Bryars, the celebrated and much-loved composer whose kaleidoscopic career defies categorisation. As an inveterate collaborator, Bryars has worked alongside figures as diverse as Brian Eno, Tom Waites, the Hilliard Ensemble, Mainz Opera and Faroese singer-songwriter, Eivør Pálsdottír. He has collected a lifetime’s-worth of amazing stories along the way, and Kate invites Gavin to share some of the many surprising twists and turns in his journey from experimental outsider to concert hall favourite.Music Featured: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet The Stopping Train Crookesmoor The Sinking of the Titanic My First Homage White’s SS Medea: Prelude to Act 5 Les Fiançailles On Photography String Quartet No 2 Glorious Hill Cadman Requiem Epilogue from Wonderlawn Adnan Songbook: Song IV Epilogue from ‘G’ Biped Morte à spento quel sol ch' abagliar suolmi (Second Book of Madrigals) Double Bass Concerto "Farewell to St. Petersburg" A Man in a Room, Gambling (2, ‘3 Card Trick’) The Fifth Century, (VI, His Omnipresence Is Our Field Of Joys) Ciascun ke fede sente (Lauda 37) Tróndur í Gøtu (V, Shall I Abandon) A Native HillPresented by Kate Molleson Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Gavin Bryars https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002djt7 And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod investigates the life of a Renaissance genius, Giovanni da PalestrinaGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) was one of the most influential composers in European classical music. With his countless masses, motets and madrigals, infused with a deep sense of spirituality and musical beauty, Palestrina was named the 'Saviour of Church Music' at a revolutionary time when Rome was rewriting the rules of music composition. But what do we know about this mysterious character, between historical fact and hagiographic myth? Donald Macleod follows the clues, to try and reconstruct the story of a fascinating composer, on the (approximately) 500th anniversary of his birth.Music Featured: Sicut cervus Laudate pueri Pueri hebraeorum (arr for dobro) Puer qui natus est Missa Assumpta est Maria (excerpt) Josquin des Prez: O virgo prudentissima Josquin des Prez: Fortuna d’un gran tempo Costanzo Festa: Sancta Maria succurre miseris Sacred Madrigals, Book 2, Città di Dio Ricercar del primo tuono Magnificat Primi toni Missa Ecce sacerdos magnus (Sanctus) Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui Pulchra es, amica mea (arr Volbers for recorder ensemble) Missa Papae Marcelli (excerpt) Vergine bella… Vergine saggia… Vestiva i colli Sabbato Sancto: Lectio III, Incipit oratio Ieremiae prophetae Motecta festorum totius anni cum Communi Sanctorum – liber primus Misso Herodes Nicola Vicentino: Jerusalem convertere Cristóbal de Morales: Gaude et laetare, Ferrariensis civitas Motecta festorum totius anni cum Communi Sanctorum (Fuit homo missus a Deo) Missa Papae Marcelli (Sanctus) Ricercar del secondo tuono Missa sine nomine a 6 arr Johann Sebastian Bach L'homme armé (exceprt) Adoramus te Christe arr Leopold Stokowski for orchestra O admirabile commercium Missa Ut re mi fa sol la (excerpt) Io son ferito (instrumental version) Missa Brevis (excerpt) Canite tuba (arr for brass ensemble) Deh hor foss’io col vago della luna (on a text by Petrarch) Offertoria totius anni (Jubilate Deo) arr A. Frackenpohl for brass ensemble Stabat Mater Missa pro defunctis (Sanctus-Benedictus) First Book of Madrigals (Sestina. Mai fu piu crud’o spietata morte) Ad te levavi Johann Joseph Fux: Gradus ad Parnassum (Fugue) Francesco Soriano: Alpha à 6 Canticum Canticorum (Osculetur me osculo oris sui) Missa Memor esto verbi tui a 5 (Credo) Missa Cantantibus organis (from the motet Cantantibus Organis by Palestrina) Sacred Madrigals, Book 2 (E questo spirto) Libera me Domine Ave MariaPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Julien Rosa for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002d7cq And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z

Donald Macleod traces the musical development of Fanny Hensel née Mendelssohn. Whilst Fanny’s famous brother Felix Mendelssohn’s career flourished, the equally talented Fanny was often held back by the conventions of the period and at times, by her own brother. Despite this, in her final years, Fanny would go on to publish her own music under her married name, Fanny Hensel. Music Featured:Das Jahr, H-U 385 Piano Quartet in A flat, H-U 55 Ferne, H-U 97 Der Fischer, H-U 85 An Suleika, H-U 148 Mailied, H-U 122 Piano Sonata in C minor, H-U 128 Prelude in G, H-U 243 Der Rosenkranz, H-U 168 Ostersonate, piano sonata in A, H-U 235 Am Flusse, H-U 204 Harfners Lied, H-U 162 Deinem Blick mich zu bequemen, H-U 151 Sonata o Fantasia, H-U 238 Hiob, H-U 258 Oratorio on words from the Bible, H-U 260 (Gott unser Schild) Klavierstück, in F minor H-U 302 (Allegro agitato) Hero und Leander, H-U 262 String Quartet in E flat, H-U 277 Mélodie, Op 4/5 No 4 (Lento appassionato) Overture, H-U 265 Im wunderschönen Monat Mai, H-U 323 Lobgesang, H-U 257 (Chorus: Meine Seele ist stille zu Gott) Warum sind denn die Rosen so blass, H-U 312 Gondellied, H-U 377 Capriccio in A flat, H-U 247 Aus meinen Tränen sprießen, H-U 327 Abschied von Rom, H-U 352 Die frühen Gräber, H-U 222 Dämmrung senkte sich von oben, H-U 392 Piano Trio in D minor, Op 11 Lobgesang, H-U 257 (excerpt) Im Herbste, H-U 416 Vorwulf, H-U 462 Bergeslust, H-U 466Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock for BBC Audio Wales & WestFor 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 Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002cym9And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z