Composer of the Week Podcast Folgen

Donald Macleod surveys the life, music and quirks of Australian composer, Percy GraingerDonald Macleod begins this week episode about Percy Grainger by tracing the composer's ambivalent relationship with his primary musical instrument, the piano, and the ever-present influence of his mother. He then follows Grainger to London, where his composing took second place to performing, leading to concert tours of Scandinavia, South Africa, New Zealand and back home to Australia. We’ll also hear about his enthusiastic and sometimes controversial role in the folksong revival of the 1900s, away from starchy drawing rooms and concert halls. Donald keeps up with Grainger during an anxiety-ridden move to America during the First World War. To end, he explores some of the composer's more unsavoury views and his quest for musical 'freedom'.Music featured: Mowgli's Song Against People Molly on the Shore Walking Tune Tribute to Foster Marching Song of Democracy Hill-Song 1 and 2 Handel in the Strand English Dance Colonial Song Scotch Strathspey and Reel The Warriors Brigg Fair Creeping Jane I'm Seventeen Come Sunday Four Settings from 'Songs of the North' Green Bushes Lincolnshire Posy Country Garden Suite: In a Nutshell The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart Irish Tune from County Derry The Bride's Tragedy Shepherd's Hey The Power of Love Jutish Melody (Danish Folk Song Suite) To a Nordic Princess Immovable Do Free Music Free Music No 2 The Jungle Book (excerpts)Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Martin Williams for BBC WalesFor full tracklistings, 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 Percy Grainger. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000c4kfAnd 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 illustrates Leos Janacek’s inner tensions through five key relationshipsOne of the most original voices of the twentieth century, Leoš Janáček was a composer, musical theorist, folklorist and teacher. Born in 1854 in the Moravian village of Hukvaldy, which was then part of the Austrian Empire, in his youth German was the language of government, education and social influence. Having returned from studies in Germany, Janáček made detailed studies of native folk song and spent years annotating the natural rhythms of the Czech language. He was to write all his works for stage in his native language. The range of his professional activities gave him a range of outlets to voice what quickly became a life-long commitment to Czech culture. Janáček was a contradictory man, who spent much of his life feeling at odds with his circumstances. Through five of his closest relationships, Donald Macleod builds a picture of how his inner tensions found expression in his music. Music featured: Suite for Strings, Andante con moto (3rd movement) Four male-voice choruses Lachian Dances Šárka (excerpt from Act 1) Sinfonietta Lavečka (The Bench) Theme with variations (Zdenka Variations) Amarus (3rd movement) Janacek, rev. Mackerras: The Cunning Little Vixen Orchestral Suite JW 1/9 Quartet no.1 (The Kreutzer Quartet) Nejistota JW V/2 Hukvaldy Songs Taras Bulba Pohádka Jenůfa – excerpt from Act 1 Kat’a Kabanova – Act 3 excerpt The diary of one who disappeared (excerpt) Quartet for strings no. 2: Intimate Letters Glagolitic Mass – Credo Žárlivost On the overgrown path (excerpts) The Excursions of Mr Brouček The Fiddler’s Child Potulný šílenecPresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC WalesFor full tracklistings, 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 Leoš Janáček https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cr48And 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 charts the extraordinary life of composer and jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams Mary Lou Williams’ music stands out from the crowd because, as Duke Ellington recognised, “her writing and performing have always been just a little ahead throughout her career.” A prolific composer and arranger, she was also a gifted pianist. A master of blues, boogie woogie, stride, swing and be-bop, Williams was quick to absorb the prevailing musical currents in her own music, naturally able to exploit her ability to play anything she heard around her. It is this restless musical curiosity that defines her own compositions, and led her to become friends with and mentor many younger musicians, among them Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Born around 1910 in Atlanta, Georgia, Williams grew up in Pittsburgh, where she had to overcome racial segregation, gender discrimination and the disadvantages of an impoverished family to realise her musical ambitions. Learning to play entirely by ear, she was performing locally by age six. Barely into her teens she was touring professionally as a pianist, living proof that - contrary to the prevailing views - women really could play jazz as well as men. But her artistic success came at some personal cost, with instances of domestic abuse, two divorces, a gambling addiction, and the ongoing strain of trying to support her extended family, all taking its toll over the years. After taking a spiritual path, she spent some years trying to rehabilitate addicted musicians, and developed an interest in writing sacred jazz pieces, and after a long career of some sixty years she took on the mantle of educating future generations about the cultural roots of jazz. Over the course of the episode, Donald Macleod follows Mary Lou Williams as her life and musical pathways intertwine, from the early years playing Kansas City swing, to embracing be-bop, religion and modern jazz.Music featured: The History of Jazz (excerpt) Rosa Mae My mama pinned a rose on me Willis Nite Life Variations Close to Five Lonely Moments Cloudy Kool Bongo Walkin’ and Swingin’ Corky Stomp Froggy Bottom Lotta Sax Appeal Mess-A-Stomp The Rocks Little Joe from Chicago Sammy Cahn & Saul Chaplin, arr. by ML Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band A Mellow Bit of Rhythm Twinklin’ Jelly Roll Morton, arr. ML Williams: The Pearls What’s Your Story, Morning Glory Scratchin’ in the Gravel Roll ‘Em Gjon Mili Jam Session Boogie misterioso Zodiac Suite (excerpt) In the land of Oo-bla-dee Mary Lou Williams Orchestra In the land of Oo-bla-dee A Fungus A Mungus Nicole Irving Berlin, arr. by ML Williams: Blue Skies (Trumpets no end) Tisherome New Musical Express Hymn to St. Martin de Porres The Devil O.W. Mary Lou’s Mass ML Williams, Sonny Henry: Lazarus Zodiac Suite Syl-o-gism Why? Chunka Lunka Ode to Saint Cecilie Medi II Blues for Timme Praise the Lord Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC WalesFor full tracklistings, 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 Mary Lou Williams https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000bdx1 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