Donald Macleod explores the operas of Jean-Phillipe Rameau.At his death in 1764, Rameau, by then an octogenarian, had more than 30 stage works to his credit. It’s a remarkable achievement when you consider he produced his first opera at the age of 50. Up to that point, although details about his life are surprisingly patchy, he appears to have held a succession of posts in the provinces, as an organist, teacher and theoretician, seemingly without even a whiff of greasepaint. Then, at an age when one might assume his chosen path was settled, Rameau upped sticks, came back to Paris and conquered the stage with breathtaking speed.
Across the week Donald Macleod focusses on those heady, initial years in the French capital, building a picture of what made Rameau into a highly successful, if controversial, theatrical composer.Music featured:
Hippolyte et Aricie
Thétis
Concert No. 1 in C minor
Les Indes Galantes (suite)
La Pouplinière
Nouvelles Suites de Pièces de Clavecin
Castor et Pollux
Quatrième concert
Les fêtes d’Hébé, (opera-ballet)
Le Rappel des Oiseaux
Les soupirs
Les cyclops
Les fêtes de l’Hymen et de l’Amour
Dardanus
Les tricotets
L’indifferente
La poule
l’enharmonique
l’égiptiennePresented 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 Jean-Philippe Rameau: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00893klAnd 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
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Composer of the Week Podcast Folgen
BBC Radio 3's Composer Of The Week is a guide to composers and their music. The podcast is compiled from the week's programmes and published on Friday. It is only available in the UK.
Folgen von Composer of the Week Podcast
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Folge vom 18.01.2019Jean-Philippe Rameau
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Folge vom 11.01.2019Felix MendelssohnDonald Macleod journeys through the life of Felix Mendelssohn.Mendelssohn was a leading figure of German music in his day, and became something of an international celebrity. He was at the very forefront of music making during the 1830s and 1840s, as a composer, conductor, pianist and organist. He began as a highly gifted and versatile prodigy, and rose to become one of Germany’s first rank composers of the early romantic period. He composed music in many genres including concertos, oratorios, symphonies, songs and chamber music. Amongst some of his most famous works are the highly evocative and dramatic overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and his mature and richly romantic Violin Concerto.In Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod journeys through the life of Felix Mendelssohn, exploring in particular a number of influences upon the composer’s works: Mozart, his travels in Italy, Bach, his visits to London, and his wife and muse, Cecile.Music featured: Die beiden Padagogen Duo Sonata in G minor Piano Quartet No 2 in F minor, Op 2 (Allegro molto vivace) Piano Concerto in A minor Lieder ohne Worte, Op 19B No 6 (Venetianisches Gondellied) Psalm 115 Non nobis Domine, Op 31 Nachspiel in D major Symphony No 4 in A major, Op 90 (Italian) String Symphony No 5 in B flat major (Allegro vivace) Prelude and Fugue No 1 in E minor, Op 35 Paulus, Op 36 (Rise! Up! Arise!) Organ Sonata in C minor, No 2 Op 65 Elijah, Op 70 (It is enough) Sechs Lieder ohne Worte, Book 1 Op 19b (Moderato) Daniel Barenboim, piano A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Overture) Rondo Brillant, Op 29 Erntelied, Op 8 No 4 Pilgerspruch, Op 8 No 5 Elijah, Op 70 (For the mountains shall depart) Sechs Lieder ohne Worte Op 38 No 6 (Duetto: Andante) Ich wollt’ meine Lieb’ ergosse sich, Op 63 No 1 Herbstlied, Op 63 No 4 Prelude and Fugue in C minor, Op 37 No 1 Concerto in E minor for violin and orchestra, Op 64 String Quartet in E minor, Op 44 No 2 (Presto agitato)Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock 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 Felix Mendelssohn: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001xj5And 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
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Folge vom 04.01.2019George GershwinDonald Macleod explores the life and music of George Gershwin.When a second-hand piano was hoisted through the window of the Gershwin family’s Lower East Side apartment, a window was quite literally opened onto a new world. Donald begins by looking at Gershwin’s early and lifelong love of the instrument. For many, he was the foremost composer of the "jazz age" and it's through jazz-inflected interpretations that his music has reached its widest audience. Next, Donald tells the story of Gershwin's excursions in the concert hall. He may have been the toast of Broadway, but his attempts to move musically out of the theatre district and into the hallowed portals of the city’s concert halls were, despite some successes, constantly frustrated and a source of disappointment to him. To end, Donald charts George Gershwin's final years, partly spent in a ramshackle beach cottage on Folly Island in South Carolina. His memorable musical experiences with the local Gullah people eventually inspired his magnum opus, the opera Porgy and Bess.Music featured: Summertime That Certain Feeling Three Preludes Piano Concerto in F Has Anyone Seen Joe The Real American Folk Song Fascinating Rhythm Embraceable You I Got Rhythm I Got Rhythm Variations Someone to Watch Over Me Rhapsody in Blue Second Rhapsody American in Paris Strike Up the Band Overture Cuban Overture My Man's Gone Now I Got Plenty of Nothin' Bess, You Is My Woman Now It Ain’t Necessarily So I Loves You Porgy Catfish Row SuitePresented by Donald Macleod Produced by Martin Williams For 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 George Gershwin: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001tjnAnd 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
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Folge vom 28.12.2018Heinrich SchützDonald Macleod journeys through Christmas week in the company of Heinrich Schütz.Donald begins by dipping a toe into the fertile archival territory of Schütz’s own writings, a fascinating window onto the life of the composer. Then we’re to the Striezelmarkt for a pastry and a glass of Glühwein, with a look at Christmas in 17th-century Dresden. Onwards to Venice, where Schütz studies with Gabrieli and hobnobs with Monteverdi. Next, things turn serious, as Schütz is swept up in the convulsions of the 30 Years’ War and its impact is felt on musical life. Finally, Donald looks at the great music of Schütz’s final years, his attempts to retire – and eventually bids farewell with his Schwanengesang.Music featured: Cantate Domino canticum novum, SWV 281 O quam tu pulchra es, SWV 265 Wie sehr lieblich und schöne sind doch die Wohnung dein, SWV 181 Habe deine Lust an dem Herren, SWV 311 Concert in Form einer teutschen Begräbnis-Missa, SWV 279 Gedenke deinem Knechte an dein Wort, SWV 485 Hodie Christus natus est, SWV 456 Warum toben die Heiden, SWV 23 Ein Kind ist uns geboren, SWV 302 Verbum caro factum est, SWV 314 The Christmas Story, SWV 435 Jubilate Deo in chordis et organo, SWV 276 Ride la primavera, SWV 7 Di marmo siete voi, SWV 17 Vasto mar, nel cui seno, SWV 19 Nun lob, mein Seel, den Herren, SWV 41 Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen, SWV 29 Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen, SWV 34 Fili mi, Absalon, SWV 269 In te, Domine, speravi, SWV 259 Es steh Gott auf, SWV 356 ‘O, Herr, hilf’, SWV 402 Syncharma musicum, SWV 49 Da pacem, Domine’, SWV 465 Veni, Sancte Spiritus, SWV 328 O süsser, o freundlicher Herr Jesu Christ, SWV 285 Erhöre mich, wenn ich dich rufe, SWV 289 Ist Gott für uns, SWV 329 Ich bin eine rufende Stimme, SWV 383 Verleih uns Frieden genädiglich, SWV 372 Das Wort ward Fleisch, SWV 385 Das ist je gewisslich wah, SWV 388 Danket dem Herren, denn er ist freundlich, SWV 45 Auf dem Gebirge, SWV 396 Feget den alten Sauerteig aus, SWV 404 Saul, Saul, was verfolgst du mich? SWV 415 Komm, heiliger Geist SWV 417 Ich danke dem Herrn von ganzem Herzen, SWV 424 Jauchzet dem Herren, alle Welt (Psalm 100), SWV 493 St Matthew Passion, SWV 479 Mein Seele erhebt den Herren, SWV 494 Presenter: Donald Macleod Producer: Chris Barstow 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 Heinrich Schütz: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001qghAnd 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