Composer of the Week Podcast Folgen

Donald Macleod marks 350 years since the birth of François Couperin, one of France’s most dazzling musical talents.Donald begins by leading us through a gallery of the musical portraits that Couperin composed – depicting his contemporaries Lully and Corelli, his aristocratic patrons, and well-known mythological figures. Next, he delves into Couperin’s extraordinary musical family tree, boasting a long line of 7 Couperins who served as organist of St Gervais in Paris. Throughout his glittering career at court, Francois Couperin maintained a loyal connection with his family church and dedicated several works for liturgical use there. We also hear about Couperin’s time in the court of Louis XIV – as the Sun King's composer, writing music for the Versailles Chapel and court entertainment, but also as royal harpsichord tutor. Finally, Donald examines how Couperin embraced the new musical idioms emerging from other countries, and in particular introduced Italian flavours to his native French style.Music featured: La Couperin Salve Regina L’Apothéose de Corelli La Charoloise La Princesse de Sens Arianne consolée par Bacchus Regina coeli laetare, Alleluia Louis Couperin: Five Fantasies Pange lingua en basse Quatre versets du motet Armand-Louis Couperin: Simphonie de clavecins, in D major La Manon L’Enchanteresse La Fleurie ou la tendre Nanette Les plaisirs de Saint Germain en Laye Domine salvum fac regem Messe pour les couvents (Gloria) Troisième Leçon Les Nations (La Francois) Messe pour les paroisses (Agnus Dei) L’Art de toucher le clavecin Respice in me Concert Royaux (Premier Concert) Pieces de violes avec la basse chifree (Deuxième Suite) La Milordine La Piemontoise Les Gouts-reunis ou Nouveaux Concerts (Cinquième Concert) Quatrième livre de Pieces de clavecin, Vingt-troisième ordrePresenter: Donald Macleod Producer: 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 Francois Couperin : https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000114nAnd 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 five personality traits of the strange genius Anton Bruckner.Donald starts with Bruckner’s obsessive tendencies – from bar-counting to full-blown ‘numeromania’ which landed him in a sanatorium. We hear about Bruckner’s unshakeable religious belief, his influential divine visions, and his music for the church. Next, his veneration for Wagner - he was transformed by the experience of hearing Tannhaüser, and paid frequent tribute to the man he was wont to call “the master of all masters”. Bruckner was also one of music history’s great re-thinkers. His many musical revisions were driven by artistic insecurity, criticism and his constant search for proportion and balance. Finally, Bruckner’s superstitious nature is explored, particularly his fear of writing a ninth symphony.Music featured: Locus iste, WAB23 Symphony No 1 in C minor Mass No 3 in F minor, WAB 28 (Kyrie) Symphony No 5 in B flat, WAB105 Germanenzug (The Germanic Host), WAB 70 Mass No 1 in D minor, WAB 26 (Sanctus) Ave Maria, WAB 6 Mass No 2 in E minor, WAB 27 (Credo) Os iusti, WAB 30 Ecce sacerdos magnus, WAB 13 Virga Jesse, WAB 52 Psalm 150, for soprano, chorus and orchestra, WAB 38 Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Act 3 (‘Ehrt eure deutschen Meister’) Symphony No 3 in D minor, WAB 103 Christus factus est, WAB 11 Symphony No 7 in E, WAB 107 Symphony No 2 in C minor, WAB 102 Symphony No 4 in E flat, WAB 104 (‘Romantic’) Symphony No 8 in C minor, WAB 108 Bruckner: Symphony No 9 in D minor, WAB 109 Symphony no 9 in D minor, WAB 109 Te Deum, WAB 45Presenter: 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 Anton Bruckner: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000xj9And 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 introduces a first in Composer of the Week’s seventy-year history, the Croatian Countess Dora Pejačević. Donald is joined by Professor Koraljka Kos and Professor Iskra Iveljic to discuss the known facts about the life and music of this Countess and her family. Although Pejačević was born into one of the most influential aristocratic families in Croatia, she became rather critical of her own class in later life. Through her position she did have the opportunity to study in Germany with noted music teachers of the day, and met and collaborated with some of the literary giants of the early twentieth century. Upon her death at the age of only 37, she left a catalogue of over one hundred compositions displaying a unique voice now largely forgotten.Music featured: Romance, Op 22 Symphony in F sharp minor, Op 41 Zwei Nocturnes, Op 50 No 2 Piano Concerto in G minor, Op 33 Zwei Lieder, Op 27 No 1 (I creep along my way) Warum? Op 13 Berceuse, Op 2 Papillon, Op 6 Sechs Fantasiestucke, Op 17 String Quartet in C major, Op 58 Canzonetta, Op 8 Violin Sonata, Op 43 (Adagio) Phantasie Concertante, Op 48 Verwandlung, Op 37 Blumenleben, Op 19 Madchengestalten, Op 42 Drei Gesange, Op 53 Piano Quintet in B minor, Op 40 (Poco sostenuto) Humoreske and Caprice, Op 54 Trio in C major, Op 29 (Scherzo: Allegro & Lento) Liebeslied, Op 39 Piano Sonata in A flat major, Op 57Presenter: Donald Macleod Producer: 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 Dora Pejačević: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000tqbAnd 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