Anniversary Special: Composers in Conversation - Part 1

Donald Macleod celebrates the programme’s 80th anniversary with highlights from 10 memorable interviews

Composer of the Week is one of the longest-running strands on the BBC, first heard on the airwaves during the Second World War on the 2nd of August 1943. The first to be featured was Mozart – and today, the programme tells the stories of well-known and rediscovered composers across classical music, jazz, contemporary and beyond. Donald Macleod celebrates its 80th anniversary with highlights and behind-the-scenes stories from his encounters with some of our greatest living composers. Across the week, he looks back on 10 memorable interviews from his nearly 25 years in the presenter’s chair, showcasing the range of musical styles and personalities he’s encountered.

Part 1 includes interviews with Stephen Sondheim, Judith Weir, Meredith Monk, Steve Reich & Harrison Birtwistle.

Part 2 includes interviews with Hans Werner Henze, Adolphus Hailstork, Thea Musgrave, Anoushka Shankar & Oliver Knussen.

Music Featured:

Stephen Sondheim: Pretty Little Picture (from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim: Everything’s Coming Up Roses (from Gypsy) Stephen Sondheim: Free (from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) Stephen Sondheim: There’s Always a Woman (from Anyone Can Whistle) Judith Weir: Variations For Judith, No 5 Judith Weir: Vertue for chorus Judith Weir: Piano Quartet (1st movement) Judith Weir: Airs from Another Planet for wind quintet and piano (excerpt) Meredith Monk: Gothum Lullaby Meredith Monk: Quarry (Quarry Weave 2) Meredith Monk: Dolmen Music (excerpt) Steve Reich: The Cave (excerpts from Act III) Steve Reich: Different Trains (iii. Europe, After the War) Steve Reich: Piano Phase (remixed by D*Note) Harrison Birtwistle: Virelai (sous une fontayne) Harrison Birtwistle: The Minotaur (Part Two – excerpt) Harrison Birtwistle: The Moth Requiem Hans Werner Henze: Chamber Concerto, Op 1 (final movement) Hans Werner Henze: Serenade for piano trio (Adagio, Adagio) Hans Werner Henze: Scorribanda sinfónica Hans Werner Henze: Requiem (excerpt) Adolphus Hailstork: Fanfare on Amazing Grace Adolphus Hailstork: Three Spirituals for Orchestra Adolphus Hailstork: Symphony No 2 (excerpts) Thea Musgrave: On the Underground, Set 1: Sometimes Thea Musgrave: Two’s Company Anoushka Shankar: Traces of you Anoushka Shankar: Voice of the Moon Anoushka Shankar: Red Sun Oliver Knussen: Flourish with Fireworks, Op 22 Oliver Knussen: Music for a Puppet Court, Op 11 Oliver Knussen: …Upon One Note

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC Audio Wales and 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 Anniversary Special: Composers in Conversation https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p28b

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