127 A whole new world: Bach, Cello Suite no.1
In his Cello Suites, JS Bach catapulted the instrument into the solo spotlight and discovered new worlds of sound and possibilities, full of riches to explore. Nominally it's dance music but its depth...
20 Sep 20226min
126. Into a black hole... and out the other side? Thovaldsdottir, Metacosmos
Carrying a fragile flower whilst walking a tightrope. Finding the balance between beauty and chaos. Being pulled along by forces outside of our control. On Cacophony we talk about 'diving into great m...
30 Aug 20228min
125. Ain’t no mountain high enough: Strauss, An Alpine Symphony
With the wonders of our imagination and some great music to help, all things are possible - so let's enjoy the views from the top of a mountain: leaving the house (or even getting out of bed) is entir...
20 Aug 202211min
124. Heading North by Southwest with Willie Ruff: Strayhorn, Suite for the Duo
Brilliant and meaningful, North by Southwest may have been the initial name for Billy Strayhorn's Suite for The Duo, a brilliant, late work for horn and piano: it's a title that suggests confusion and...
10 Aug 202225min
123. Emptiness and space: Sculthorpe: Kakadu
Heat, danger, emptiness and space. Plenty of all of this in Peter Sculthorpe's excellent Kakadu - inspired by northern Australia but featuring universal themes of humanity, life, death, and timelessne...
30 Jul 20225min
122. The height of passion? Haydn, Symphony No.49
It's not about that sort of passion, but this symphony La Passione is intense, dark, thrilling, and one of Haydn's best! Listening time c30 minutes (podcast 5.5', music 23') Music here: on Youtube, li...
20 Jul 20225min
121. An unbearable lightness of being? Robert Schumann, Symphony no.4
One of my favourite joyful but heavyweight quick fixes, Robert Schumann's original Symphony no.4 is an intense and inventive stream of consciousness full of light and life. It's a thrill. Shame Schuma...
11 Jul 202210min
120. A forgotten French flower: Bayon Louis, Overture ’Mayflower’
Another forgotten gem from a late 18th century woman composer, Marie Emmanuelle Bayon Louis's overture to d'Épine is boisterous and brilliant. You can listen to the piece here played by the excellent ...
1 Jul 20225min
