111. Glimpses of the Divine: Esmail, Darshan
Comfortably crossing cultural boundaries, composer Reena Esmail draws on both western and Indian traditions to write distinctive music that is at home in both. Darshan is a terrific solo violin piece ...
22 Mar 20228min
110. Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky, and how great art knows no borders. Tchaikovsky, The Tempest
Shakespeare reaches people across the world with his insights into our shared humanity and his plays have inspired countless composers to write music - providing their own way for us to connect to Sha...
10 Mar 20229min
109. When personal pain becomes universal: Shostakovich, String Quartet No.8
How is it that when an artist shares their pain we can all feel it? And how does listening to music full of suffering make us feel better? I don't know how or why, but I know that it does. Dmitri Shos...
1 Mar 20228min
108. A short break for bread and Beethoven
We've all got pieces of music that instantly remind us of special times and places in our lives. What are yours I wonder? (Tell me!) We're in Sri Lanka at the moment and, bizarrely, the piece of music...
20 Feb 20225min
107. Made in America: Florence Price, Symphony No.1
Individual, passionate, soulful music rooted in the southern states, Florence Price's Symphony No.1 was the first by a black woman composer to be played by a major US orchestra back in the 1930s. A Mo...
10 Feb 20227min
106. Ugly, unnatural, ghastly: Dvořák, Noon Witch
Thrilling, chilling, but still somehow delighting in its brilliance, Dvořák's Noon Witch packs a punch and leaves you stunned. Also in this episode, free parenting advice and some musings on Dr Suess!...
30 Jan 20228min
105. Roots Manouvre: Dvořák, Slavonic Dances
One of music's ultimate mood improvers, Dvořák's "Slavonic Dances" put a smile on everyone's face. Not merely shallow dance tunes, this is music that shows us the warmest, most generous view of humani...
20 Jan 202210min
104. A timeless tale of unrequited love? Schubert, Fantasy in F minor
A few years back my Mum got me to buy her this for Christmas and I've finally got around to 'discovering' it for myself. It's powerful, intense and profound: Schubert's Fantasy for piano duet. I think...
10 Jan 20225min
