Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999)
Donald Macleod explores the life of Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo.The Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo is responsible for one of the most instantly recognisable works for classical guitar - if not ...
26 Sep 20251h 6min
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Donald Macleod explores Robert Schumann’s years in Dusseldorf – the city where he would spend the final years of his life. Despite often being portrayed as a creative disaster, during this period, Sch...
12 Sep 20251h 5min
Frederick Delius (1862-1934)
Donald explores the life of Delius through five of his relationshipsDonald Macleod meets the people who found themselves bewitched by Frederick Delius - both the man and his music.Music Featured:The W...
22 Aug 20251h 9min
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Donald Macleod explores Dmitri Shostakovich’s life during the years of World War II, a period indelibly linked to his most famous work – the ‘Leningrad’ symphony - which became an international symbol...
8 Aug 20251h 11min
Arvo Pärt
Composer of the Week celebrates the 90th birthday of Arvo Pärt, one of the world’s most-performed and recognisable living composers. A composer who had the courage to defy Soviet edicts, to spend year...
1 Aug 20251h 19min
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Donald Macleod explores Tchaikovsky’s life away from home. He spent significant parts of his peak years travelling or staying with friends, and a remarkable amount of his music was composed whilst sta...
25 Juli 20251h 12min
Grace Williams (1906-1977)
Donald Macleod delves into the life and music of Welsh composer, Grace Williams.Music Featured: Elegy for Cynddylan Missa Cambrensis Castell Caernafon Four Medieval Welsh Poems Trumpet Concerto Suite ...
11 Juli 20251h 2min
Erik Satie (1866-1925)
Donald Macleod explores the life of maverick composer Erik Satie, the inventor of “furniture music”, whose innovations delighted and divided France. Satie's compositions – and their peculiar annotatio...
4 Juli 20251h 2min
