Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Friday - Sarah Walker with Leanne Benjamin

With Sarah Walker. Including Five Reasons to Love British Film Music; Mystery Composer; Artist of the Week: Emma Kirkby; Sarah's Essential Choice: Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No 2.

Discover definitive recordings of the greatest classical music with your trusted guide, Sarah Walker. She's joined by former principal ballerina at the Royal Ballet Leanne Benjamin

9am
A selection of music including '5 Reasons to Love'...British film music. This week Sarah champions an art form that has seen contributions from leading and neglected British composers of the 20th century, from Vaughan Williams to William Walton. It's a genre that often struggles to be taken seriously, perhaps because in its most perfect form it's hidden from view, the audience not noticing that it brings colour to a black-and-white classic, or highlights emotional moods and landscapes, surreptitiously setting the scene.

9.30am
Mystery Composer. Take part in today's music-related challenge: listen to the clues and identify the mystery composer.

10am
Sarah's guest this week is Leanne Benjamin, former principal ballerina at the Royal Ballet. Leanne shares a selection of the music she danced to during her career, discussing her memories of choreographer Kenneth MacMillan and offering a personal insight into the world of a ballet dancer.

10.30am
This week Sarah's featured artist is Emma Kirkby, one of the world's most renowned early music specialists, noted for her pure, crystal-like tone and vocal agility. Sarah showcases her repertoire including Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, Purcell's Evening Hymn and Dowland's songs.

11am
Sarah's Essential Choice
Tchaikovsky
String Quartet No.2 in F major, Op.22.

3 hours

Last on

Fri 16 Jan 2015 09:00
成人快手 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Thursday - Sarah Walker with Leanne Benjamin

Next

Monday - Rob Cowan with Michael Frayn

See all episodes from Essential Classics

Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    The Musical Box, Op.76 no.9

    Performer: Annette Servadei.
    • REGIS.

  • Georges Bizet

    Jeux d'enfants: Trompette et Tambour; La Poupee; Le Bal

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Carol Maria Giulini.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.

  • Beethoven

    32 Variations on an original theme in C minor, WoO80

    Performer: Mihaela Ursuleasa.

  • 5 reasons to love... British film music

    • Eric Coates

      Dam Busters March

      Orchestra: 成人快手 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
      • CHANDOS.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on Greensleeves

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Bryden Thomson.

  • Artist of the Week: Emma Kirkby

    • John Dowland

      Now cease my wandering eyes; Me, me and none but me

      Performer: Emma Kirkby (soprano). Performer: Anthony Rooley (orpharion & lute).

  • Rosza

    The Market Scene (The Thief of Baghdad)

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Kenneth Alwyn.
    • Silva Screen.

  • Anna Amelia of Prussia

    Sonata for flute and continuo in F major

    Performer: Trevor Pinnock. Performer: Emmanuel Pahud.
    • EMI.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Elegy, Op 3 No 1

    Performer: Andrei Gavrilov.
    • EMI.

  • Leanne Benjamin's Choice No. 1

    • Gabriel Faur茅

      Pie Jesu (Requiem)

      Performer: John Scott. Conductor: John Rutter. Ensemble: The Cambridge Singers. Singer: Caroline Ashton. Orchestra: City of London Sinfonia.
      • COLLEGIUM RECORDS.

  • Leanne Benjamin's Choice No. 2

    • Josef Suk

      Love Song

      Performer: Margaret Fingerhut.
      • CHANDOS.

  • Turlough O'Carolan

    Planxty Irwin

    Performer: Jordi Savall. Performer: Andrew Lawrence鈥怟ing.
    • Alia Vox.

  • Nathaniel Gow

    Miss Sally Hunter of Thurston Jig

    Performer: Jordi Savall. Performer: Andrew Lawrence鈥怟ing. Performer: Frank McGuire.
    • The Celtic Viol 2: Savall/Lawrence-King/McGuire.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 5.

  • Artist of the Week: Emma Kirkby

    • Antonio Vivaldi

      Gloria

      Singer: David Thomas. Singer: Judith Nelson. Singer: Carolyn Watkinson. Singer: Emma Kirkby. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Singer: Paul Elliott. Choir: The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral. Conductor: Simon Preston.
      • L鈥橭ISEAU LYRE.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    String Quartet No 2 in F major, Op 22

    Ensemble: Borodin Quartet.
    • MELODIYA.

  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Piano Concerto No.2 in G Minor

    Performer: Emil Grigoryevich Gilels. Conductor: Andr茅 Cluytens. Orchestra: Orchestre de la Soci茅t茅 des Concerts du Conservatoire.
    • EMI.

Mystery Composer

Clues:

听

I was once described by Stravinsky as the 鈥榮ix-and-a-half-foot-tall scowl.鈥�
After the disastrous debut of my First Symphony in 1897, I fell into a deep depression and visited a hypnotist, who repeated to me 鈥榊ou will write your concerto鈥ou will write your concerto.鈥櫶�
My music was banned from my home country for several years, after I was declared a 鈥榲iolent enemy鈥� of the state.

The answer:

听

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Broadcast

  • Fri 16 Jan 2015 09:00
    成人快手 Radio 3

Our Classical Century

Our Classical Century

Radio 3 explores 100 key musical moments that shaped us, from 1918 to the present day.

Time Travellers: the podcast

Time Travellers: the podcast

Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough presents quirky tales gathered from the corners of history.

Gallery