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Amanda Foreman

Writer and historian Dr Amanda Foreman introduces music that reflects different aspects of the British character and landscape, including works by Elgar, Purcell and Judith Weir.

Writer and historian Dr Amanda Foreman takes a personal journey through the musical history of Britain, introducing works which have inspired her over the years and which reflect different aspects of what it is to be British.

Foreman is the author of the award-winning best sellers, 'Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire' (1999) and 'A World on Fire: A Epic History of Two Nations Divided (2011), and is seen and heard frequently on TV and radio history programmes.

Having lived in the UK and the United States, Foreman has both an inside and outside view of Britain and the music which defines it. In her varied choice, she introduces works such as the Medieval "Agincourt Carol", pieces by Byrd and John Bull which entertained women in the Tudor Court, as well as evocative musical portrayals of the 20th century English and Scottish landscapes by Elgar and Hamish MacCunn.

2016 sees the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, and in amongst Foreman's choices are works inspired by his writing, including Judith Weir's "Storm" with texts from "The Tempest", incidental music from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Mendelssohn and Henry Bishop's "Lo! Here the lark" from his music for "The Comedy of Errors".

Other music includes works by Henry Wood, Ethel Smyth, Thomas Weelkes, Henry Purcell, William Walton and Hubert Parry.

Producer Helen Garrison.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Apr 2016 13:00

Music Played

  • Thomas Arne

    Alfred, masque; Rule Britannia!

    Singer: Jamie McDougal. Orchestra: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale. Choir: Philharmonia Chorus. Conductor: Nicholas McGegan.
  • Henry Wood

    Jack's the lad [Sailors' hornpipe] (Fantasia on British Sea Songs)

    Orchestra: 成人快手 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
  • John Bacchus Dykes

    Eternal Father strong to save (naval hymn)

    Performer: David Bell. Choir: Huddersfield Choral Society. Conductor: Owain Arwel Hughes.
  • Judith Weir

    Storm; mvt 1, Storm and Shipwreck

    Choir: 成人快手 Singers. Choir: Choristers of Temple Church Choir. Ensemble: Endymion Ensemble. Conductor: David Hill.
  • Edward Elgar

    Introduction and Allegro for string orchestra (Op.47)

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vernon Handley.
  • Hamish MacCunn

    The Land of the mountain and the flood, overture (Op.3)

    Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Alexander Gibson.
  • Anon.

    Deo gratias Anglia (The Agincourt carol)

    Choir: Gothic Voices. Director: Christopher Page.
  • Traditional Welsh

    Men of Harlech

    Choir: Treorchy Male Voice Choir.
  • William Walton

    'Spitfire' prelude and fugue for orchestra - concert version

    Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Charles Groves.
  • Hubert Parry

    I was glad

    Performer: Timothy Byram-Wigfield. Choir: Winchester Cathedral Choir. Choir: Waynflete Singers. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: David Hill.
  • Henry Purcell

    Funeral Sentences; Man that is born of a woman

    Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
  • Anon.

    O Deathe rock me asleep

    Performer: Jacob Heringman. Performer: Kirsty Whalley. Singer: Clare Wilkinson.
  • John Bull

    Galliard

  • William Byrd

    Browning (The leaves be green) for consort a 5

    Ensemble: Fretwork.
  • Thomas Weelkes

    As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending, [from The triumphs of Oriana, 1601]

    Choir: The King鈥檚 Singers.
  • Henry Bishop

    Lo! Here the gentle lark

    Singer: Joan Sutherland. Performer: Alexander Murray. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    A Midsummer night's dream: incidental music (Op.61), no.1; Scherzo

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: George Szell.
  • John Gay

    Over the hills and far away

    Singer: Patrizia Kwella. Singer: Paul Elliott. Ensemble: The Broadside Band. Director: Jeremy Barlow.
  • Gustav Holst

    Suite for military band no. 2 in F major; Mvt 4 Fantasia on the Dargason

    Orchestra: Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra. Conductor: Timothy Reynish.
  • Ethel Smyth

    March of the Women

    Singer: Eiddwen Harrhy. Ensemble: Chorus and Orchestra of the Plymouth Music Series. Conductor: Philip Brunelle.
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis

    Orchestra: 成人快手 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.

Broadcast

  • Sat 16 Apr 2016 13:00

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