Revolution
Suzy Klein explores how music's power to stir emotions gave it a crucial role in politics in the volatile years after the Russian Revolution and World War I.
In the first episode of this fascinating and entertaining series exploring the politics of music, Suzy Klein takes us back to the volatile years following the Russian Revolution and World War I, when music was seen as a tool to change society.
Suzy explores the gender-bending cabarets of 1920s Berlin, smashes a piano in the spirit of the Bolshevik revolution, and discovers that playing a theremin is harder than it looks. She also reveals why one orchestra decided to work without a conductor, uncovers the dark politics behind Mack the Knife and probes the satirical songs which tried to puncture the rise of the Nazis. Finally, she tells the story of the infamous Horst Wessel song, which helped bring Hitler to power.
Suzy's musical stories are richly brought to life with the help of the 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales and its Chorus, as well as wonderful solo performers. This was a golden age for music, and its jazz, popular songs, experimental symphonies and classics like Rachmaninoff all provoke debate - what kind of culture do we want? Is music for the elite or for the people? Was this a new age of liberal freedom to be relished - or were we hurtling towards the apocalypse?
With music's incredible power to bypass our brains and get straight to our hearts, it can at once invoke the very best in us and, Suzy argues, inflame the very worst. Music lovers beware!
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Clips
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Revolutionary piano smashing
Duration: 01:20
Music Played
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Appassionata Sonata No 23
Performer: Suzy Klein. -
Richard Wagner
Die Walkure: Walkurenritt - The Valkyrie - Ride Of The Valkyries
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Dmitry Shostakovich
Symphony No. 5 in D-Minor Op. 47
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
William Walton
Prelude And Fugue - 'the Spitfire'
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Richard Strauss
Metamorphosen
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Friedrich Hollaender
Raus Mit Den Maennern
Performer: Sigrid Grajek. -
Eric Borchard
Aggravatin Papa (1924)
Performer: Eric Borchard. -
Julian Fuhs
Look! Who's Here (1925)
Performer: Julian Fuhs und sein Orchester. -
Berliner Philharmoniker
Blues (From Dance Suite)
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Kurt Tucholsky
Rote Melodie
Performer: Kate Kuhl. -
Berliner Philharmoniker
Blues (From Dance Suite)
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Mischa Spoliansky
The Lavender Song (1920)
Performer: Le Poustra. Performer: Suzy Klein. -
Horst Platen
Hannelore
Performer: Claire Waldoff. -
Horst Platen
Hannelore
Performer: Sigrid Grajek. -
Pierre Degeyter
The Internationale
Performer: 成人快手 Chorus of Wales. Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Pierre Degeyter
The Internationale
Performer: Bolshoi Theater Chorus. Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. -
unknown
Track 8
Performer: unknown. -
Modest Mussorgsky
Gopak
Performer: Slovensk谩 filharm贸nia. -
Igor Stravinsky
P茅trouchka, Tableau 1: Danse Russe
Performer: Sir Simon Rattle. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. -
Alexander Mosolov
Piano Sonata No4 Op11
Performer: Olga Andryushchenko. -
Ludwig van Beethoven
The Appassionata: Sonatas 8, 17 & 23
Performer: Ingrid Fliter. -
Sergey Rachmaninov
Prelude In C Sharp Minor
Performer: Daniel Petrov. -
Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns
The Swan
Performer: Peter Theremin. -
Arseny Avraamov
Baku: Symphony Of Sirens
Performer: Arseny Avraamov. -
V Umans
Vow-Vow
Performer: Ama-Jazz. -
Sergey Rachmaninov
Symphony No.2 In E-Minor Op.27 Movement Ii - Allegro Molto
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Kurt Weill
Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera)- Prelude: Overture
Performer: Jan Latham-Koenig. Orchestra: The Konig Ensemble. -
Kurt Weill
Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (Mack The Knife)
Performer: Stefan Kurt. -
Kurt Weill
Moritat Vom Mackie Messer (Mack The Knife)
Performer: Bertolt Brecht. -
Kurt Weill
The Threepenny Opera - The Ballad Of Mack The Knife
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales. -
Franz Leh谩r
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes (You Are My Heart's Delight)
Orchestra: Jack Hylton & His Orchestra. -
Werner Richard Heymann
Eine Nacht In Monte Carlo
Orchestra: Mark Webber And His Orchestra. -
Friedrich Hollaender
It's All The Fault Of The Jews (An Allem Sind Die Juden Schuld!)
Performer: Suzy Klein. Performer: Sigrid Grajek. -
Horst Wessel
Horst Wessel Lied
Performer: Suzy Klein. -
Horst Wessel
Horst Wessel Lied/ Die Fahne Hoch
Performer: Band of S.Strumbann X11. -
Horst Wessel
Horst Wessel Lied
Performer: Suzy Klein. -
Kurt Weill
The Threepenny Opera - The Ballad Of Mack The Knife
Orchestra: 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Suzy Klein |
Orchestra | 成人快手 National Orchestra of Wales |
Choir | 成人快手 National Chorus of Wales |
Conductor | Otto Tausk |
Interviewed Guest | Sigrid Grajek |
Music Group | Le Pustra |
Interviewed Guest | Peter Aidu |
Interviewed Guest | Peter Theremin |
Musician | Stefan Kurt |
Interviewed Guest | Hans-Jorn Brandenburg |
Director | Helena Braun |
Executive Producer | Archie Baron |
Executive Producer | Debbie Lee |
Broadcasts
- Mon 2 Oct 2017 21:00
- Tue 3 Oct 2017 02:55
- Wed 11 Jul 2018 23:00
- Fri 16 Nov 2018 00:35
- Sat 30 Nov 2019 02:45
- Mon 20 Apr 2020 18:00Red Button One
- Tue 21 Apr 2020 17:00Red Button One
- Wed 22 Apr 2020 16:00Red Button One
- Thu 23 Apr 2020 18:00Red Button One
- Fri 24 Apr 2020 15:00Red Button One
- Fri 24 Apr 2020 20:00
- Sat 25 Apr 2020 02:05
- Thu 14 May 2020 18:00Red Button One
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