Main content

1790 - Royally Rejected

Donald Macleod follows the highs, lows and exquisite music of Mozart鈥檚 last five years. Today, Mozart鈥檚 penultimate year is one of his most frustrating and fruitless.

Donald Macleod journeys through Mozart鈥檚 frustrating and fruitless penultimate year.

All this week, we鈥檒l be hearing Mozart鈥檚 famous swansong, his Requiem, in its entirety as Donald Macleod charts the highs and lows of the composer's last five years, from veneration to humiliation and back again. We hear how Mozart coped with all that life threw at him and somehow managed to compose many of the works he鈥檚 most beloved for today.

Today: 1790 - a year which sees the premiere of Mozart鈥檚 opera Cosi fan tutte, and the death of Mozart鈥檚 steadiest source of income, the Emperor Joseph II. How interested in music will his successor be?

Cosi fan tutte: Overture
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Yannick N茅zet-S茅guin, conductor

Cosi fan tutte, Act II: Una donna
Graciela Oddone, soprano (Despina)
Concerto K枚ln
Ren茅 Jacobs, conductor

Requiem: Domine Jesu Christe/Hostias/Sanctus/Benedictus
Joanne Lunn, soprano
Rowan Hellier, mezzo
Thomas Hobbs, tenor
Matthew Brook, bass-baritone
Dunedin Consort
John Butt, conductor

Adagio and Allegro in F minor (originally for organ), K594
Ensemble Pyramide

String Quintet in D, K593 (1st and 2nd movements)
Hsin-Yun Huang, viola
Brentano Quartet

Produced by Amelia Parker for 成人快手 Audio Wales and West

28 days left to listen

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Cosi fan Tutte Overture

    Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Yannick N茅zet鈥怱茅guin. Conductor: Yannick N茅zet鈥怱茅guin.
    • DG : 479-064-1.
    • DG.
    • 1.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Cosi fan Tutte, Act 2, No 19, Una Donna a quindici anni

    Singer: Graciela Oddone. Ensemble: Concerto K枚ln. Conductor: Ren茅 Jacobs.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI : HMC 90166365.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • 9.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Requiem in D minor, K 626 (Domine Jesu Christe; Hostias; Sanctus; Benedictus)

    Singer: Joanne Lunn. Singer: Matthew Brook. Singer: Rowan Hellier. Singer: Thomas Hobbs. Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Director: John Butt.
    • Linn : CKD-449.
    • Linn.
    • 9.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Adagio and Allegro, K 594

    Ensemble: Ensemble Pyramide.
    • BRILLIANT : 94-929.
    • BRILLIANT.
    • 4.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    String Quintet in D major, K 593 (1st & 2nd mvts)

    Performer: Hsin-Yun Huang. Ensemble: Brentano String Quartet.
    • AEON : AECD-0747.
    • AEON.
    • 5.

Broadcast

  • Yesterday 16:00

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

Beethoven Unleashed 鈥 the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time 鈥 why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.