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Joanna Lumley & The Maestro — Music
Joanna Lumley & The Maestro

Joanna Lumley and her husband Stephen Barlow invite you into their home for a fascinating, funny journey into their shared love of music.
You probably know Joanna Lumley, but you may not be aware that her husband Stephen Barlow is a famed conductor, composer and musician – and the pair of them are passionate about classical music. On this, their new podcast, the pair welcome you into their home for a personal, fascinating and funny journey through a musical world.
Joanna is the enthusiastic amateur – asking the questions she’s always wanted to ask – and Stephen is The Maestro, providing the answers. Who was better: Mozart or Beethoven? Why do certain pieces of music make us feel a certain way? What do conductors actually do? They also discuss the great composers and symphonies, and the often-remarkable stories behind them, all delivered in Joanna and Stephen’s unique, engaging and affectionate way.
Maybe you think classical music isn’t for you? Or you know a little and want to know more? Or perhaps it’s been a lifetime love? Regardless, you definitely need to meet Joanna & The Maestro.

Copyright: © Cup & Nuzzle, Burning Bright Productions and Bauer Media

Latest Episodes:

We All Love a Disaster May 25, 2023

Show notes

What happens when it all goes wrong? What’s the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a conductor? Conducting with your flies down? And have Joanna or Stephen ever dozed off during a show? Got questions for Joanna and Stephen? Drop them a line hello@joannaandthemaestro.com

Arnold Schoenberg: The Man who Changed Music May 23, 2023

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Captain, We Hit A Schoenberg! Did Arnold Schoenberg break Classical music? Widely considered the greatest composer of the 20th century, Schoenburg’s innovations in ‘atonality’ (a term he detested throughout his life) changed the trajectory of music forever. In this episode, Joanna and Stephen explore the ripples of Schoenberg’s (much preferred) ‘emancipated dissonances’, through modern British composers such as Tippet, Turnage, Weir and Maxwell Davies.

Virgins, Nicknames & How To Train Your Maestro… May 18, 2023

Show notes

Its question time again! This week Joanna and Stephen discuss your questions on nicknames for operas and where to start with listening to them. Stephen also reveals how one becomes a Maestro…

Turning the Tables: Joanna’s Life as a ‘Moving Target’ May 16, 2023

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In this episode the Maestro turns the tables on Joanna and asks her questions about her life, her career as an actress and how she became a diarist for the Times. Joanna talks about why she wanted to become an actress, how being a model held her back and why she’ll keep wearing make up till the day she dies. We also hear why her favourite ever part was playing Hedda Gabler at the Dundee Repertory Theatre and why Stephen and Joanna never go on holiday.

Stick Or No Stick, Deadly Composers & Interpreting The Score May 11, 2023

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What drove 16th century composer, Carlo Gesualdo, to commit homicide? To baton or not to baton? And how do composers really interpret a score?

Stripping The Score May 09, 2023

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Have you ever wondered how a conductor deciphers the individual musical parts and melodies from a whole opera score? In this episode, Stephen and Joanna deconstruct Richard Strauss’ monumental opera, Salome - a score which contains the so-called “most sickening chord in all opera”.

Sex, Death & Pythagoras? May 04, 2023

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What did Joanna and Stephen play at their wedding? Why does everyone die in opera? And what the heck does Pythagoras have to do with music?

Anthems May 02, 2023

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Love them or hate them, everyone has one. In this episode, we’re discussing National Anthems. In Japan they sing of generations reigning eight thousand years. The French sing of slaughtering enemies until their ‘blood should water our fields’ and in New Zealand they celebrate ‘the hairy man who summons the sun and makes it shine’. Joanna and Stephen reveal the stories behind these bombastic pieces of music.

Your Questions: Patsy, Broken Batons & The Future Of Conductors Apr 27, 2023

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We’ve turned the tables! Welcome to a mini episode where you get to ask Joanna & The Maestro your absolutely fabulous musical questions.

Ade Edmondson: Learning Lines, The A303 and Being Forced to Listen to Classical Music Apr 25, 2023

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Ade Edmondson joins Joanna and Stephen to kick off season two! The actor, comedian and musician discusses his own complicated relationship with classical music, his jack-of-all-trades mentality to learning instruments and why his Dad never approved of Led Zeppelin. We also hear about Ade’s own experience making music and reveal Jennifer Saunders’ top driving anthems.

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