This Classical Life

Latest Episodes:

Jess Gillam with... Miloš Karadaglić Dec 21, 2019

Show notes

Jess and guitarist Miloš Karadaglić share some of their favourite tracks, from Albeniz to Bjork, with a little bit of David Bowie narrating Prokofiev for good measure.

Today we listened to...

Isaac Albeniz – Suite espanola, Op. 47; No. 5 Asturias (played by John Williams) Bjork – Vokuro Nicola Porpora – Polifemo, Act 3: Alto Giove (sung by Philippe Jaroussky) Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67 (narrated by David Bowie) Vincente Amigo - Callejón de la luna (played by Zsófia Boros) Sibelius - Impromptu in B minor, Op. 5 No.5 (played by Leif Ove Andsnes) Melody Gardot – Your Heart is as Black as Night Camille Saint-Saens - Danse macabre

Jess Gillam with... Bartosz Glowacki Dec 07, 2019

Show notes

Jess is joined by accordionist Bartosz Glowacki to share their favourite tracks of the moment, including music by Piazzolla, June Tabor, a Chopin ballade and Sofia Gubaidulina's experimental concerto for orchestra and jazz band.

Jess Gillam with... Soraya Mafi Nov 30, 2019

Show notes

Jess and the soprano Soraya Mafi share some of their favourite tracks, from Verdi to Jeff Buckley.

Tracks we listened to today:

Verdi - La Traviata, Act 1: 'Sempre libera' (Maria Callas) Philip Glass - Etude no. 2 for piano (Vikingur Olafsson - piano) Jeff Buckley - Lilac wine Schubert - Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello Op. 99; II. Andante un poco moso Handel - Scipione: ‘Scoglio d’immota fronte’ (Sandrine Piau) Nina Simone – Stars (Live at Montreux) Clara Schumann - Liebst du um Schonheit Rachmaninov - Symphony No.2, Adagio

Jess Gillam with... Simon Höfele Nov 23, 2019

Show notes

Jess Gillam swaps tracks with the trumpeter Simon Höfele, from the epic symphonies of Mahler and Shostakovich to reflective Beethoven and the repetitive rhythms of Meredith Monk. Here's the music we played today...

Ades - Overture from Powder Her Face, suite for orchestra Mahler - Symphony No.2 "Resurrection", final movement Meredith Monk - Ellis Island Zimmermann - Concerto for Trumpet “Nobody knows de trouble I see“ Parcels - Lightenup Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5, 4th movement Beethoven - Piano Sonata No.1, 2nd movement Anna Meredith - Heal You

Jess Gillam with... Kaapo Ijas Nov 16, 2019

Show notes

Finnish conductor Kaapo Ijas's tracks include Sibelius, the Sibelius Academy Big Band and Radiohead.

Here's the music we played today...

Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances, 1st movement Kurt Weill - The Ballad of Mack the Knife (Threepenny Opera) Sibelius - Symphony No.4, 3rd movement Jutta Rahmel/Sibelius Academy Folk Big Band - Levoton sydän Anders Hillborg - Violin Concerto No.2 Falla - 7 Canciones populares españolas (arr. Mischa Maisky) Radiohead - Everything in its right place Nico Muhly - Motion

Jess Gillam with... Andrey Lebedev Nov 09, 2019

Show notes

Jess and classical guitarist Andrey Lebedev swap music from Brahms to Mason Bates, and Jimmie Rowles featuring Stan Getz.

Jess Gillam with... Abel Selaocoe Nov 02, 2019

Show notes

Jess is joined by the cellist Abel Selaocoe, a member of the Manchester Collective whose performances take in everything from chamber music to beatboxing. He and share tracks including a radical interpretation of Biber's Battalia and another war-themed piece in Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem, symphonies by Mozart and Penderecki, plus music by John Adams and the Youngblood Brass Band.

Jess Gillam with... Alexia Sloane Oct 12, 2019

Show notes

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and poet Alexia Sloane to swap music including John Luther Adams immersive Become Ocean, the sublime vocal harmonies of Kraja, Steve Reich's Music for 18 musicians, Smetana and a soul classic by Aretha Franklin.

Here's the music we played today...

Bedrich Smetana - Ma vlast, Vltava [Moldau] Kraja- Polska Till Rut Francis Poulenc - Sonata for Oboe FP, 185; 1. Allegro John Luther Adams - Become Ocean Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer Hildegard Von Bingen - Digiti Viriditas Dei Steve Reich - Music for 18 musicians John Tavener - The Protecting Veil

Jess Gillam with... Ian Arber Oct 05, 2019

Show notes

Jess is joined by film composer Ian Arber, who wrote the theme tune for the TV coverage of BBC Proms 2019. They swap tracks including music by Penderecki, Terence Blanchard, Bach and Rachmaninov.

Today we listened to...

Krzysztof Penderecki: Sinfonietta No. 1 - Vivace Sergei Rachmaninoff – Prelude in C-Sharp Minor (No. 2), Op. 3. Frederic Rzewski - Attica John Barry - The Knack… and How to Get it. Benjamin Britten - Friday Afternoons, Op. 7: Cuckoo! Terence Blanchard - Leeves Gustavo Santaolalla - De Usuahia a la Quiaca JS Bach - Badinerie from Orchestral Suite No.2 in B minor, BWV1067

Jess Gillam with... Freya Waley-Cohen Sep 28, 2019

Show notes

Jess Gillam and composer Freya Waley-Cohen swap Messiaen's frenetic Joy of the Blood of the Stars from Turangalîla, a Procol Harum classic performed by King Curtis, Ravel, Janacek and Shostakovich.

This Classical Life is also available as a podcast on BBC Sounds.

Here's what we listened to today...

Olivier Messiaen - Turangalîla-Symphonie; V. Joie Du Sang Des Étoiles Vif, Passionné Avec Joie William Byrd - Miserere Mei, Deus arr. Nico Muhly Jenna Moynihan and Mairi Chaimbeul - Steaph’s Red Shoes Maurice Ravel - Piano concerto in G major - Adagio Assai Gabriella Smith - Carrot Revolution King Curtis - A Whiter Shade of Pale Leoš Janáček - Violin Sonata, JW VII/7: 2nd mvt: Ballada con moto Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony no. 11, 4th movement “Alarm”

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