This Classical Life

Latest Episodes:

Jess Gillam with... Shivank Menon Feb 11, 2023

Show notes

Jess Gillam is joined by the Mumbai-born pianist Shivank Menon to talk about the records that they love. Their playlist includes Rostropovich playing Bach, Sviatoslav Richter playing Chopin, songs by Ravel, Fanny Mendelssohn and Donny Hathaway, and a recording of Bill Evans duetting with himself.

Playlist:

MORELENBAUM2 & RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: Sabia J S BACH ARR. KODALY: Vater unser im Himmelrich, BWV 762 (Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Herbert Tachezi, organ) CHOPIN: Polonaise No 7 in A flat, Op 61 (Sviatoslav Richter, piano) ROBERT DE VISÉE: Sarabande from Suite No 7 in D minor (Thomas Dunford, archlute; Jean Rondeau, harpsichord) FANNY MENDELSSOHN: Schwanenlied, Op 1 No 1 (Dorothea Craxton, soprano & Babette Dorn, piano + Benjamin Appl, baritone & James Baillieu, piano) RAVEL: Soupir from 3 Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano) DONNY HATHAWAY: A Song for You BILL EVANS: Emily

Jess Gillam with... Bishi Feb 08, 2023

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Jess Gillam swaps favourite music with singer, rock sitarist and composer Bishi. Together they journey through evocations of space from Meredith Monk, Holst and Roger Webb back home to different shades of the human voice in music - from sacred vocal music from the 15th century, via a Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass collaboration, the unique voice of Beverly Glenn-Copeland and singer Cosmo Sheldrake's wake-up call from the cuckoo.

Playlist:

RAVI SHANKAR/PHILIP GLASS: Prashanti TOMAS LUIS de VICTORIA: O Magnum Mysterium [Voces8] STRAVINSKY – Petrushka – Tableau 1 Fete Populaire de la semaine grasse [Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (cond)] ROGER WEBB: Moonbird (Heaven and Hell) MEREDITH MONK: Atlas Part 3 – Invisible Light: Earth Seen from Above HOLST: The Planets – Mars [London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (cond)] BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND: La Vita COSMO SHELDRAKE: Cuckoo Song

Jess Gillam with... Ionel Manciu Jan 30, 2023

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Jess is joined by violinist Ionel Manciu to chat about some of their favourite records and share their lives in music. Including a revelation of Ionel's past life as a Moldovan pop star, John Adams conjuring raindrops from the piano, a classic by Amy Winehouse and a piece by Arno Babadjanian that stopped Jess in her tracks.

Playlist: GEORGY SVIRIDOV: The Bells of Dawn [Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone), The Grand Choir ‘Masters of Choral Singing’/Lev Kontorovich (cond)] AMY WINEHOUSE: Love is a Losing Game ARNO BABADJANIAN: Piano Trio in F sharp – 2nd mvt ‘Allegro’ [David Oïstrakh (violin), Sviatoslav Knushevitsky (cello) Arno Babadjanian (piano)] JOHN ADAMS: China Gates [Bruce Brubaker (piano)] ASTOR PIAZZOLLA: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires – Invierno Porteño “Winter” [Lara St John (violin), Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela/Eduardo Marturet] ANOMALIE: Métropole RACHMANINOV: Symphonic Dances, op.45 - no.2 Tempo di Valse [Berlin Philharmonic/Simon Rattle (cond)] DINICU: The Skylark (Ciocarlia) [Gheorghe Zamfir (pan flute)]

Jess Gillam with... Iyad Sughayer Jan 21, 2023

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Jess is joined this week by the Jordanian-Palestinian pianist Iyad Sughayer. They're in the studio to share some of their favourite tracks with each other, and some new musical discoveries - including a joyful piano concerto by Haydn, terrifying music by Bartok, a mesmerising song by Caroline Shaw and classic Bob Dylan.

Playlist: Joseph Haydn - Piano Concerto in D major, Hob. XVIII:11 (Alexandre Tharaud, Violons du Roy) David Bowie & Gail Ann Dorsey - Under Pressure (from the album A Reality Tour) Ibrahim Maalouf - Will Soon be a Woman Bela Bartok - The Miraculous Mandarin: Introduction (Philharmonia Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen) Caroline Shaw - And So (Caroline Shaw with the Attacca Quartet) Jocelyn Pook - Oppenheimer (from the album Flood) Johann Paul von Westhoff - Sonata No.3 in D minor (David Plantier violin, Les plaisirs du Parnasse) Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain’s A‐Gonna Fall

Jess Gillam with... C Duncan Jan 14, 2023

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Jess Gillam and Scottish composer C Duncan share the tracks they love, with music by Charles Ives, Broadcast, Lili Boulanger Messiaen and Mahler.

Playlist: Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach - Symphony in E-flat Major Wq. 179 - 1. Prestissimo [Akademie für Alte Ausik Berlin] Broadcast - Colour Me In Lili Boulanger - D’Un Jardin Clair [Émile Naoumoff - piano] Charles Ives - 3 Places in New England - The Housatonic at Stockbridge [Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon] Harry Nilsson - Everybody’s Talkin Olivier Messiaen - O Sacrum Comvivium [Choir of New College, Oxford, Edward Higginbottom] Matt Maltese - As the World Caves In Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 2 in C Minor “Resurrection”; V. Mit Aufschung… [Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic, Kate Royal, Magdalena Kozena]

Jess Gillam with... Ellie Consta Jan 13, 2023

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Jess Gillam is joined by violinist Ellie Consta to share some of the music they love the most. Ellie is the founder of Her Ensemble which champions the work of female composers and strives to present classical music in new diverse ways, and her music choices reflect that - from Florence Price's dreamy Clouds to Little Simz Mercury-winning homage to women everywhere, Woman.

Jess brings along the majesty of Mozart's Requiem, some lunar insanity on the theremin and a cracker of a song by Bettye Swann.

Playlist: FLORENCE PRICE: Clouds [Lara Downes (piano)] HARRY REVEL: Lunar Rhapsody (from Music Out of the Moon) [Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman (theremin), Vocal Group and Orchestra/Les Baxter (bandleader)] TIGRAN HAMASYAN: The Dream Voyager MOZART: Requiem in D minor – Sequentia…Lachrimosa [Swedish Radio Choir, Berlin Phil/Claudio Abbado] LILI BOULANGER: Nocturne [Janine Jansen (violin), Itamar Golan (piano)] BETTYE SWANN: Tell it Like it Is GEORGE ANTHEIL: Over the Plains [BBC Philharmonic/John Storgards] LITTLE SIMZ: Woman

Jess Gillam with... Anna Lapwood Dec 31, 2022

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Jess brings out the fizz and party poppers for a New Year's Eve listening party with the organist and conductor Anna Lapwood, as they introduce each other to their favourite music for this time of year. Their choices take them through the night, from classic Ella Fitzgerald, to pumping base from Vivaldi and Bonobo, reflective choral music by Silvestrov, mysterious organ sounds for the early hours from Saint-Saens, and a New Year message from Otis Redding.

Playlist: Ella Fitzgerald - What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Vivaldi – Violin Concerto in D major, RV211, 3rd movement (Nicola Benedetti, Benedetti Baroque Orchestra) Supertramp – The Logical Song Bonobo / O’Flynn – Otomo (from album Fragments) Silvestrov – Christmas Lullabies, No.2: Quiet Night (Latvian Radio Choir) Glenn Miller – Moonlight Serenade (Barbara Hannigan, LUDWIG) Saint-Saens – Danse macabre, Op. 40 (arr. Lemare) (Olivier Latry, organ of Paris Philharmonie) Otis Reading – Try a Little Tenderness

Jess Gillam with... Love Ssega Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

Jess meets up with Love Ssega to swap some of their favourite music. A founding songwriter and vocalist of Clean Bandit, Love Ssega is hugely in demand for his collaborative work across genres from pop to visual art. He is currently the Philharmonia's artist in residence.

Ssega came with some truly epic Elgar played by Sheku Kanneh Mason, a serious ear worm of an opera chorus by Verdi, and introduced Jess to the incredible voice of Alice Smith (she's been listening to her on loop since). Meanwhile Jess played Ssega Vivaldi arranged by Max Richter, some 12th century vocal music by Hildegard von Bingen, and an elegy to the environment by Marvin Gaye.

PLAYLIST:

MAX RICHTER/VIVALDI: Spring 1 – from the Four Seasons Recomposed [Daniel Hope (violin), Zurich Chamber Orchestra] VERDI: Va pensiero – Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco) [Chorus and Orchestra of Royal Opera House, London, Bernard Haitink (cond)] MARVIN GAYE: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) ELGAR – Cello Concerto in E minor, op.85 – 1st mvt [Sheku Kanneh Mason (cello), London Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle (cond)] PETER GABRIEL: The Book of Love WILLIAM MATHIAS: Zodiac Trio, op.70 – 1st mvt ‘Pisces’ [Dallas Triptych Players] HILDEGARD von BINGEN: Spiritus Sanctus Vivificans [Armonico Consort, Christopher Monks (dir) ALICE SMITH: Wednesday’s Child

Christmas Party with the Kings Singers Dec 17, 2022

Show notes

Jess Gillam dons her Christmas jumper to throw a This Classical Life Christmas Party. She's joined by The King's Singers, a fairy light bedecked studio, several packets of party rings and plenty of good tidings as they all share their favourite Christmas music and talk about their festive traditions.

From Nick's love of the 'Daniel Craig of the choral classics' Bach's Christmas Oratorio, to Pat's championing of the backing group in an Ella Fitzgerald Christmas tune. Jess, of course, manages to find a David Bowie track even at Christmas and Johnny shares a Beach Boys hit that encapsulates the Christmases of touring musicians.

Playlist:

ELLA FITZGERALD: Santa Claus is Coming to Town MORTEN LAURIDSEN: O Magnum mysterium [Chamber Choir of Europe/ Nicol Matt] YAZOO: Only You PROKOFIEV: Lietenant Kijé Suite, op.60 – Troika [Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Claudio Abbado] WIZZARD: I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday TRAD IRISH: The Wexford Carol [Susannah Vango (sop) Ex Cathedra/Jeffrey Skidmore] DAVID BOWIE/BING CROSBY Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy JS BACH: "Herr, wenn die stolzen feinde schnauben" from Christmas Oratorio [Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor/René Jacobs] THE BEACH BOYS: God Only Knows

Jess Gillam with... Caroline Shaw Dec 10, 2022

Show notes

Jess Gillam and composer Caroline Shaw share their favourite music, with tracks by wordsmith Kae Tempest, a concert waltz by Scott Joplin, the incredible voice of Sarah Vaughan and an unfinished piece by Schubert (but not the one you're thinking!).

Playlist: Clara Schumann: 3 Romances Op. 22 No. 3 [Elena Urioste - violin, Isata Kanneh-Mason - piano] Mark Guiliana - a path to bliss Scott Joplin - Bethena [Randy Kerber - piano] Sarah Vaughan - Tenderly Josquin des Prez - Mille regretz [Hilliard Ensemble] Stanley Myers - Saxophone Concerto [John Harle, Argo Symphony Orchestra, James Judd] Kae Tempest - People's Faces Schubert - Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, D.571 (Fragment) [Andras Schiff - piano]

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