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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ announces major new programmes about history of the Baroque and birth of British music
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The 91Èȱ¬ will tell the story of a cultural revolution in British music and explore one of Europe's most successful and wide ranging art movements in two major new television series planned for early next year.
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In The Birth of British Music for 91Èȱ¬ Two, acclaimed conductor Charles Hazlewood tells the story of how Britishness was built in sound in the two centuries from 1650 to 1850 and how classical music became a key component of our national identity.
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This four-part series has a biographical focus, marking four major anniversaries that fall in 2009: Baroque composers Henry Purcell (1659-95) and George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) and then Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47).
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It will show how all four composers contributed towards an age of revolution in music, as Britain's openness to the world through commerce and empire created its own cultural melting pot.
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The series will demonstrate how these largely foreign-born composers made an enormous contribution to the widening and democratisation of our cultural life.
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There will be performance of key musical works with Charles Hazlewood conducting his own period instrument ensemble, Harmonieband, with leading soloists including Sir John Tomlinson, Danielle de Niese and Sir Thomas Allen.
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Charles will also meet biographers, social historians and practitioners who bring to life the rich and varied social and musical worlds in which each composer operated.
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The series was commissioned by Adam Kemp, 91Èȱ¬ In-house Commissioner for Arts, Music, Performance and Religion, and will be executive produced for 91Èȱ¬ Vision Productions by Peter Maniura, Head of Classical Music TV.
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A major new three part series for 91Èȱ¬ Four will tell the story of Baroque!
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Written and presented by Waldemar Januszczak and filmed in high definition in locations across Europe, the series will explore the importance and impact of this art movement as it travelled from Catholic Rome to Protestant London.
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The first programme looks at the creative energy of the movement as it burst onto the scene in Italy.
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It was here that the main characteristics of Baroque found their earliest form, from the thrilling illusionist painting of Caravaggio and Padre Pozzo to the invention of opera by Monteverdi; and from the perfection of the violin by Stradivarius to the architectural inventions of Borromini.
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The second programme explores how Baroque spread out of Italy in two directions – dark, fiery and intense as it headed south to Spain. In the other direction – light, airy, showy – as it spread north to Germany.
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The final programme looks at the achievements of the English Baroque: the architecture of Wren, Hawksmoor, William Kent, the music of Purcell and the paintings of William Dobson.
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St Paul's, in its grandeur and scale, is a masterpiece of Baroque building. Greenwich, as an architectural arrangement, is stupendous.
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Accompanying the series, 91Èȱ¬ Four will be showing a selection of related archive material.
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The series was commissioned by Jacquie Hughes, 91Èȱ¬ Independent Commissioning Editor for Arts, Music and Religion, from ZCZ Films.
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Adam Kemp says: "Just as the forthcoming British Style Genius series demonstrates the love of British contemporary creativity, these landmark programmes show a similar passion for delving deeply into the glories of our past musical and artistic heritage.
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"Waldemar Januszczak and Charles Hazlewood are both compelling and evocative guides and these visually sumptuous programmes will be complemented by a strong selection of archive and performance pieces." Ìý
Other 91Èȱ¬ television activities to complement these series are:
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A double bill from the Royal Opera House created by its resident choreographer Wayne Macgregor, with broadcasts of performances of Handel's Acis and Galatea and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas on 91Èȱ¬ Two to complement the series.
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A Songs Of Praise special on 91Èȱ¬ One will celebrate one of Handel's most famous and best-loved works, Messiah.
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Details of ambitious plans to celebrated the anniversaries of Purcell and Handel on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 3 will be announced soon.
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TM
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