Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Wednesday - Sarah Walker with Leanne Benjamin

With Sarah Walker. Including Five Reasons to Love British Film Music; Find the Fourth; Artist of the Week: Emma Kirkby; Sarah's Essential Choice: Verdi: String Quartet in E minor.

Discover definitive recordings of the greatest classical music with your trusted guide, Sarah Walker. She's joined by former principal ballerina at the Royal Ballet Leanne Benjamin

9am
A selection of music including '5 Reasons to Love'...British film music. This week Sarah champions an art form that has seen contributions from leading and neglected British composers of the 20th century, from Vaughan Williams to William Walton. It's a genre that often struggles to be taken seriously, perhaps because in its most perfect form it's hidden from view, the audience not noticing that it brings colour to a black-and-white classic, or highlights emotional moods and landscapes, surreptitiously setting the scene.

9.30am
Find the fourth. Take part in our daily musical challenge: spot the theme linking three pieces of music and identify the missing fourth.

10am
Sarah's guest this week is Leanne Benjamin, former principal ballerina at the Royal Ballet. Leanne shares a selection of the music she danced to during her career, discussing her memories of choreographer Kenneth MacMillan and offering a personal insight into the world of a ballet dancer.

10.30am
This week Sarah's featured artist is Emma Kirkby, one of the world's most renowned early music specialists, noted for her pure, crystal-like tone and vocal agility. Sarah showcases her repertoire including Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate, Purcell's Evening Hymn and Dowland's songs.

11am
Sarah's Essential Choice
Verdi
String Quartet in E minor
Amadeus Quartet.

3 hours

Music Played

  • Jean鈥怭hilippe Rameau

    Fanfarinette (Suite La Triomphante)

    Music Arranger: Raaf Hekkema. Ensemble: Calefax Reed Quintet.
    • MDG.
  • Alexander Borodin

    Polovtsian Dances (Prince Igor)

    Choir: Beecham Choral Society. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Thomas Beecham.
    • EMI.
  • Shvedov

    The Cherubic Hymn

    Choir: Holst Singers. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
  • 5 Reasons to Love...British film music

    • Ralph Vaughan Williams

      Scott of the Antartic

      Choir: Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus. Orchestra: 91热爆 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
      • CHANDOS.
  • Francis Poulenc

    Sonata for horn, trumpet and trombone

    Performer: John Wilbraham. Performer: John Iveson. Performer: Alan Civil.
    • EMI.
  • Thomas Arne

    Rise, Glory, rise (Rosamond)

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • DECCA.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Rage on a Lost Penny (Rondo a capriccio in G, Op.129)

    Performer: Jen艖 Jand贸.
    • NAXOS.
  • Leanne Benjamin's Choice No. 1

    • Sergey Prokofiev

      Juliet鈥檚 funeral and death (Romeo and Juliet)

      Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
      • DECCA.
  • Artist of the week: Emma Kirkby

    • Fran莽ois Couperin

      Premi猫re Le莽on de T茅n猫bres pour le Mercredy Saint

      Performer: Charles Medlam. Performer: Terence Charlston. Singer: Emma Kirkby.
      • BIS.
  • Edward Elgar

    Cockaigne Overture

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: John Barbirolli.
    • EMI.
  • Essential Choice

    • Giuseppe Verdi

      String Quartet in E minor

      Ensemble: Amadeus Quartet.
      • DG.
  • Ernest Chausson

    Symphony in B flat

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Munch.
    • RCA.

Find the Fourth

The music played:


Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C minor: 1st mvt
Vienna Philharmonic
Carlos Kleiber (conductor)
DG

Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor: 2nd mvt
Mitsuko Uchida (piano)
English Chamber Orchestra
Jeffrey Tate (conductor)
PHILIPS

Mahler
Symphony No. 10: Adagio
Berlin Philharmonic
Simon Rattle (conductor)
EMI

The answer:

The theme was pound notes and the missing fourth was 拢50

Broadcast

  • Wed 14 Jan 2015 09:00

Our Classical Century

Our Classical Century

Radio 3 explores 100 key musical moments that shaped us, from 1918 to the present day.

Time Travellers: the podcast

Time Travellers: the podcast

Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough presents quirky tales gathered from the corners of history.