Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Thursday - Sarah Walker with Leanne Benjamin

With Sarah Walker. Including Five Reasons to Love British Film Music; Recording Rewind; Artist of the Week: Emma Kirkby; Sarah's Essential Choice: Smetana: String Quartet No 2.

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
Recording Rewind. Take part in our daily musical challenge: identify a piece of music played backwards.

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
Smetana
String Quartet No.2 'Intimate letters'
Talich Quartet.

3 hours

Music Played

  • Moritz Moszkowski

    Spanish Dance Op.12 No.3

    Conductor: Ata煤lfo Argenta. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra.
    • DECCA.
  • Schubert

    Sonatina for violin and piano in D major, D.384

    Performer: Martin Helmchen. Performer: Julia Fischer.
    • PENTATONE CLASSICS.
  • 5 Reasons to love... British Film Music

    • Luigi Boccherini

      String Quintet in E major, Op.11 No.5 (Minuet)

      Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
      • Royal Classics.
  • Carl Maria von Weber

    Euryanthe (Overture)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: EMMA KIRKBY

    • Henry Purcell

      An Evening Hymn

      Performer: Christopher Hogwood. Performer: Anthony Rooley. Singer: Emma Kirkby.
      • DECCA.
  • C茅sar Franck

    Prelude, Fugue and Variations, Op 18

    Performer: Alexis Weissenberg.
    • EMI.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Romance (The Gadfly)

    Performer: Alexander Kerr. Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • DECCA.
  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    The Waltz from Moscow-Cherymushki

    Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
  • LEANNE BENJAMIN'S CHOICE NO. 1

    • Giacomo Meyerbeer

      Les Patineurs: Entr茅e

      Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
      • DECCA.
  • LEANNE BENJAMIN'S CHOICE NO. 2

    • Francis Poulenc

      Organ Concerto (conclusion)

      Performer: Ian Tracey. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier. Orchestra: 91热爆 Philharmonic.
      • CHANDOS.
  • LEANNE BENJAMIN'S CHOICE NO. 3

    • Igor Stravinsky

      The Firebird (extracts)

      Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Igor Stravinsky.
      • SONY CLASSICAL.
  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Slavonic Dance in A major, Op 46 No 5

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Rafael Kubel铆k.
    • DG.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: EMMA KIRKBY

    • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

      Exsultate jubilate, K.165/158a (Salzburg Version)

      Singer: Emma Kirkby. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
      • L鈥橭ISEAU LYRE.
  • Emmanuel Chabrier

    Suite pastorale

    Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Paray.
    • MERCURY.
  • Essential Choice

    • Bedrich Smetana

      String Quartet No.2 in D minor

      Ensemble: Talichovo kvarteto.
      • CALLIOPE.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: EMMA KIRKBY

    • Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

      Stabat Mater

      Singer: Emma Kirkby. Singer: James Bowman. Orchestra: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
      • DECCA.

Recording Rewind

Shostakovich
Romance (The Gadfly)
Alexander Kerr (violin)
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)聽聽
DECCA

Broadcast

  • Thu 15 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.