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Thursday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

With Rob Cowan. Including Five Reasons to Love Dvorak's Slavonic Dances; Musical challenge; Artist of the Week: pianist Grigory Sokolov, featured in Chopin's Preludes, Op 28.

9am
A selection of music including '5 reasons to love... Dvorák's Slavonic Dances'. Dvorák's dances were an instant hit on their publication in 1878, propelling the Czech composer to international fame. A second set brought the total to sixteen dances. Throughout the week Rob makes the case for these miniature masterpieces, showcasing interpretations by conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Jean Martinon and Václav Talich.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: listen to the story and tell us what happens next.

10am
Rob's guest is the stand-up comedian and actor Omid Djalili. Omid has a varied career across stage and screen and is well known for his popular sketch shows and sell-out international tours. He will be sharing a selection of his favourite classical music with Rob every day at 10am.

10.30am
Following on from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman on Monday, Rob explores other works with literary connections.

11am
Rob's artist of the week is Russian pianist Grigory Sokolov, whose performances display virtuosity, poetry and insight in equal measure. Sokolov is regarded as one of the greatest living pianists in Europe, but his refusal to make studio recordings has meant a relative lack of recognition in the UK and USA. This is starting to change following his recent contract, for live recordings only, with Deutsche Grammophon. Throughout the week Rob explores Sokolov's penetrating interpretations of masterpieces from Bach to Prokofiev and Stravinsky, by way of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms and Scriabin.

Chopin
Preludes, Op 28.

3 hours

Music Played

  • Frédéric Chopin

    Etude in G flat, Op 25 No 9

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • MELODIYA.
  • Antonín Dvořák

    Slavonic Dance in C major, Op 72 No 7

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Karel Šejna.
    • SUPRAPHON.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Concerto in C minor, RV 771 [orchestration of Sonata in C minor, RV 5

    Director: Lina Tur Bonet. Orchestra: Musica Alchemica.
    • PAN CLASSICS.
  • Elena Ruehr

    The Scarlatti Effect, for piano trio

    Performer: Sarah Bob. Performer: Irina Muresanu. Performer: Jennifer Kloetzel.
    • AVIE.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Study in A flat major, Op 25 No 1

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • MELODIYA.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Etudes, Op 25; No. 6 in G sharp minor

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • MELODIYA.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Study in F minor, Op.25 no.2

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • MELODIYA.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Etudes, Op 25; No. 3 in F

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • MELODIYA.
  • Fritz Kreisler

    Praeludium and Allegro in the style of Gaetano Pugnani

    Performer: Pierre Barbizet. Performer: Christian Ferras.
    • DG.
  • Gaetano Donizetti

    Le camarade est amoureux! (La fille du régiment)

    Singer: Luciano Pavarotti. Choir: Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Orchestra: Royal Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
    • DECCA.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    La forza del destino (Overture)

    Orchestra: West–Eastern Divan Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim.
    • WARNER.
  • Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

    Sing, Sing, Sing

    • CBS.
  • Robert Schumann

    Die Beiden Grenadiere

    Performer: Erich Kunz, baritone. Orchestra: Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Sandmannchen

    Performer: Erich Kunz, baritone. Orchestra: Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper.
  • Franz Liszt

    Tasso, Lamento e Trionfo, S96

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Bernard Haitink.
    • DECCA.
  • John Foulds

    April - England (Impressions of Time and Place No.1), Op.48 No.1

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • WARNER.
  • Frédéric Chopin

    Preludes, Op 28

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • NAIVE.
  • Camille Saint‐Saëns

    Romance, Op.67

    Performer: Steven Isserlis. Orchestra: North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Christoph Eschenbach.
    • RCA.

Imperfect Harmony

The two pieces played simultaneously were:


龱-ǰDZ

Sheherazade: The Festival at Baghdad – The Sea – Shipwreck - Conclusion

Kirov Orchestra

Valery Gergiev (conductor)

DECCA 470 840-2

Brahms

Symphony No. 4: 4thmovement

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

CarlosKleiber(conductor)

DG 457 7062

Broadcast

  • Thu 28 May 2015 09:00

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