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Friday - Rob Cowan with Omid Djalili

With Rob Cowan. Including Five Reasons to Love Dvorak's Slavonic Dances; Artist of the Week: pianist Grigory Sokolov, featured in Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No 8 in B flat, Op 84.

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: identify a piece of music played backwards.

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.

Prokofiev
Piano Sonata No 8 in B flat, Op 84.

3 hours

Last on

Fri 29 May 2015 09:00

Music Played

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Second Galop (Cinderella, Act 3, Op.87)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.
    • EMI.
  • Josef Lanner

    Die Schönbrunner, Op 200

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Hungarica. Conductor: Antal Doráti.
    • MERCURY LIVING PRESENCE.
  • 5 Reasons to Love... Dvorak's Slavonic Dances

    • Antonín Dvořák

      Slavonic Dance in A flat, Op 72 No 8

      Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Václav Talich.
      • SUPRAPHON.
  • Béla Bartók

    Two Portraits, Op 5

    Performer: Steven Staryk. Conductor: Rafael Kubelík. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • EMI.
  • Joaquín Rodrigo

    Sonata a la espanola

    Performer: Pepe Romero.
    • DECCA.
  • Alexander Scriabin

    Piano Sonata No 9, Op 68 ('Black Mass')

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
    • NAIVE.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita in E for solo violin, BWV 1006; 1. Preludio

    Performer: Nathan Milstein.
    • ARCHIV.
  • Omid Djalili's Choice No. 1

    • Sergey Prokofiev

      Dance of the Knights (Romeo and Juliet Op.64)

      Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
      • DG.
  • Rob's Choice for Omid Djalili

    • Alan Hovhaness

      Symphony No.2 'Mysterious Mountain' (3rd mvt)

      Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fritz Reiner.
      • RCA LIVING STEREO.
  • Lili Boulanger

    D'un matin de printemps

    Orchestra: 91Èȱ¬ Philharmonic. Conductor: Yan Pascal Tortelier.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    Prelude in D, Op 23 No 4

    Performer: Grigory Sokolov, piano.
  • Frederick Delius

    Sea Drift (Whitman)

    Performer: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Sir Charles Groves. Performer: John Noble. Performer: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.
  • Artist of the Week: Grigory Sokolov

    • Sergey Prokofiev

      Piano Sonata No 8 in B flat major, Op 84

      Performer: Grigory Sokolov.
      • NAIVE.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    String Quartet in E flat, Op 12

    Ensemble: Escher String Quartet.
    • BIS.

Recording Rewind

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Partita for solo violin in E major: Prelude 

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DECCA 475 7552

Broadcast

  • Fri 29 May 2015 09:00

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