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Thursday - Sarah Walker with Antony Sher

With Sarah Walker. Including My Favourite Operatic Intermezzos; Music in Time: Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks; Artist of the Week: Mendelssohn: Symphony No 4.

9am
My favourite... operatic intermezzos. In this new feature Sarah shares her top operatic intermezzos, highlighting the emotional directness and unforgettable melodies of these orchestral miniatures, tucked inside operas by Puccini, Wolf Ferrari, Offenbach, Leoncavallo and Mascagni.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: can you remember the television show that featured this piece of classical music?

10am
At the start of the year that marks 400 years since Shakespeare's death, Sarah's guest is the Laurence Olivier Award-winning actor Antony Sher. Antony is a veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has acted many of the Bard's most famous roles, from Richard III to Falstaff. He has written a number of books recording the stages of researching, rehearsing and performing great Shakespearean parts, offering a behind the scenes look at the Royal Shakespeare Company at work. Throughout the week Antony shares a selection of his favourite classical music, talks about bringing Mahler to life on the stage and explains how he is preparing for his starring role in King Lear.

10.30am
Sarah places Music in Time with some Romantic storytelling. "Once upon a time there was a roguish jester...": Richard Strauss wrote those words under the opening bars of his tone poem, Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, and vividly depicts his antics in the wonderfully witty score that follows.

11am
Sarah's Artists of the Week are the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. When they started out in 1986, this unique period instrument band decided to throw away the orchestral rulebook. They were self-governing, their leaders rotated, and they worked with a range of conductors. Despite their name, they are keen to explore a wide repertoire, from Monteverdi to Mahler and beyond; and their four Principal Artists are Sir Simon Rattle, Ivan Fischer, Sir Mark Elder and Vladimir Jurowski. To celebrate the orchestra's thirtieth anniversary year, Sarah showcases a range of their recordings, demonstrating their diversity, artistry, and the brilliantly incisive, colourful style of playing.

Mendelssohn
Symphony No.4, "Italian"
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Charles Mackerras (conductor).

3 hours

Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Non che non sei capace, K.419

    Music Arranger: Julian Bliss. Performer: Julian Bliss. Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: Mario Venzago.
    • SIGNUM.
  • MY FAVOURITE...OPERATIC INTERMEZZOS

    • Ruggero Leoncavallo

      Intermezzo (I Pagliacci)

      Orchestra: 91热爆 Philharmonic. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.
      • CHANDOS.
  • George Gershwin

    An American in Paris

    Orchestra: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.
  • Niccol貌 Paganini

    Caprice No.10 in G minor

    Performer: Salvatore Accardo.
    • DG.
  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Trio in E flat major, D 897, 'Notturno'

    Performer: Tasmin Little. Performer: Timothy Hugh. Performer: Piers Lane.
    • CHANDOS.
  • William Walton

    Facade Suite No.2

    Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North. Conductor: David Lloyd-Jones.
    • HYPERION.
  • Eric Coates

    Calling All Workers

    Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Reginald Kilbey.
    • EMI.
  • ANTONY SHER'S CHOICE NO.1

    • Johann Sebastian Bach

      Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV140 (opening chorus)

      Choir: Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor. Orchestra: Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper. Conductor: Felix Prohaska.
      • VANGUARD.
  • ANTONY SHER'S CHOICE NO.2

    • Gustav Mahler

      Symphony no.5 in C sharp minor (4th mvt)

      Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
      • EMI.
  • MUSIC IN TIME: ROMANTIC

    • Richard Strauss

      Till Eulenspiegel鈥檚 Merry Pranks

      Orchestra: G眉rzenich-Orchester K枚ln. Conductor: Markus Stenz.
      • HYPERION.
  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Presto in C major

    Ensemble: Arditti Quartet.
    • MONTAIGNE.
  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Humoresque, Op 101 No 7

    Performer: Radoslav Kvapil.
    • SUPRAPHON.
  • Sulpitia Cesis

    Benedictus Dominus

    Ensemble: Capella Artemisia. Director: Candace Smith.
    • TACTUS.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: THE ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

    • Felix Mendelssohn

      Symphony No 4 in A major, Op 90, 'Italian'

      Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
      • VIRGIN CLASSICS.
  • Josef Myslivecek

    Wind Octet no.2 in E flat major

    Ensemble: Budapester Bl盲serensemble.
    • Hungaroton.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Intermezzo in A major, Op.118 no.2

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Sony Classical.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: THE ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

    • Henry Purcell

      Dido and Aeneas (conclusion)

      Singer: Dame Sarah Connolly. Choir: Choir of the Age of Enlightenment. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Director: Elizabeth Kenny. Director: Steven Devine.
      • CHANDOS.

Heard On Screen

Answer: Ripping Yarns

The music played:

Walton
Fanfare (Facade: Ballet Suite)
English Northern Philharmonia聽聽聽聽聽
David Lloyd-Jones (conductor)
HYPERION

Broadcast

  • Thu 14 Jan 2016 09:00

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