Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Friday - Rob Cowan with Tracy Chevalier

With Rob Cowan. Including My Favourite Liszt Transcriptions of Schubert Songs; Music in Time: Shostakovich: String Quartet No 1; Concerto Koln in Handel: Saul (Act 3, Sc 5).

9am
My favourite... Liszt transcriptions of Schubert songs. Liszt was an inveterate transcriber of other composers' music, partly because he needed material to supply the extraordinarily gruelling series of piano recitals he undertook during the 1840s. Schubert was among the composers Liszt turned to most frequently for this purpose, particularly with regard to his songs, which Liszt transformed into lovingly crafted piano miniatures. Rob shares a selection of his favourite Liszt transcriptions of Schubert songs throughout the week.

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: Two pieces of music have been altered. Can you identify them?

10am
Rob's guest is the author Tracy Chevalier. Tracy is best known for her historical novel Girl With a Pearl Earring, inspired by the painting of the same name by Johannes Vermeer. The book sold millions of copies around the world and was turned into a Hollywood film. Tracy's other novels include Burning Bright, Remarkable Creatures and The Last Runaway. Tracy will be talking about the way she researches and writes her novels, and revealing her favourite classical music, every day at 10am.

10:30
Rob places Music in Time. It's the turn of the Modern era and Shostakovich's 1st String Quartet - "a spring-like work", the composer called it, written in the wake of his official rehabilitation following the scandal caused by Stalin's reaction to his opera Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District.

11am
Rob's artists of the week are Concerto K枚ln, one of the world's longest-established and most vibrant original-instrument ensembles. Founded in Cologne, Germany, in 1985, their core repertoire is Baroque, Pre-classical and Classical, but their interests extend into the Romantic period and even, on occasion, the 20th century. Throughout the week Rob showcases a selection of their finest recordings, ranging from JS Bach's Violin Concerto in E major to a Symphony by Anton Eberl and Henryk G贸recki's Harpsichord Concerto.

Handel
Saul (Act 3, Sc 5)
Michael Slattery, tenor (High Priest)
Emma Bell, soprano (Merab)
Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor (David)
Rosemary Joshua, soprano (Michal)
Finnur Bjarnason, tenor (Abner)
RIAS-Kammerchor
Concerto K枚ln
Ren茅 Jacobs, conductor.

3 hours

Last on

Fri 18 Mar 2016 09:00

Music Played

  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CONCERTO K脰LN

    • George Frideric Handel

      Saul (Act 2: Symphony)

      Ensemble: Concerto K枚ln. Conductor: Ren茅 Jacobs.
      • HARMONIA MUNDI.
  • Manuel de Falla

    Dance of the Neighbours (Three Dances from The Three-Cornered Hat)

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Jean Fournet.
    • SUPRAPHON.
  • Franz Schubert

    Der Wanderer, S.558 No.11

    Music Arranger: Franz Liszt. Performer: 陌dil Biret.
    • NAXOS.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Russian Overture, Op.72

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Walter Weller.
    • DECCA.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Schlage doch, gew眉nschte Stunde, BWV 53

    Singer: Robin Blaze. Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan. Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki.
    • BIS.
  • Richard Wagner

    Grand March (Tannh盲user)

    Orchestra: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Frederick Fennell.
    • MERCURY.
  • Franz Schubert

    Notturno in E flat major, D 897

    Ensemble: The Florestan Trio.
    • HYPERION.
  • TRACY CHEVALIER'S CHOICE NO.1

    • Giuseppe Verdi

      Willow Song (Otello)

      Singer: Ren茅e Fleming. Singer: Larissa Diadkova. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Georg Solti.
      • DECCA.
  • TRACY CHEVALIER'S CHOICE NO.2

    • Ferruccio Busoni

      III. Andante (Indianisches Tagebuch No.1)

      Performer: Marc-Andr茅 Hamelin.
      • HYPERION.
  • Emmanuel Chabrier

    Menuet pompeux

    Orchestrator: Maurice Ravel. Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lyon. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.
    • NAXOS.
  • MUSIC IN TIME: MODERN

    • Dmitry Shostakovich

      String Quartet No.1 in C major, Op.49

      Ensemble: Beethoven Quartet.
      • DOREMI.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Leonore Overture No.2, Op.72a

    Orchestra: Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Gielen.
    • SWR MUSIC.
  • ARTIST OF THE WEEK: CONCERTO K脰LN

    • George Frideric Handel

      Saul (Act III, Scene 5)

      Singer: Michael Slattery. Singer: Emma Bell. Singer: Lawrence Zazzo. Singer: Rosemary Joshua. Singer: Finnur Bjarnason. Choir: RIAS Chamber Choir. Ensemble: Concerto K枚ln. Conductor: Ren茅 Jacobs.
      • HARMONIA MUNDI.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    I. Etwas lebhaft (Piano Sonata in A major, Op.101)

    Transcriber: David Matthews. Performer: Kreutzer Quartet.
    • TOCCATA CLASSICS.
  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Sonata in A minor, D.784

    Performer: Elisabeth Leonskaja.
    • eaSonus.

Imperfect Harmony

The music played:

Vaughan Williams
O taste and see
The Cambridge Singers
John Rutter (conductor)
COLLEGIUM

Schubert
Notturno in E flat major, D.897
Florestan Trio
HYPERION

Broadcast

  • Fri 18 Mar 2016 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.