The intensity, joy, heartbreak and thrills of great sporting moments are almost unmatchable… except by those in great music. The magic of the Olympics is transformed by the alchemist John Williams into four minutes of musical, life-affirming perfection. Olympic Fanfare and Theme is one of my favourite Williams pieces, and that’s really saying something! (Listening time 11′)… Listen
Three musical geniuses really make the magic come alive in Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s classic, Nutcracker. (38 mins)… Listen
Some music conjures up a sense of place perfectly and no one has done it better than in Benjamin Britten’s depiction of the Suffolk coast of England. Bleak, angry, foreboding and special – this is Four Sea Interludes from the opera Peter Grimes. Listening time: 23 mins [Intro podcast 7′, Music 16′]… Listen
Burgeoning Spring, Love and Fate: Carmina Burana
They say you never forget your first loves and one of mine was Carmina Burana – it’s immediate and high impact. Even before I was properly into music I was into this… and you will be too! There’s really nothing like the sound of a huge choir and orchestra: it’s awesome stuff! Listening time: 35mins … Listen
My daughter’s bed time reading inspires a brief trip to the opera, for some great singing – high drama and high silliness from Mozart’s Magic Flute. Listen time 14 mins… Listen
George Gershwin spent two hectic weeks on holiday in Cuba and returned with a case full of percussion instruments, latin spirit and musical inspiration. Total listening time c14 mins… Listen
One of the great pieces of music for children, Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. Vanessa [7] loved this and is demanding repeat hearings, and I’m embarrassed at having resisted it so long… Music here: or on spotify: Listening time … Listen
