Orchestra – Page 2

125. Ain’t no mountain high enough: Strauss, Alpine Symphony

20/08/2022 by Steve

With the wonders of our imagination and some great music to help, all things are possible – so let’s enjoy the views from the top of a mountain: leaving the house (or even getting out of bed) is entirely optional. Richard Strauss takes us over the top (in every sense) in his epic, excessive, exuberant Alpine Symphony, with great views and plenty of thrills but also moments that inspire deeper contemplation on the glories of nature. It’s a trip you don’t want to miss. Listening time 62mins.… Listen

Family friendly | Just-is-ness | Music | Orchestra | transcendent

123. Emptiness and space: Sculthorpe, Kakadu

30/07/2022 by Steve

Heat, danger, emptiness and space. Plenty of all of this in Peter Sculthorpe’s excellent Kakadu – inspired by northern Australia but featuring universal themes of humanity, life, death, and timelessness. Listening time c22 mins… Listen

121. An unbearable lightness of being? Robert Schumann, Symphony no.4

11/07/2022 by Steve

One of my favourite joyful but heavyweight quick fixes, Robert Schumann’s original Symphony no.4 is an intense and inventive stream of consciousness full of light and life. It’s a thrill. Shame Schumann didn’t see it that way…
Listening time c35 minutes… Listen

119. Dancing into Immortality: Prokofiev, Romeo & Juliet

21/06/2022 by Steve

So much more than just a famous TV theme tune, Prokofiev’s music for Romeo and Juliet is full of intensity, drama, passion, wit and the occasional brilliantly pure dance number. Simultaneously draining and energising it’s a fabulous demonstration of the sheer power of music. I love it. Listening time 41 mins.… Listen

Family friendly | Fun | Music | Orchestra

117. The greatest Musical? Bernstein: West Side Story, Symphonic Dances

30/05/2022 by Steve

I played this over a week ago and still the tunes dance around inside my head – it’s the jazz- and latin-fuelled brilliance of the Symphonic Dances from Leonard Bernstein’s smash hit musical, West Side Story – perhaps the greatest musical there is? What do you think? Listening time 34’… Listen

Family friendly | Fun | Orchestra

113. London’s the place for me: Coates, London Suite

10/04/2022 by Steve

I’ve come over all nostalgic at the prospect of returning to London in a few days, so here’s a swaggering piece of escapism back to the heady optimistic days of the 1930s in Eric Coates London Suite. Listening time 21 mins… Listen

Family friendly | Fun | Joyful | Music | Orchestra

112. Dancing on Love Island? Ravel, Daphnis & Chloé

31/03/2022 by Steve

Bursting full of life, Ravel’s music for this everyday love story of shepherd meets goatherd meets Greek god of nature is dreamy, sensual, and downright thrilling, all delivered in glorious orchestral technicolor. Meet Daphnis & Chloé! Listening time: 25 mins (podcast 9′, music 16′)… Listen

Just-is-ness | Music | Orchestra | Symphony | transcendent

107. Made in America: Florence Price, Symphony No.1

10/02/2022 by Steve

Individual, passionate, soulful music rooted in the southern states, Florence Price’s Symphony No.1 was the first by a black woman composer to be played by a major US orchestra back in the 1930s. A Moment of History, but those ‘twin handicaps’ [her words] meant that her music has hardly been played since and we’ve been missing out on great music from a distinctive voice – it’s time to put that right! (Listening time 47 mins: podcast 8′, music 39′)… Listen

Family friendly | Orchestra

106. Ugly, unnatural, ghastly: Dvořák, The Noon Witch

30/01/2022 by Steve

Thrilling, chilling, but still somehow delighting in its brilliance, Dvořák’s Noon Witch packs a punch and leaves you stunned. Also in this episode, free parenting advice and some musings on Dr Suess! Listening time 22 mins (podcast 8′, music 14′)… Listen