Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | Victor Borge | 20020827 | 20030415 | The Danish comedian's musicianship and wit endeared him to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. |
| 01 | 02 | Gerrard Hoffnung | 20020903 | 20030416 | whose symphonic caricatures remain among the funniest recordings ever produced. |
| 01 | 03 LAST | 20020910 | 20030417 | Featured performers include Anna Russell, Peter Schickele, Spike Jones, and Andre Previn with Morecambe and Wise. Rainer Hersch profiles the great comedians of classical music. 3: Featured performers include Anna Russell, Peter Schickele, Spike Jones, and Andre Previn with Morecambe and Wise | |
| 02 | 01 | Peter Schickele | 20060131 | 20060906 20141117 (BBC7) 20141118 (BBC7) | Rainer meets and talks to American satirist Peter Schickele about his unique brand of classical music humour. As well as being an internationally recognised composer, Schickele's alter ego - a professor of musicology - has been unearthing and performing the lost works of one PDQ Bach for over 40 years. Rainer Hersch talks to American satirist Peter Schickele about his musical humour. Musician and comedian Rainer Hersch talks to American satirist Peter Schickele about his musical humour. From January 2006. Musician and comedian Rainer Hersch talks to American satirist Peter Schickele about his musical humour. From January 2006. |
| 02 | 02 | Anna Russell | 20060207 | 20060913 20141118 (BBC7) 20141119 (BBC7) | Rainer looks at the life and work of Anna Russell. Now 95 years old, she is famous for her analytical send up of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. Comedian Rainer Hersch finds out more about the 'diva of the classical music send-up'. Musician and comedian Rainer Hersch finds out more about the 'diva of the classical music send-up'. From February 2006. |
| 02 | 03 | The Comedian Harmonists | 20060214 | 20060920 20141119 (BBC7) 20141120 (BBC7) | Rainer recounts the story of The Comedian Harmonists, the German comedy singing sensation of the 1920s and 30s. An elegant sextet, five vocalists and a pianist all dressed in tails, the Comedian Harmonists had a repertoire that encompassed many vocal styles, ranging from folk songs to sentimental hits accompanied by banter and silliness on stage. A national phenomenon in their day, The Harmonists were best known for their close harmony delivered with humour and style. Then Hitler came to power and the three Jewish members were banned. Musical comedian Rainer Hersch investigates the 1930s German comedy singing sensations. Musical comedian Rainer Hersch investigates the 1930s German comedy singing sensations. From February 2006. |
| 02 | 04 LAST | Spike Jones - The Man Who Murdered Music | 20060221 | 20060927 20141120 (BBC7) 20141121 (BBC7) | Rainer profiles the life and work of American big band musical comedian Spike Jones - one of the biggest stars of the 1940s and '50s whose career was launched in 1941 with a song that mocked Adolf Hitler - Der Furher's Face. With his band The City Slickers, Spike was never averse to wearing wigs, playing toilet seats, or tuning gunshots to C-sharp. He mixed the high and the lowbrow, the serious and the comic, instrumental virtuosity and sonic hi-jinks into a blend that startled and delighted audiences in a much more innocent time. Rainer also talks to Spike Jones Jr about the life and work of his father. Rainer Hersch finds out more about the 40s and 50s American big-band musical comic. Comedian Rainer Hersch finds out more about the 40s and 50s American big-band musical comic, 'the man who murdered music'. From February 2006. |