Episodes
Series | Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | 01 | 20071210 | Anton Webern (1883-1945) 1/5. Donald Macleod tackles Webern's forbidding reputation, and explores some myths about the spirit behind his music. Quartet, Op 28 (2nd mvt) Quatuor Parisii Four Songs, Op 13 Heather Harper (soprano) London Symphony Orchestra Pierre Boulez (conductor) Concerto, Op 24 Members of the Staatskapelle Dresden Giuseppe Sinopoli (conductor) Passacaglia, Op 1 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Quatuor Debussy Langsamer Satz Psophos Quartet Two Songs, Op 19 BBC Singers Ensemble InterContemporain Pierre Boulez (conductor). Donald Macleod explores some myths about the spirit behind Webern's music. |
2007 | 02 | 20071211 | Anton Webern (1883-1945) 2/5. Donald Macleod reveals how tragedy blighted Webern's early career, and considers the way his erratic, headstrong personality shaped the music he wrote. Schmerz, immer blick nach oben (Three pieces for string quartet) Dorothy Dorow (soprano) Schoenberg Quartet Five Movements, Op 5 (String orchestra version) Munchener Kammerorchester Christoph Poppen (conductor) Three Songs (Nos 1 and 2) Svetlana Savenko (soprano) Yuri Polubelov (piano) Entflieht auf leichten Kahnen, Op 2 Netherlands Chamber Choir Six Pieces, Op 6 The Cleveland Orchestra Christoph von Dohnanyi (conductor) Four Pieces for violin and piano, Op 7 Jesse Mills (violin) Christopher Oldfather (piano) Six Songs, Op 14 Heather Harper (soprano) Members of the London Symphony Orchestra Pierre Boulez (conductor). Donald Macleod reveals how tragedy blighted Webern's early career. |
2007 | 03 | 20071212 | Anton Webern (1883-1945) 3/5. Donald Macleod investigates how Webern's encounter with his mentor Arnold Schoenberg led to a continuing relationship that imposed on huge areas of his life and music, and not always in a positive way. Kinderstuck Yuji Takahashi (piano) Piano Quintet Ensemble InterContemporain Five Songs, Op 4 Christiane Oelze (soprano) Eric Schneider (piano) Three pieces for cello and piano, Op 11 Fred Sherry (cello) Christopher Oldfather (piano) Six Bagatelles, Op 9 Artis Quartet Symphony, Op 21 The Cleveland Symphony Orchestra Christoph von Dohnanyi (conductor) Quartet, Op 22 Jennifer Frautschi (violin) Daniel Goble (tenor saxophone) Michael Lowenstern (clarinet). Donald Macleod looks at Webern's encounter with his mentor Arnold Schoenberg. |
2007 | 04 | 20071213 | The years between the Wars brought hardship to Webern and all of Austria, but the composer also discovered a new muse, the poet Hidegard Jone. Presented by Donald Macleod. Playlist Five Pieces, Op 10 Staatskapelle Dresden Giuseppe Sinopoli (conductor) Teldec 3984229022 CD1 tracks 9 to 13 Trio, Op 20 Ani Kavafian (violin) Richard O'Neill (viola) Fred Sherry (cello) Naxos 8.557530 CD 1 tracks 14-15 Three songs, Op 23 Christiane Oelze (soprano) Eric Schneider (piano) Deutsche Grammophon 4471932 CD1 tracks 35-37 Das Augenlicht, Op 26 BBC Singers Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Pierre Boulez (conductor) Deutsche Grammophon 4477652 CD1 t11 Bach, arr. Webern: Fuga (Ricercata) Munchener Kammerorchester Christoph Poppen (conductor) ECM 4619122 CD1 t14 Cantata No 1, Op 29 Christine Oelze (soprano) CD1 tracks 12-14 4/5. The inter-war years and a new muse, the poet Hidegard Jone. |
2007 | 05 LAST | 20071214 | Anton Webern (1883-1945) 5/5. Donald Macleod reflects on Webern's intense love of his homeland Austria, which helped him through the difficulties of the Second World War until his death at the hands of an American soldier. Variations, Op 30 Ulster Orchestra Takuo Yuasa (conductor) Three Songs, Op 25 Halina Lukomska (soprano) Charles Rosen (piano) Im Sommerwind Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Riccardo Chailly (conductor) Variations for piano, Op 27 Barry Douglas (piano) Cantata No 2, Op 31 Christiane Oelze (soprano) Gerald Finley (bass) BBC Singers Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Pierre Boulez (conductor) Ideale Landschaft Svetlana Savenko (soprano) Yuri Polubelov (piano). Donald Macleod reflects on Webern's intense love of his homeland Austria. |