Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 01 | Finding A Voice | 20200504 | Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's early vocal music, including Adelaide and his only oratorio, Christ on the Mount of Olives, with conductor Simone Young and pianist and writer Iain Burnside. Beethoven was born into a family of singers. His grandfather Ludwig and his father Johann were both remarked on for their voices. Judging by contemporary accounts it seems that Beethoven himself wasn't similarly gifted. The librettist and lepidopterist Georg Friedrich Treitschke claimed that Beethoven would growl when he was composing; Beethoven's biographer Anton Schindler said that he howled, and Beethoven's pupil Ferdinand Ries was of the view that his teacher did both. If those reports are true, then Beethoven's inability to produce a harmonious sound himself certainly didn't act as a deterrent to his compositional focus. A quick tally shows that somewhere in the region of half of his six hundred plus works were written for voice, mining subjects like love, persecution, loneliness, freedom, brotherhood and sacrifice, themes that Beethoven held very close to his heart. Across the week Donald Macleod and his guests will be discussing some personal favourites from Beethoven's vocal music, taking in the giants of choral repertory like Missa Solemnis and the ninth symphony, his opera Fidelio and orchestral vocal music, as well as relishing the astonishing variety of his songwriting, from the song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and the most profoundly moving vocal masterpieces, to a comic song most likely dashed off to amuse friends in a bar. Today they consider whether Beethoven found writing for the voice more difficult than writing instrumental music. Christus am րlberge (excerpt) Final chorus Chorus and National Orchestra of Lyon Serge Baudo, director Ein Selbstgespr䀀ch John Mark Ainsley, tenor Iain Burnside, piano Funeral Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II (excerpt) Tot! Tot, st怀hnt es durch die 怀de nacht Chorus and Orchestra of Deutsche Oper, Berlin Christian Thielemann, conductor Christus am Olberge (excerpt) James Anderson, tenor, Jesus Monica Pick-Hieronimi, soprano, Seraph Chorus & Orchestre National de Lyon Aus Goethes Faust Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone J怀rg Demus, piano Produced by Johannah Smith Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's early vocal music with Simone Young and Iain Burnside. |
| 2020 | 02 | New Directions | 20200505 | Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's Mass in C, the vocal fireworks of Ah Perfido! and some surprising and contrasting songs with pianist and writer Iain Burnside and conductor Simone Young. Beethoven was born into a family of singers. His grandfather Ludwig and his father Johann were both remarked on for their voices. Judging by contemporary accounts it seems that Beethoven himself wasn't similarly gifted. The librettist and lepidopterist Georg Friedrich Treitschke claimed that Beethoven would growl when he was composing; Beethoven's biographer Anton Schindler said that he howled, and Beethoven's pupil Ferdinand Ries was of the view that his teacher did both. If those reports are true, then Beethoven's inability to produce a harmonious sound himself certainly didn't act as a deterrent to his compositional focus. A quick tally shows that somewhere in the region of half of his six hundred plus works were written for voice, mining subjects like love, persecution, loneliness, freedom, brotherhood and sacrifice, themes that Beethoven held very close to his heart. Across the week Donald Macleod and his guests will be discussing some personal favourites from Beethoven's vocal music, taking in the giants of choral repertory like Missa Solemnis and the ninth symphony, his opera Fidelio and orchestral vocal music, as well as relishing the astonishing variety of his songwriting, from the song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and the most profoundly moving vocal masterpieces, to a comic song most likely dashed off to amuse friends in a bar. Beethoven's first Mass was written in 1807, a commission for Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy. When he first heard it, the Prince described it as 'detestable'. Donald discovers why Beethoven's innovations excited such a strong reaction from his backward looking patron. Der Wachtelschlag, WoO129 Peter Schreier, tenor Andreas Schiff, piano L'amante impaziente (a pair of settings) Roderick Wiliams, baritone Ann Murray, mezzo soprano Iain Burnside, piano Ah Perfido!, op 65 Christine Karg, soprano Arcangelo Jonathan Cohen, director Mass in C, op 86 (excerpts) Gloria Sanctus & Benedictus Rebecca Evans, soprano Pamela Helen Stephen, mezzo soprano Mark Padmore, tenor Stephen Varcoe, baritone Collegium Musicum 90 Richard Hickox, conductor Klage Neue Liebe, neues Leben Stephan Genz, baritone Roger Vignoles, piano Fantasia for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C minor op 80 (excerpt) Chorus of Duetsche Oper, Berlin Berlin Phlharmonic Daniel Barenboim, piano and conductor Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's Mass in C with Simone Young and Iain Burnside. |
| 2020 | 03 | Fulfilling A Dream | 20200506 | Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's only opera Fidelio and songs including An die Hoffnung op 94 with conductor Simone Young and pianist Iain Burnside. Beethoven was born into a family of singers. His grandfather Ludwig and his father Johann were both remarked on for their voices. Judging by contemporary accounts it seems that Beethoven himself wasn't similarly gifted. The librettist and lepidopterist Georg Friedrich Treitschke claimed that Beethoven would growl when he was composing; Beethoven's biographer Anton Schindler said that he howled, and Beethoven's pupil Ferdinand Ries was of the view that his teacher did both. If those reports are true, then Beethoven's inability to produce a harmonious sound himself certainly didn't act as a deterrent to his compositional focus. A quick tally shows that somewhere in the region of half of his six hundred plus works were written for voice, mining subjects like love, persecution, loneliness, freedom, brotherhood and sacrifice, themes that Beethoven held very close to his heart. Across the week Donald Macleod and his guests will be discussing some personal favourites from Beethoven's vocal music, taking in the giants of choral repertory like Missa Solemnis and the ninth symphony, his opera Fidelio and orchestral vocal music, as well as relishing the astonishing variety of his song-writing, from the song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and the most profoundly moving vocal masterpieces, to a comic song most likely dashed off to amuse friends in a bar. Fidelio was an immense struggle for Beethoven and when the premiere finally arrived in 1805, it was under the dark cloud of occupation of Vienna by Napoleon and his army. The scale and vision of the opera found its way into some of Beethoven's most ambitious song-writing to date. Music, Love and Wine Catrin Wyn Davies, soprano John Mark Ainsley, tenor Thomas Allen, baritone La Tiranna WoO 125 Pamela Coburn, soprano Leonard Hokanson, piano Fidelio (Act 1) O welche Lust, in freier Luft (Prisoner's Chorus) Arnold Schoenberg Choir Berlin Philharmonic Simon Rattle, director Fidelio (Act 1) - [NB - error in presentation] Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin? - Nina Stemme, soprano Mahler Chamber Orchestra/Lucerne Festival Orchestra Claudio Abbado, conductor Fidelio (Act 2) Introduction and Aria Gott! Welch' Dunkel hier! In des Lebens Frühlingstagen Jonas Kaufmann, tenor, Florestan Iain Burnside, piano Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's vocal music with Simone Young and Iain Burnside. |
| 2020 | 04 | Belief And Disbelief | 20200507 | Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's only song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and his cantatas, written to mark special events, with conductor Simone Young and pianist writer and broadcaster, Iain Burnside. Beethoven was born into a family of singers. His grandfather Ludwig and his father Johann were both remarked on for their voices. Judging by contemporary accounts it seems that Beethoven himself wasn't similarly gifted. The librettist and lepidopterist Georg Friedrich Treitschke claimed that Beethoven would growl when he was composing; Beethoven's biographer Anton Schindler said that he howled, and Beethoven's pupil Ferdinand Ries was of the view that his teacher did both. If those reports are true, then Beethoven's inability to produce a harmonious sound himself certainly didn't act as a deterrent to his compositional focus. A quick tally shows that somewhere in the region of half of his six hundred plus works were written for voice, mining subjects like love, persecution, loneliness, freedom, brotherhood and sacrifice, themes that Beethoven held very close to his heart. Across the week Donald Macleod and his guests will be highlighting some personal favourites from Beethoven's vocal music, taking in the giants of choral repertory like Missa Solemnis and the ninth symphony, his opera Fidelio and orchestral vocal music, as well as relishing the astonishing variety of his songwriting, from the song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and the most profoundly moving vocal masterpieces, to a comic song most likely dashed off to amuse friends in a bar. The years surrounding the Congress of Vienna were difficult for Beethoven. He was still recovering from the wounds of an unhappy love affair, his brother was seriously ill, and he was short of money. All these aspects of his life can be found in the music he wrote during this period. Maigesang (Mailied) op 52, no 4 Stephan Genz, baritone Roger Vignoles, piano Three Lieder to poems by Goethe op 83 Wonne der Wehmut Sehnsucht Mit einem gemalten Band Peter Schreier, tenor Walter Olbertz, piano Der glorreiche Augenblick op 136 (excerpt) Final chorus: Es treten hervor die Scharen der Frauen Coro di voci bianche dell'Arcum Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Myung-Whun Chung, conductor Cantata on the Accession of Leopold II Fliesse, Wonnez䀀hre, fliesse! Christine Sch䀀fer, soprano Orchestra of Deutsche Oper Berlin Christian Thielemann, director Christian Gerharher (baritone) Gerold Huber (piano) Meerestille und glückliche Fahrt, op 112 Monteverdi Choir Orchestre R退volutionnaire et Romantique John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's only song cycle with Simone Young and Iain Burnside. |
| 2020 | 05 LAST | From The Heart | 20200508 | Donald Macleod explores the spiritual and the comedic in Beethoven's vocal music with conductor Simone Young and pianist Iain Burnside. Beethoven was born into a family of singers. His grandfather Ludwig and his father Johann were both remarked on for their voices. Judging by contemporary accounts it seems that Beethoven himself wasn't similarly gifted. The librettist and lepidopterist Georg Friedrich Treitschke claimed that Beethoven would growl when he was composing; Beethoven's biographer Anton Schindler said that he howled, and Beethoven's pupil Ferdinand Ries was of the view that his teacher did both. If those reports are true, then Beethoven's inability to produce a harmonious sound himself certainly didn't act as a deterrent to his compositional focus. A quick tally shows that somewhere in the region of half of his six hundred plus works were written for voice, mining subjects like love, persecution, loneliness, freedom, brotherhood and sacrifice, themes that Beethoven held very close to his heart. Across the week Donald Macleod and his guests will be highlighting some personal favourites from Beethoven's vocal music, taking in the giants of choral repertory like Missa Solemnis and the ninth symphony, his opera Fidelio and orchestral vocal music, as well as relishing the astonishing variety of his songwriting, from the song cycle An die Ferne Geliebte and the most profoundly moving vocal masterpieces, to a comic song most likely dashed off to amuse friends in a bar. Missa Solemnis and the smaller scale but the equally profound Abendlied unter dem gestirnten Himmel express many of Beethoven's beliefs. Perhaps he was in need of some light relief from the enormity of his musical preoccupations and his domestic problems when he found time to set some rather saucy lyrics too. Der Kuss Anne sofie von Otter, mezzo soprano Melvyn Tan, fortepiano Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone J怀rg Demus, piano Missa Solemnis in D major op 123 Credo Robert Tear, tenor Heather Harper, soprano Janet Baker, mezzo soprano Hans Sotin, bass London Philharmonic Orchestra New Philharmonia Chorus Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor Urians Reise um die Welt, op 52 Symphony no 9 Fourth movement (excerpt) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Mariss Jansons, director Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's late vocal music with Simone Young and Iain Burnside. |