Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
First broadcast from 20060109 to 20090708.
Donald Macleod is joined by writer and broadcaster Stephen Johnson to explore the highly productive 'Indian summer' of Schubert's final years.
15 episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20080505 | The programme concentrates on the composer's last symphony, the 'Great'. Die Allmacht (Omnipotence) (with words by Pyrker), D852 Elizabeth Connell (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) Symphony in C, D944 (Great) Cleveland Orchestra George Szell (conductor) Franz Schubert (1797-1828) 1/5. The programme concentrates on the composer's last symphony, the 'Great'. Die Allmacht (Omnipotence) (with words by Pyrker), D852 Elizabeth Connell (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) Symphony in C, D944 (Great) Cleveland Orchestra George Szell (conductor). | ||
| 01 | A Miracle Year | 20060109 | 20070416 | During 1814-15, aged only seventeen, Schubert composed prolifically, while the city of his birth played host to the Congress of Vienna. With Donald Macleod. Gretchen am Spinnrade Barbara Bonney (soprano) Geoffrey Parsons (piano) String Quartet No 9 in G minor (excerpt) Kodaly Quartet Mass No 2 Thomas Puchegger (treble) Jorg Hering (tenor) Harry Van Der Kamp (bass) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Bruno Weill (conductor) Symphony No 2 (excerpt) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor) Erlkonig Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano). Donald Macleod reviews Schubert's life during 1814-15 when, aged only 17, he composed prolifically, while the city of his birth played host to the Congress of Vienna. Gretchen am Spinnrade Barbara Bonney (soprano) Geoffrey Parsons (piano) String Quartet No 9 in Gm (extract) Kodály Quartet Mass No 2 Dawn Upshaw (soprano) David Gordon (tenor) William Stone (baritone) Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Robert Shaw (conductor) Symphony No 2 (extract) Royal Concertgebouw orchestra Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor) Erlkönig: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Graham Johnson (piano). |
| 02 | 20060116 | 20090630 | Donald Macleod is joined by writer and broadcaster Stephen Johnson to explore Schubert's last mass, considered by many to be a neglected masterpiece. | |
| 02 | 20080506 | The programme concentrates on Schubert's last mass, considered by many to be a neglected masterpiece. Standchen (Serenade) (text by Grillparzer), D 920 Sarah Walker (mezzo-soprano) Alan Armstrong, Jason Bella, Mark Hammond, Philip Lawford, Arthur Linley, Richard Edgar-Wilson (tenors) David Barnard, David Beezer, Duncan Perkins, James Pitman, Christopher Vigar (baritones/basses) Graham Johnson (piano) Mass in E flat for five solo voices, mixed chorus and orchestra, D950 Benjamin Schmidinger (soprano) Albin Lenzer (alto) Jorg Hering, Kurt Azesberger (tenors) Harry van der Kamp (bass) Vienna Boys Choir Peter Marschik (chorus master) Chorus Viennensis Guido Mancusi (chorus master) Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Bruno Weil (conductor). | ||
| 02 | The Bildung Circle | 20060110 | 20070417 | Donald Macleod looks at the influence of Schubert's idealistic group of friends on the composer's life and work. Memnon; Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren Thomas Hampson (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano) Am Bach im Fruhling; An die Musik Markus Eiche (baritone) Jens Fuhr (piano) Sanft und still schlaft unser Freund (Lazarus, final chorus Act 1) Gachinger Kantorei Stuttgart Bach-Collegium Stuttgart Helmuth Rilling (conductor) Symphony No 5 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor). Donald Macleod looks at the influence of Schubert's idealistic group of friends on the composer's life and work. Memnon; Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren Thomas Hampson (baritone) Graham Johnson (piano) Am Bach im Frühling; An die Musik Markus Eiche (baritone) Jens Fuhr (piano) Lazarus [extract] Final chorus Act 1: Sanft und still schläft unser Freund Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart Bach-Collegium Stuttgart Helmuth Rilling (conductor) 5th Symphony Royal Concertgebouw orchestra Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor).
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| 03 | 20080507 | The programme considers the importance of Beethoven for Schubert, and introduces Schubert's Piano Sonata in B flat. Auf dem Strom (On the River), D 943 (text by Rellstab) Michael Schade (tenor) David Pyatt (horn) Graham Johnson (piano) Piano Sonata in B flat, D 960 Stephen Kovacevich (piano). | ||
| 03 | 20060117 | 20090701 | Donald Macleod considers the importance of Beethoven for Schubert and introduces Schubert's Piano Sonata in B flat. | |
| 03 | Hedonism | 20060111 | 20070418 | Donald Macleod looks at the Schubertiads, parties in and around Vienna where the composer's works would be performed amongst his circle, plus other sources of amusement for Schubert and his friends in the city. Waltz No 30, D365 Alfred Kitchin (piano) Overture to Alfonso und Estrella Berlin State Orchestra Otmar Suitner (conductor) Schwestergruss Geraldine McGreevy (soprano) Graham Johnson (piano) Gloria and Credo (Mass in A flat) Helen Donath, Lucia Popp (sopranos) Brigitte Fassbaender (alto) Francisco Araiza, Adolf Dallapozza (tenors) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (bass) Chor und Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Wolfgang Sawallisch (conductor) Valses Sentimentales Alice Ader (piano). Donald Macleod looks at the Schubertiads, parties in and around Vienna where the composer's works would be performed amongst his circle, and the other sources of amusement for Schubert and his friends in the city. Waltz D365 no 30 Alfred Kitchin (piano) Alfonso und Estrella: Overture Berlin State Orchestra/ Otmar Suitner Schwestergruss Geraldine McGreevy (soprano)/ Graham Johnson (piano) Mass in A flat: Gloria & Credo Helen Donath (sop)/ Lucia Popp (sop)/ Brigitte Fassbaender (alto)/ Francisco Araiza (tenor) Adolf Dallapozza (tenor)/ Dietrich Fischer Dieskau (bass)/ Chor und Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks/ Wolfgang Sawallisch Valses Sentimentales Alice Ader (piano).
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| 04 | 20060118 | 20090702 | Donald Macleod looks at two valedictory works from Schubert's final weeks - the motet Tantum ergo and the troubled String Quintet, which gathered dust for 25 years after the composer's death but is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of chamber music. | |
| 04 | City Of Music | 20060112 | 20070419 | Donald Macleod looks at whether Schubert's path ever crossed Beethoven's in Vienna, Europe's capital of music at that time. Eight Variations on a French song in E minor Duo Crommelynck Die junge Nonne Janet Baker (mezzo) Graham Johnson (piano) Octet (extract) The Gaudier Ensemble. Donald Macleod looks at whether Schubert's path ever crossed Beethoven's in Vienna, at that time Europe's capital of music. Eight Variations on a French song in Em Duo Crommelynck Die junge Nonne Janet Baker (mezzo) Graham Johnson (piano) Octet (extract) The Gaudier Ensemble.
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| 05 | 20060119 |  | ||
| 05 LAST | 20080509 | The programme looks at the songs written during the composer's final months, grouped together by an enterprising publisher under the title Schwanengesang, or Swansong. Herbst, D945 John Mark Ainsley (tenor) Graham Johnson (piano) Schwanengesang, D957 Hans Hotter (baritone) Gerald Moore (piano). | ||
| 05 LAST | 20090708 | 20090703 | Donald Macleod looks at the songs written during Schubert's final months, grouped together by an enterprising publisher under the title Schwanengesang, or Swansong. Herbst, D945 John Mark Ainsley (tenor) Graham Johnson (piano) Schwanengesang, D957 Hans Hotter (baritone) Gerald Moore (piano). Donald Macleod focuses on the songs Schubert wrote during his final months. | |
| 05 LAST | No More Waltzes | 20060113 | 20070420 | Donald Macleod looks at Schubert's final year, during which life became increasingly serious for the still-young composer, and his works became laced with melancholy. Der Wegweiser (Winterreise) orch. Webern Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo) Aribert Reimann (piano) Sehnsucht; Der Wanderer an den Mond Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo) Aribert Reimann (piano) Winterreise (extract) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Alfred Brendel (piano) Benedictus and Agnus Dei (Mass in E flat) Benjamin Schmidinger (soprano) Albin Lenzer (alto) Jorg Hering (tenor) Kurt Azesberger (tenor) Harry van der Kamp (bass) Chorus Viennensis Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Bruno Weil (conductor) Symphony No 10 in D (extract) Scottish Chamber Orchestra Charles Mackerras (conductor). Donald Macleod looks at Schubert's final year, during which life became increasing serious for the still-young composer, and his works became laced with melancholy. Sehnsucht; Der Wanderer an den Mond Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo) Aribert Reimann (piano) Winterreise (extract) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Alfred Brendel (piano) Mass in E flat (extract: V. Benedictus & VI. Agnus Dei) Benjamin Schmidinger (soprano) Albin Lenzer (alto) Jörg Hering (tenor) Kurt Azesberger (tenor) Harry van der Kamp (bass) Chorus Viennensis Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Bruno Weil (conductor) Symphony No. 10 in D (extract) Scottish Chamber Orchestra Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor). Donald Macleod looks at Schubert's final year, during which life became increasingly serious for the still-young composer, and his works became laced with melancholy. Sehnsucht; Der Wanderer an den Mond Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo) Aribert Reimann (piano) Winterreise (extract) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Alfred Brendel (piano) Mass in E flat (extract: V. Benedictus & VI. Agnus Dei) Benjamin Schmidinger (soprano) Albin Lenzer (alto) Jörg Hering (tenor) Kurt Azesberger (tenor) Harry van der Kamp (bass) Chorus Viennensis Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Bruno Weil (conductor) Symphony No 10 in D (extract) Scottish Chamber Orchestra Sir Charles Mackerras (conductor). |
| 20080508 | Rptoftoday12.00pm, Rptdtoday8.45pm | 4/5. The programme looks at two valedictory works from Schubert's final weeks - the motet Tantum ergo and the troubled String Quintet, which gathered dust for 25 years after the composer's death but is now regarded as one of the masterpieces of chamber music. Tantum ergo for soloists, chorus and orchestra, D962 Lucia Popp (soprano) Brigitte Fassbaender (contralto) Adolf Dallapozza (tenor) Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (bass) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Wolfgang Sawallisch (conductor) String Quintet in C, D956 Heinrich Schiff (cello) Alban Berg Quartet |