Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 01 | To Obtain Wisdom | 20211004 | Donald Macleod traces Julius Eastman's first steps into the world of music. When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no-one knew, not even his friends, and his work threatened to disappear with him. Julius Eastman had lit up America's contemporary music scene as a spellbinding performer and a visionary composer whose music is difficult to pigeonhole. A gay, black man in the predominantly white world of new music, Eastman was often misunderstood. His musical voice fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, and was inextricable from his identity politics - a sound that was provocative then and remains so today. He collaborated with luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk but also faced many struggles, leading to his premature and tragic decline. This week, Donald Macleod shares his long-overdue story, with insights from American baritone Davone Tines, a performer and champion of Eastman's music. Today, Donald traces Eastman's early years and his musical beginnings. At school in Ithaca NY, friends recalled their surprise when the smallest person in choir had indisputably the largest voice. Despite being told that no college would accept him, Eastman went on to study piano with Miezcyslaw Horszowski, and later switched to composition, writing on his application form that his goal was `to obtain wisdom`. Living penniless at the YMCA, as one of a handful of black students, we see him begin to wrestle with the first of many obstacles in his musical path. Stay On It (excerpt) Georgia Mitoff, voice Petr Kotik, piano Benjamin Hudson, violin Amrom Chodos, clarinet Joseph Ford, Doug Gaston, saxophones Dennis Kahle, Jan Williams, percussion Julius Eastman, director Piano 2 (1st movement) Joseph Kubera, piano Gay Guerrilla Kai Schumacher, Patricia Martin, Mirela Zhulali, Benedikt ter Braak, pianos If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich? (excerpt) Julius Eastman, conductor Various Artists (student ensemble) Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker Donald Macleod unravels the enigmatic, remarkable story of New Yorker Julius Eastman. |
| 2021 | 02 | A Vocal Kaleidoscope | 20211005 | Donald Macleod explores how performance was central to Julius Eastman's life, work and personality. When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no one knew, not even his friends, and his work threatened to disappear with him. Julius Eastman had lit up America's contemporary music scene as a spellbinding performer and a visionary composer whose music is difficult to pigeonhole. A gay, black man in the predominantly white world of new music, Eastman was often misunderstood. His musical voice fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, and was inextricable from his identity politics - a sound that was provocative then and remains so today. He collaborated with luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk but also faced many struggles, leading to his premature and tragic decline. This week, Donald Macleod shares his long-overdue story, with insights from American baritone Davone Tines, a performer and champion of Eastman's music. Today, Donald uncovers Eastman's legacy as a vocal performer and composer. This period in Eastman's career, fresh out of college, would see him make major breakthroughs, including a Grammy nomination - all the more remarkable given that he had no formal vocal training. He proved himself a singer of incredible range and power, famed for his theatricality. He loved to surprise audiences- though this could also get him into troubl |
| 2021 | 03 | Staying On It | 20211006 | Donald Macleod follows Eastman as he makes a pivotal move in his musical game plan When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no one knew, not even his friends, and his work threatened to disappear with him. Julius Eastman had lit up America's contemporary music scene as a spellbinding performer and a visionary composer whose music is difficult to pigeonhole. A gay, black man in the predominantly white world of new music, Eastman was often misunderstood. His musical voice fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, and was inextricable from his identity politics - a sound that was provocative then and remains so today. He collaborated with luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk but also faced many struggles, leading to his premature and tragic decline. This week, Donald Macleod shares his long-overdue story, with insights from American baritone Davone Tines, a performer and champion of Eastman's music. Today, Donald charts the most prolific but pivotal period in Eastman's life. With a respectable teaching job at a prestigious university, a house, and a fulfilling performing career, things seem to be going well for him in Buffalo. But, as an unpredictable character who rarely feels at home in his environment, can it last - and where to, next? Joy Boy SEM Ensemble Stay On It Georgia Mitoff, voice Petr Kotik, piano Benjamin Hudson, violin Amrom Chodos, clarinet Joseph Ford, Doug Gaston, saxophones Dennis Kahle, Jan Williams, percussion Julius Eastman, director Fugue No 7 Kukuruz Quartet, pianos Arthur Russell: Instrumentals, Part I CETA Orchestra Julius Eastman, conductor Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker Donald Macleod follows Eastman as he makes a pivotal move in his musical game plan. |
| 2021 | 04 | To The Fullest | 20211007 | Donald Macleod discovers how identity politics permeated Eastman's work When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no one knew, not even his friends, and his work threatened to disappear with him. Julius Eastman had lit up America's contemporary music scene as a spellbinding performer and a visionary composer whose music is difficult to pigeonhole. A gay, black man in the predominantly white world of new music, Eastman was often misunderstood. His musical voice fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, and was inextricable from his identity politics - a sound that was provocative then and remains so today. He collaborated with luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk but also faced many struggles, leading to his premature and tragic decline. This week, Donald Macleod shares his long-overdue story, with insights from American baritone Davone Tines, a performer and champion of Eastman's music. Today, Donald invites us into Eastman's New York, and explores the impact he made there. From the disco to the Downtown experimental music scene, Eastman was a musical chameleon who embraced all the activity and collaboration on offer. But he was also someone who refused to compromise or give up on his principles - and his music, which defiantly affirmed his identity as a black, gay man, found contention because of it. Donald and Davone discuss Eastman's most notorious run-in with censorship, and we hear about the tragic moment on a Brooklyn kerbside that would be his point of no return. Dinosaur L: No, Thank You! Femenine (Part 1 - Prime) Wild Up Christopher Rountree, conductor Evil N***** Julius Eastman, Frank Ferko, Janet Kattas, Patricia Martin, pianos Touch Him When HOCKET Ensemble, pianos Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker |
| 2021 | 05 LAST | Wandering Monk | 20211008 | Donald Macleod unpacks the tragic mystery of Eastman's final years. When this week's composer died homeless and alone in 1990, almost no one knew, not even his friends, and his work threatened to disappear with him. Julius Eastman had lit up America's contemporary music scene as a spellbinding performer and a visionary composer whose music is difficult to pigeonhole. A gay, black man in the predominantly white world of new music, Eastman was often misunderstood. His musical voice fused minimalism with pop and the avant-garde, and was inextricable from his identity politics - a sound that was provocative then and remains so today. He collaborated with luminaries such as Pierre Boulez, Peter Maxwell Davies and Meredith Monk but also faced many struggles, leading to his premature and tragic decline. This week, Donald Macleod shares his long-overdue story, with insights from American baritone Davone Tines, a performer and champion of Eastman's music. Today, Donald and Davone turn to the final act in Eastman's life. Customers at Tower Records in Manhattan would have never imagined the charismatic man behind the counter to be sleeping rough in Tompkins Square Park, but Eastman had been evicted, all his belongings confiscated, and he was quickly spiralling downward - somehow still composing and performing. We get a glimpse of how his once-eccentric, now erratic, behaviour was becoming more extreme, and pushing away those close to him. Most of his friends only found out about his death eight months later, after it was reported in the Village Voice. For a long time, his obituary was the final word on Eastman's story, but today Eastman's music and his message is gradually finding its way to new audiences. Piano 2 (2nd movement) Joseph Kubera, piano The Holy Presence of Joan of Arc Jodi Beder, Sarah Carter, Barry Gold, Julie Green, Christine Gummere, Maureen Hynes, Chase Morrison, Abby Newton, Larry Rawdon, David Sabee, cellos Julius Eastman, conductor Buddha Kukuruz Quartet, pianos Femenine (Final section, Must Return) Wild Up Christopher Rountree, conductor Produced in Cardiff by Amelia Parker |