Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 01 | The Turning Point | 20230123 | 20250331 (R3) | Donald Macleod surveys the life of nineteenth century French composer Mel Bonis, with a focus today on two dates, both of which would mark significant events, 1881 and 1883. Today Donald Macleod considers the means Mel Bonis had at her disposal to further her musical ambitions. Étiolles, Op 2 Mariam Barbaux-Cohen, piano Ophélie, Op 165 BBC Symphony Orchestra Rumon Gamba, conductor Piano Quartet No 1 in B flat major, Op 69 - II. Intermezzo. Allegretto tranquillo Mozart Piano Quartet Impromptu pour piano, Op 1 Laurent Martin, piano 5 pièces pour piano No 1: Gai Printemps, Op 11 No 2: Romance sans paroles, Op 29 No 3: Menuet, Op 14 No 4: Églogue, Op 12 No 5: Papillons, Op 28 Diana Sahakyan, piano Cello sonata in F major, Op 67 – III. Très lent Thomas Blees, cello Maria Bergmann, piano Fantaisie, Op 72 'Septuor Tatjana Ruhland, flute Florian Wiek, piano Members of Stuttgart Royal Symphony Orchestra Produced by Johanna Smith for BBC Audio Cardiff |
| 2023 | 02 | The Learning Years | 20230124 | 20250401 (R3) | Donald Macleod explores Mel Bonis's years of training at the Paris Conservatoire, where she rubbed shoulders with the likes of Debussy, and attended César Franck's organ classes. Mel Bonis was just nineteen when she entered Paris's famous musical establishment. Her years of study there gave her access to a superior level of training in piano, harmony and accompaniment. Près de ruisseau, Op 9 Myriam Barbaux-Cohen, piano Pensées d'automne Piano Quartet No 1, Op 69 – I. Moderato and IV. Final. Allegro ma non troppo Mozart Piano Quartet Villanelle, Op 4 Dès l'aube, Op 18 Valérie Gabail, soprano Eric Cerantola, piano Marionnettes, Op 42 Maria Stembolskaya, piano Sonata for Flute and Piano Maria Cecilia Muñez, flute Tiffany Butt, piano Suite Orientale, Op 48 No 2 BBC Symphony Orchestra Rumon Gamba, conductor Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Audio Cardiff |
| 2023 | 03 | An Affair Of The Heart | 20230125 | 20250402 (R3) | Donald Macleod recounts how and why Mel Bonis came to find her musical training at an abrupt end. It was a circumstance that irrevocably changed the course of her life. One of the most important relationships of Mel Bonis's life was with Amédée Hettich. Originally a fellow student, the pair of them collaborated on song writing projects. Valses-caprice, Op 87 Laurent Martin and Claudine Simon, piano four hands Elève toi mon âme Laetitia Grimaldi, soprano Ammiel Bushakevitz, piano L'Oiseau Bleu, Op 74 BBC Singers Elizabeth Burgess, piano Grace Rossiter, conductor Cello sonata in F major, Op 67 – I. Moderato quasi andante Thomas Blees, cello Maria Bergmann, piano Suite en forme de valses, Op 35 to 39 The Bucharest Symphony Orchestra Benôit Fromanger, conductor La chanson de Rouet, Op 24 Carillon mystique, Op 31 Maria Stembolskaya, piano Les Gitanos, Op 15 No 2 Laurent Martin, piano Suite en Trio, Op 59 Trio Empreinte Clara Abou, violin Émilie Heurtevent, soprano saxophone Anne de Fornel, piano Salomé, Op 100 BBC Symphony Orchestra Rumon Gamba, conductor Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Audio Cardiff Donald Macleod recounts how Mel Bonis came to find her musical training at an abrupt end |
| 2023 | 04 | Heartache In War-time | 20230126 | 20250403 (R3) | Donald Macleod considers why the Great War was especially difficult for Mel Bonis and how she expressed her emotional state through her music. During the war Mel Bonis was profoundly affected by news from the frontline. Two of her sons were in the army, and then the bombing of Paris cast a light on the circumstances surrounding Mel Bonis's illegitimate daughter. Mazurka-ballet, Op 181 Laurent Martin, piano Trois melodies, Op 91 Hélène Guilmette, soprano Martin Dubé, piano Soir et Matin, Op 76 Mozart Piano Quartet Scènes de la Forêt Diana Ambache, piano Richard Dilley, horn Anthony Robb, flute La Cathédrale Blessée, Op 107 Myriam Barbaux-Cohen, piano Sonate pour violon et piano, Opus 112 – IV. Finale Francine Trachier, violin Françoise Tillard, piano Produced by Johanna Smith for BBC Audio Cardiff |
| 2023 | 05 LAST | Reflections On A Life | 20230127 | 20250404 (R3) | Donald Macloed explores Mel Bonis's preoccupations, musical and otherwise, in later life. After the Great War Bonis turned to writing music for her own pleasure, for her friends and family and for God. The arrival of her illegitimate daughter Madeleine had already brought much anxiety and guilt to the religiously minded Bonis. She kept the child a secret from her family. Then one of her sons expressed his wish to marry Madeleine, completely unaware that they were related. Finale, Op 187 Tatjana Ruhland, flute Florian Wieck, piano Miocheries, Op 126, No 13, La toute petite s'endort Bertrand Chamayou, piano Regina coeli, Op 45 Calliope Women's Chorus Régine Theodoresco, director Piano quartet No 2 in D major, Op 124 Mozart Piano Quartet Cantique de Jean Racine, Op 144 Gè?rard Chave, tenor Schola Saint-Saveur, vocal ensemble Claire Le Fur, harp Chantal de Zeeuw, organ Jean-François Sè?nart, conductor Le songe de Cléopatre, Op 180 Bucharest Symphony Orchestra Bênoit Fromanger, conductor Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Audio Cardiff Donald Macloed explores Mel Bonis's preoccupations, musical and otherwise, in later life. Bonis turned to writing music for her own pleasure and for her friends and family |