Episodes
| Series | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Barbara, Ben And The BBC | 20190130 | Michael Tippett was a particularly absorbent composer, soaking up an incredibly wide range of inspirations and influences from the world around him, and perhaps most often from outside the field of music. His huge intellectual capacity and endless interest in other people combined with immense charisma to make him a personality to which everyone who met him seemed irresistibly drawn. His - often complex - relationships were particularly intense ones, and frequently blurred the lines between professional and personal, artistic and sexual. This week Composer of the week looks at some of the people closest to Tippett and asks what influence they had on the life and music of a man whose story has still never been fully told. Joining Donald Macleod to explore sometimes uncharted territory is Oliver Soden, the author of a new - and the first complete - biography of the composer. Today, Donald Macleod explores Tippett's relationship with Barbara Hepworth, Benjamin Britten, and the BBC. Various: Variations on an Elizabethan Theme: Var 2 (Tippett): Lament BBC Symphony Orchestra Jac van Steen, conductor Tippett: Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli Academy of St Martin in the Fields Sir Neville Marriner Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage - Act One Scene 8: Is it so strange', You, you who were with me when she left me', See by a heavenly magic in this glass'. Joan Sutherland (Jenifer), soprano Richard Lewis (Mark), tenor Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden John Pritchard, conductor Tippett: Praeludium For Brass, Bells And Percussion English Northern Philharmonia Sir Michael Tippett, conductor Exploring Tippett's life via his intense personal relationships. Today, Benjamin Britten. |
| 2019 | Christopher And David | 20190201 | Michael Tippett was a particularly absorbent composer, soaking up an incredibly wide range of inspirations and influences from the world around him, and perhaps most often from outside the field of music. His huge intellectual capacity and endless interest in other people combined with immense charisma to make him a personality to which everyone who met him seemed irresistibly drawn. His - often complex - relationships were particularly intense ones, and frequently blurred the lines between professional and personal, artistic and sexual. This week Composer of the week looks at some of the people closest to Tippett and asks what influence they had on the life and music of a man whose story has still never been fully told. Joining Donald Macleod to explore sometimes uncharted territory is Oliver Soden, the author of a new - and the first complete - biography of the composer. Today, Donald Macleod looks at Tippett's lifelong friendships with the poet and playwright Christopher Fry and the journalist and writer David Ayerst. Tippett: Dance, Clarion Air Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford Medici String Quartet Stephen Darlington, Director Tippett: Piano Concerto - 1: Allegro non troppo Benjamin Frith, Piano BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra George Hurst, conductor Tippett: Crown of the Year - Prelude (Autumn); Victoria rules an autumn land Tippett: The Blue Guitar - 3: Dreaming Craig Ogden, guitar Tippett: The Rose Lake BBC National Orchestra of Wales Richard Hickox, conductor Exploring Tippett's life via his intense personal relationships. Today, two friends. |
| 2019 | Phyllis And Francesca | 20190129 | Michael Tippett was a particularly absorbent composer, soaking up an incredibly wide range of inspirations and influences from the world around him, and perhaps most often from outside the field of music. His huge intellectual capacity and endless interest in other people combined with immense charisma to make him a personality to which everyone who met him seemed irresistibly drawn. His - often complex - relationships were particularly intense ones, and frequently blurred the lines between professional and personal, artistic and sexual. This week Composer of the week looks at some of the people closest to Tippett and asks what influence they had on the life and music of a man whose story has still never been fully told. Joining Donald Macleod to explore sometimes uncharted territory is Oliver Soden, the author of a new - and the first complete - biography of the composer. Today, Donald Macleod explores the complicated and poignant relationships Tippett had with two women: his cousin, the firebrand socialist Phyllis Kemp, and Francesca Allinson, poet, writer, and fifth child of the famous flour family. Purcell arr. Tippett: If music be the food of love? Martyn Hill, tenor Andrew Ball, piano Tippett: Piano Sonata No 1, 1st movement: Allegro Paul Crossley, piano Tippett: Suite in D for the Birthday of Prince Charles: 3 - Procession and Dance, 4 - Carol, 5 - Finale London Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis Tippett: String Quartet No 2: Andante Heath Quartet Tippett: The Heart's Assurance Exploring Tippett's life via his intense personal relationships. Today, his cousin Phyllis |
| 2019 | Ts Eliot And Wb Yeats | 20190128 | Michael Tippett was a particularly absorbent composer, soaking up an incredibly wide range of inspirations and influences from the world around him, and perhaps most often from outside the field of music. His huge intellectual capacity and endless interest in other people combined with immense charisma to make him a personality to which everyone who met him seemed irresistibly drawn. His - often complex - relationships were particularly intense ones, and frequently blurred the lines between professional and personal, artistic and sexual. This week Composer of the week looks at some of the people closest to Tippett and asks what influence they had on the life and music of a man whose story has still never been fully told. Joining Donald Macleod to explore sometimes uncharted territory is Oliver Soden, the author of a new - and the first complete - biography of the composer. Today, the week begins by examining the very significant influence on Tippet's life and work of the literary figure TS Eliot; heard in two of Tippett's largest compositions. In the 1930s Tippett would produce the major work for which he's still best known, A Child of Our Time - a musical landmark which also established the way Tippett would approach composition throughout his life. Towards the other end of his life, he produced an astonishing, deconstructed setting of WB Yeats' metaphorical poem, Byzantium. Tippett: Where The Bee Sucks from Songs for Ariel Martyn Hill, tenor Andrew Ball, piano Tippett: A Child of Our Time (Part 1) Cynthia Haymon, soprano Cynthia Clarey, alto Damon Evans, tenor Willard White, bass London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Richard Hickox, conductor Tippett: Byzantium? Faye Robinson, soprano Chicago Symphony Orchestra Sir Georg Solti, conductor An exploration of Tippett's life via his intense personal relationships. Today, TS Eliot. |
| 2019 | Wilf, John, Karl And Meirion | 20190131 | Michael Tippett was a particularly absorbent composer, soaking up an incredibly wide range of inspirations and influences from the world around him, and perhaps most often from outside the field of music. His huge intellectual capacity and endless interest in other people combined with immense charisma to make him a personality to which everyone who met him seemed irresistibly drawn. His - often complex - relationships were particularly intense ones, and frequently blurred the lines between professional and personal, artistic and sexual. This week Composer of the week looks at some of the people closest to Tippett and asks what influence they had on the life and music of a man whose story has still never been fully told. Joining Donald Macleod to explore sometimes uncharted territory is Oliver Soden, the author of a new - and the first complete - biography of the composer. Today, Donald Macleod looks at Tippett's complex relationships with four people he loved and some of the music linked with them: the sculptor Wilf Franks; conductor John Minchinton; painter, Karl Hawker; and the writer on music, Meirion Bowen. Tippett: Music Martyn Hill, tenor Andrew Ball, piano Tippett: String Quartet No 1: 2 - Lento Cantabile Heath Quartet Tippett: Symphony No 2: 2 - Adagio molto e tranquillo BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Martyn Brabbins, conductor Tippett: Songs for Achilles Craig Ogden, guitar Tippett: The Knot Garden?- Enough, Enough Josephine Barstow, soprano Jill Gomez, soprano Yvonne Minton, mezzo-soprano Robert Tear, tenor Thomas Carey, baritone Thomas Hemsley, baritone Raimund Herincx, baritone ROH, Covent Garden Sir Colin Davis, conductor Exploring Tippett's life via his intense personal relationships. Today, his lovers. |