Anniversary Special: Composers in Conversation - Part 1

Donald Macleod celebrates the programme’s 80th anniversary with
highlights from 10 memorable interviews


Composer of the Week is one of the longest-running strands on the
BBC, first heard on the airwaves during the Second World War on
the 2nd of August 1943. The first to be featured was Mozart – and
today, the programme tells the stories of well-known and
rediscovered composers across classical music, jazz, contemporary
and beyond. Donald Macleod celebrates its 80th anniversary with
highlights and behind-the-scenes stories from his encounters with
some of our greatest living composers. Across the week, he looks
back on 10 memorable interviews from his nearly 25 years in the
presenter’s chair, showcasing the range of musical styles and
personalities he’s encountered.


Part 1 includes interviews with Stephen Sondheim, Judith Weir,
Meredith Monk, Steve Reich & Harrison Birtwistle.


Part 2 includes interviews with Hans Werner Henze, Adolphus
Hailstork, Thea Musgrave, Anoushka Shankar & Oliver Knussen.


Music Featured:


Stephen Sondheim: Pretty Little Picture (from A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum) Jule Styne/Stephen Sondheim:
Everything’s Coming Up Roses (from Gypsy) Stephen Sondheim: Free
(from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) Stephen
Sondheim: There’s Always a Woman (from Anyone Can Whistle) Judith
Weir: Variations For Judith, No 5 Judith Weir: Vertue for chorus
Judith Weir: Piano Quartet (1st movement) Judith Weir: Airs from
Another Planet for wind quintet and piano (excerpt) Meredith
Monk: Gothum Lullaby Meredith Monk: Quarry (Quarry Weave 2)
Meredith Monk: Dolmen Music (excerpt) Steve Reich: The Cave
(excerpts from Act III) Steve Reich: Different Trains (iii.
Europe, After the War) Steve Reich: Piano Phase (remixed by
D*Note) Harrison Birtwistle: Virelai (sous une fontayne) Harrison
Birtwistle: The Minotaur (Part Two – excerpt) Harrison
Birtwistle: The Moth Requiem Hans Werner Henze: Chamber Concerto,
Op 1 (final movement) Hans Werner Henze: Serenade for piano trio
(Adagio, Adagio) Hans Werner Henze: Scorribanda sinfónica Hans
Werner Henze: Requiem (excerpt) Adolphus Hailstork: Fanfare on
Amazing Grace Adolphus Hailstork: Three Spirituals for Orchestra
Adolphus Hailstork: Symphony No 2 (excerpts) Thea Musgrave: On
the Underground, Set 1: Sometimes Thea Musgrave: Two’s Company
Anoushka Shankar: Traces of you Anoushka Shankar: Voice of the
Moon Anoushka Shankar: Red Sun Oliver Knussen: Flourish with
Fireworks, Op 22 Oliver Knussen: Music for a Puppet Court, Op 11
Oliver Knussen: …Upon One Note


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Amelia Parker for BBC
Audio Wales and West


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Anniversary Special:
Composers in Conversation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001p28b


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z