Donald Macleod uncovers key aspects of Liszt’s soul and identity Franz Liszt was the original musical heartthrob - the most photographed man of the 19th century, who left a legacy of more than 700 compositions and in the course of his career made well over 1000 concert appearances. With his electrifying talent at the keyboard, he transformed the status of musician from servant to demigod. But he was also a man of complex character, who wore many masks and repeatedly reinvented himself. This...

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of African American composer Margaret Bonds This week, Donald Macleod is joined by musicologist and pianist Dr Samantha Ege to delve into the life and music of African American pioneer composer, Margaret Bonds (1913-1972). Bonds was one of the most important composers and pianists of her time. She wrote several dozens of art songs, arranged many traditional spirituals, and composed large-scale cantatas. From her native Chicago where she was the...

Donald Macleod and Leah Broad survey the life and work of British composer Dorothy Howell This week Donald Macleod is joined by the award-winning author Leah Broad to explore the story of the British composer Dorothy Howell, who shot to fame aged 21 after the triumphant premiere of her orchestral work ‘Lamia’ at the Proms. By the mid-1920s she was regarded as one of the leading women composers of the day, performing in prestigious venues across the UK and regularly appearing on radio...

Kate Molleson delves into the life and music of the “Yankee Maverick”, Charles Ives. Charles Ives is considered a leading American composer of the early 20th century. Known for many musical innovations, his was a unique voice, a pioneer who combined elements of Western and American music traditions. He’s also been called a Yankee Maverick and much of his creative life was spent in obscurity. Marking the 150th anniversary since his birth, Kate Molleson shines the spotlight on the life and...

Donald Macleod showcases the life and music of Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) arguably did more to transform opera than any composer of his generation: thinking deeply about how text and music should work together, and trying to strip away fripperies to ensure it was urgent, powerful and arresting. His radical approaches made him one of the most influential composers in history - and yet today, he’s known in the concert hall almost exclusively for one work:...

We often think of composers as solitary geniuses, scribbling away at their masterpieces, working alone. But this isn’t always the case. Gustav Holst, most famous for composing The Planets, struggled all his life with neuritis, a condition that made his arms feel like “jelly overcharged with electricity.” It was frequently impossible for him to play or even write, so, to bring his vision of our solar system to life, he needed help. This week, Donald Macleod charts Holst’s interplanetary...

Kate Molleson explores the twists and turns of Schoenberg’s life Is there a more controversial, infamous figure in 20th Century music than Arnold Schoenberg? Arguably no other twentieth-century composer’s ideas have been more influential among composers since, however his music is still neglected and misunderstood by programmers and audiences. Schoenberg was a revolutionary - one of the founders of musical Modernism - but he also recognised the importance of musical tradition. His music...

Donald Macleod examines Bruckner’s lifelong struggle to become the great composer we know today From our modern perspective, it can be difficult to appreciate why it took so long for Anton Bruckner to be recognised as one of the leading musical voices of the 19th century. His spectacular symphonies regularly pack out concert halls today but his own era took many decades to warm up to his music. Only in his sixties did Bruckner begin to achieve the popularity he deserved and, even then, he...

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of the 18th century composer Joseph Bologne Donald Macleod explores the life and work of a musician also remarkable for his sporting prowess. Joseph Bologne’s story throws a light on the political turbulence affecting France in the 18th century, and on the legacy of colonialism and slavery. Bologne is celebrated as the first composer of African descent to attain widespread acclaim in Europe. Donald is joined by Olivette Otele, distinguished Professor...

Donald Macleod explores the world of Ethel Smyth through five love affairs British composer Dame Ethel Smyth was one of the early 20th century’s most original cultural voices. A prodigious musical talent who was best known for her operas, she was a force of nature, an unapologetic eccentric who didn’t suffer fools gladly, and a rule-breaking, trail-blazing feminist. Alongside music, she was an accomplished sportswoman, and her driven and playful nature - as well as her endurance - would not...

Kate Molleson sheds light on the forgotten composer, Silvestre Revueltas Silvestre Revueltas was a blazingly energetic and politically charged musician, a whirlwind of a composer who lived through a time of great political and creative upheaval in Mexico. The French writer André Breton was stunned when he visited the country and found not one unified identity, but many strikingly different cultures existing side by side with all of their clashing values, creeds, and customs. This...

Donald Macleod shines a light on charming and often enigmatic composer, Thomas Linley Jnr English composer, Thomas Linley the Younger was destined to become one of the brightest musical stars of eighteenth century. No less a person than Mozart, who was also a personal friend, hailed him as a ‘true genius’. Even so, Linley’s life was troubled. He and his siblings were ruthlessly driven by their ambitious father. He saw his beloved sister become fodder for the celebrity-hungry gossip mongers of...

Donald Macleod explores key figures in Richard Strauss’s life This week, Donald Macleod explores key figures in the life of Richard Strauss, including his librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, his “domineering and difficult, yet devoted” wife, the soprano Pauline de Ahna, his “frenemy” Gustav Mahler as well as Strauss’s uncomfortably close relationship with the High Command of the Third Reich. Donald also examines the larger-than-life characters that populated the world of the composer’s...

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of American composer, Lou Harrison Lou Silver Harrison was an American, multi-faceted composer who died in 2003. In his music he explored a synthesis of Asian and Western influences, just intonation, and writing for percussion ensemble. He also involved himself in the arts as a performer, dancer, instrument maker, critic, puppeteer, poet, painter and much more. Harrison’s interest in Asian cultures began when he was very young, and remained a...

Kate Molleson explores five windows onto Dvořák’s soul Antonín Dvořák was one of the most heartfelt tunesmiths in classical music - a man who not only brought the sound of Czech folklore to the world, but also had an indelible impact on the musical nationhood of America. As a character he was sometimes shy, sometimes melancholy, routinely homesick and deeply passionate. This week, Kate Molleson explores five windows onto Dvořák’s soul, aspects of life that were really central to his...

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons’s life throws a light on the political turbulence affecting Britain in the early 17th century. As King James VI and I struggled to establish the concept of British identity, his court was blessed with one of England’s most talented musicians of the time, Orlando Gibbons. Music Featured: The Silver Swan O clap your hands Out of the Deep A Fancy (for Double Organ) Behold, thou hast made my days We praise thee, O...

Donald Macleod & Dr Jennifer Martyn explore the remarkable, tragic story of gifted violinist and composer, Amanda Maier Amanda Maier was one of the 19th century’s most brilliant musicians, yet whose story was almost lost to history. Born in the small Swedish town of Landskrona, her virtuoso talent at the violin saw her rise to become one of Europe’s most in-demand performers: giving private and public concerts of major works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Bruch, as well as her own dazzling...

Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov This week, Donald Macleod traverses the dramatic and vivid musical landscapes of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: a vital, fascinating, and perhaps under-appreciated figure in the evolution of the canon of western art music. His life alone was extraordinary: beginning as a cadet in the Tsar’s navy, it ended soon after the tumult of the 1905 revolution; the prospect of far greater upheaval, national and...

Kate Molleson sets out so show us why Elizabeth Maconchy deserves much more of our attention Elizabeth Maconchy is surely the greatest composer of string quartets ever to emerge in the British Isles; and yet her music is often ignored in favour of lesser works by more famous British composers. So says Maconchy’s biographer, Erica Siegel, who joins Kate Molleson to explore the life and works of this key figure in Britain and Ireland’s musical story. Across the week, Kate and Erica set out to...

In 1773, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach sat down to record his life story. He’d been asked to write it down for a new book on German music and it made him one of the first composers to produce an autobiography. This week, Donald Macleod follows the composer’s story, using Bach’s own account as his guide. Bach’s words provide fascinating insights into the things he considered most important but it’s possible that what he chose to leave out is even more revealing. Music Featured: L'Aly Rupalich, Wq...

Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy In the music of Claude Debussy there have been said to run dangerous and destructive currents. His radical works did forge a path which would redefine music in the 20th Century, but his beautiful music runs contrary to his shocking personal life. The Scottish soprano Mary Garden said of him, “I honestly don’t know if he ever loved anybody really. He loved his music – and perhaps himself.” The lies and duplicity, deception and...

Donald Macleod explores the key influences and music of Edvard Greig. Donald Macleod looks at the people and places that had a significant impact on Edvard Grieg’s life and work, meeting Norwegian fiddlers, folksong collectors and nationalist firebrands along the way. From Henrik Ibsen, who commissioned Grieg to write his most famous work, to the composer's wife Nina, for whom he wrote all his songs, this week Donald explores the key influences on the composer’s outlook and development. Music...

Johannes Brahms, the bearded and magisterial Romantic composer, could certainly do grandeur when required. But really, he was more interested in what music meant in ordinary life - how it can whisper, joke and console. He was a man who tried to find a place to belong all his life, wrote for the people closest to him, and that fondness is writ large in his music. This week, Kate Molleson focuses on Brahms at home, revealing the subtle sides of this sometimes brawny composer – the tender heart...

Donald Macleod follows Mozart and his family on an ambitious European adventure. When Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was just seven years old, he and his family set out on an epic journey. Their goal: to travel through Europe and become famous; bringing their awesomely talented children to concert halls, homes and royal palaces across Germany, Belgium, France, Britain, the Netherlands and Switzerland. At the start of their trip, young Wolfgang could already perform and improvise better than most...