This Classical Life

Jess Gillam and harpist Bridget Kibbey share the music they love. Greek saxophonist Alegros Gramma takes us to Morocco while Chick Corea is in Spain. Sol Gabetta plays Haydn, Martha Argerich plays Ravel plus we hear Sophie Hutchings, Portishead, Rachmaninov AND Beethoven's iconic fifth Symphony. Playlist: Beethoven – Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67; I. Allegro con brio (London Symphony Orchestra,...

Jess Gillam chats to composer and producer Toby Young about the music they love. With sparkling chamber music by Paul Hindemith, a heartbreakling aria by Henry Purcell, plus we'll dip into Motown with the Four Tops and spend some time with glorious choral music from Carlo Gesualdo. Playlist: Carlo Gesualdo – Ecce vidimus eum, Responsories from 1st Nocturn (The King's Singers) Four Tops - Bernadett...

Jess Gillam and pianist Zeynep Özsuca talk about the music they love. With music by Robert Schumann, Handel, Stevie Wonder and Woodkid. Playlist: Robert Schumann - Piano Quintet in E flat Major, Op.44; I. Allegro brillante (Jerusalem Quartet and Alexander Melnikov) Woodkid - Iron Brahms - Symphony no. 3 (Op.90) in F major, 3rd movement; Poco allegretto (Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Daniel Harding)...

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and pianist AyseDeniz Gokcin to share the music they love. With passionate and romantic music by Rachmaninov, Chopin and Brahms, the celestial and other worldly sounds of Jennifer Higdon’s Blue Cathedral and Max Richter’s Journey CP1919, plus the powerful empowering force that is Beyonce.

Jess Gillam and opera singer William Thomas share the music that love, from Bach to Billy Joel. Today we played: Oscar Peterson – C Jam Blues (Oscar Peterson (Piano), Ray Brown (Double Bass), Ed Thigpen (Drums)) Bernstein – Rumble From West Side Story (Studio Orchestra, Johhny Green) Bach – Ich Habe Genug Bwv 82 No.1 : Aria ‘Ich Habe Genug‘ (Hans Hotter (Bass-Baritone), Geraint Jones (Organ), Sidn...

Jess Gillam talks to cellist Eve-Marie Caravassilis about the music that the love, from Handel to Gnarls Barkley. Today we played: Handel: Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno, HWV46a "Tu del Ciel ministro eletto" (Julia Lezhneva (soprano), Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini) Max Richter: moth-like stars Pt. 14 (Max Richter (piano), Ben Russell (violin), Yuki Numata (violin), Caleb Burhans (...

Jess Gillam and pianist Anna Tsybuleva talk about the music they love - with works by Vivaldi, Led Zeppelin, Beethoven and Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Jess Gillam talks to composer and pianist Martin Kohlstedt about the music they love - with music from Bartók, Radiohead, Chopin and Dusty Springfield. Today we played... George Walker – Lyric for Strings (London Symphony Orchestra, Paul Freeman) Natureboy Flako - Gelis Caroline Shaw – Its Motion Keeps (Caroline Shaw, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Dianne Berkun Menaker) Frédéric Chopin - Nocturne No. 19...

Jess Gillam talks to contralto Jess Dandy about the music they love, from Wagner to The Waterboys and including folk music from Ireland and Argentina. Today we played... Wagner - Gotterdammerung, WWV 86D / Act 3: Fliegt heim, ihr Raben! (Birgit Nilsson, Gottlob Frick, Vienna Philharmonic, Georg Solti) Ibert - The Deserted House (Peter Katin) Mercedes Sosa - Gracias A La Vida Frank Waxman A Place i...

Jess Gillam is joined by composer, pianist, and violinist Poppy Ackroyd to share the music they love, including Debussy, Brad Mehldau and Radiohead. This we we played... Debussy –Jardins sous la pluie (Jean-Yves Thibaudet) Brad Medlhau – When it Rains Origamibiro - Vitreous detachment Prokofiev – Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major Op.19: II. Scherzo: Vivacissimo (Hilary Hahn, Orchestre Philharmonique...

Jess Gillam and baritone Benson Wilson share the music they love, including the voices of Johnny Mathis, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Samoan gospel singer Lani Alo. Today we played… Copland – Appalachian Spring: Allegro (Leonard Bernstein, New York Phil) Erroll Garner - Misty (Johnny Mathis) Pulp – Common People Verdi – Don Carlos: "O Carlo, ascolta" from Act IV Scene 2 (Dmitri Hvorostovsky, BBC Welsh...

Jess Gillam talks to pianist and composer Rosey Chan about the music that they love, including Mahler, Miles Davis and Eurythmics. Today we played: Vivaldi – Orlando finto pazzo, RV 727; ‘Se in ogni guardo’ (Philippe Jaroussky, Ensemble Matheus, Jean-Christophe Spinosi) Mahler - Totenfeier (OAE, Vladimir Jurowski) Miles Davis/Bill Evans - Blue in Green (Miles Davis, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Paul...

Jess Gillam is joined by conductor Ryan Bancroft to share the music they love, with music by Debussy, Aruna Sairam, Caroline Shaw, Joby Talbot and Massive Attack plus a warm hug from Beethoven. Playlist: Debussy - Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune (Orchestra National de la RTF, Constantin Silvestri) Joby Talbot - Once around the sun; January - A Yellow Disc Rising from the Sea Aruna Sairam – Tilla...

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and pianist Tom Donald to swap tracks they love, including music by Keith Jarrett, Schumann, Stravinsky, big dog little dog and Elton John. Playlist: Keith Jarrett - Book of Ways 4 Igor Stravinsky - Infernal Dance from The Firebird (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons) Gustav Mahler - Symphony No 3 in D minor - Part 2 (4th mvt) (Christa Ludwig /...

Jess Gillam and soprano Alexandra Oomens share the music they love, including Handel, Janacek and Marilyn Monroe. Today we listened to... Handel – Guilio Cesare: Act 3; Da Tempeste (Amanda Forsythe, Apollo’s Fire, Jeanette Sorrell) Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now Elena Kats-Chernin - Memorial Rag (Gondwana Voices, Lyn Williams) Janacek – Glagolitic Mass: VIII. Intrada (CBSO, Simon Rattle) Andrew Bi...

Jess Gillam and composer and violinist Sasha Scott share the music they love, including Vivaldi, Ligeti, Henriette Renié, and The Prodigy. Sasha Scott was one of the Senior Category winners in the BBC Young Composer 2019 competition. Playlist: Witold Lutosławski – Symphony No 4 (Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra / Antoni Wit) Francis Poulenc – Flute Sonata FP 164 (1st mvt) (Emmanuel Pahud /...

Jess Gillam and composer Jasmin Kent Rodgman share the music they love including Tchaikovsky, Arve Henriksen, Pan Daijing, Ella & Louis and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Playlist: Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake - op.20 Act 2, No. 10 (LSO, Andre Previn) Arve Henriksen - Arco Akropolis Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Let’s Call the whole thing off Pan Daijing – Phenomenon Berlioz - Symphonie Fant...

Jess Gillam chats to composer and saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi about the music they love. With music by Heiner Goebbels, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Dinah Washington and Prokofiev. Playlist: Heiner Goebbels - Suite for Sampler and Orchestra: Courante (Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Peter Rundel) Louise Farrenc - Nonet in E flat major Op.38 for chamber ensemble: 3rd mvt; Scherzo vivace (Consortium Classicum)...

Jess Gillam talks to singer, cellist and composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson about the music they love including Errollyn Wallen, Jill Scott, Barber, and Berio. Playlist: Errollyn Wallen - Concerto Grosso: 1st mvt (Tai Murray, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Chi-Chi Nwanoku, Chineke!, Anthony Parnther) Caroline Shaw - And the Swallow (The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge, Anna Lapwood) The Abyssinians -...

Jess Gillam and composer Eric Whitacre get all Christmassy and share their favourite festive sounds including music from Prokofiev, Darlene Love, Danny Elfman and Nat King Cole. Playlist: Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije Suite, Op. 60; IV Troika (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi) Darlene Love – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Danny Elfman – What’s This? Ella Fitzgerald – The Secret of C...

Jess Gillam and conductor Toby Thatcher share the music they love. With music including Debussy, George Lewis, Bartok, and Sixto Rodriguez. Playlist: Ella Fitzgerald - Mack the Knife (Live in Berlin) Debussy - La Damoiselle élue (Vikingur Olafsson) George Lewis - Anthem (Wet Ink Ensemble) Vaughan Williams - Symphony No 5 in D major (3rd mvt) Rodriguez - Cause Poulenc - C'est ainsi que tu es (Métam...

Jess Gillam shares music with viola player Stephen Upshaw Playlist: Robert Schumann - Marchenbilder Mvt IV [Nobuko Imai, Martha Argerich (pianos) Johann Strauss II – Der Fledermaus; Overture [Carlos Kleiber, Bavarian State Opera] Idjah Hadidjah - Aram Bandung Steve Reich – Mallet Quartet: iii. Fast [Colin Currie group] Orlando – Blood Orange Kurt Weill – September Song [Sydney Bechet] Morton Feldm...

Jess Gillam and soprano Seljan Nasibli share the music they love. Their selections include Miles Davis, Karayev, Caroline Shaw and Mozart. Playlist: Alim Qasimov Ensemble and Kronos Quartet – Getme, Getme Bach – Cello Suite No 2: Prelude Mozart – Ah Chi Mi Dice Mai (Don Giovanni) Miles Davis / Gil Evans / George Gershwin – It Ain’t Necessarily So (Porgy and Bess) Kara Karayev- The Seven Beauties S...

Jess Gillam and guitarist Alexandra Whittingham share the music they love. With music including Goat Rodeo, Eric Whitacre, Celeste and Korngold. Playlist: Goat Rodeo - Hill Justice Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8 in C Minor, Op.110: II. Allegro Molto (Borodin Quartet) Celeste - Strange Malcolm Arnold: Guitar Concerto, Op.67: II. Lento (Julian Bream & Melos Ensemble) Glazunov - Chant du Menes...

Jess Gillam and harpist Cecilia De Maria share the music they love, with Terry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air, Grieg's Holberg suite, new jazz sounds from Polar Bear, Dorothy Ashby's Soul Vibrations from Afro-Harping and classic film theme by John Williams. Playlist: Edvard Grieg - Holberg suite Op.40 vers. for string orchestra: Praeludium (Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Jarvi) Pierne - Imp...