This Classical Life

Jess and guitarist Miloš Karadaglić share some of their favourite tracks, from Albeniz to Bjork, with a little bit of David Bowie narrating Prokofiev for good measure. Today we listened to... Isaac Albeniz – Suite espanola, Op. 47; No. 5 Asturias (played by John Williams) Bjork – Vokuro Nicola Porpora – Polifemo, Act 3: Alto Giove (sung by Philippe Jaroussky) Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67...

Jess is joined by accordionist Bartosz Glowacki to share their favourite tracks of the moment, including music by Piazzolla, June Tabor, a Chopin ballade and Sofia Gubaidulina's experimental concerto for orchestra and jazz band.

Jess and the soprano Soraya Mafi share some of their favourite tracks, from Verdi to Jeff Buckley. Tracks we listened to today: Verdi - La Traviata, Act 1: 'Sempre libera' (Maria Callas) Philip Glass - Etude no. 2 for piano (Vikingur Olafsson - piano) Jeff Buckley - Lilac wine Schubert - Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello Op. 99; II. Andante un poco moso Handel - Scipione: ‘Scoglio d’immota fronte’...

Jess Gillam swaps tracks with the trumpeter Simon Höfele, from the epic symphonies of Mahler and Shostakovich to reflective Beethoven and the repetitive rhythms of Meredith Monk. Here's the music we played today... Ades - Overture from Powder Her Face, suite for orchestra Mahler - Symphony No.2 "Resurrection", final movement Meredith Monk - Ellis Island Zimmermann - Concerto for Trumpet “Nobody kn...

Finnish conductor Kaapo Ijas's tracks include Sibelius, the Sibelius Academy Big Band and Radiohead. Here's the music we played today... Rachmaninov - Symphonic Dances, 1st movement Kurt Weill - The Ballad of Mack the Knife (Threepenny Opera) Sibelius - Symphony No.4, 3rd movement Jutta Rahmel/Sibelius Academy Folk Big Band - Levoton sydän Anders Hillborg - Violin Concerto No.2 Falla - 7 Canciones...

Jess and classical guitarist Andrey Lebedev swap music from Brahms to Mason Bates, and Jimmie Rowles featuring Stan Getz.

Jess is joined by the cellist Abel Selaocoe, a member of the Manchester Collective whose performances take in everything from chamber music to beatboxing. He and share tracks including a radical interpretation of Biber's Battalia and another war-themed piece in Britten's Sinfonia da Requiem, symphonies by Mozart and Penderecki, plus music by John Adams and the Youngblood Brass Band.

Jess Gillam is joined by composer and poet Alexia Sloane to swap music including John Luther Adams immersive Become Ocean, the sublime vocal harmonies of Kraja, Steve Reich's Music for 18 musicians, Smetana and a soul classic by Aretha Franklin. Here's the music we played today... Bedrich Smetana - Ma vlast, Vltava [Moldau] Kraja- Polska Till Rut Francis Poulenc - Sonata for Oboe FP, 185; 1. Alleg...

Jess is joined by film composer Ian Arber, who wrote the theme tune for the TV coverage of BBC Proms 2019. They swap tracks including music by Penderecki, Terence Blanchard, Bach and Rachmaninov. Today we listened to... Krzysztof Penderecki: Sinfonietta No. 1 - Vivace Sergei Rachmaninoff – Prelude in C-Sharp Minor (No. 2), Op. 3. Frederic Rzewski - Attica John Barry - The Knack… and How to Get it....

Jess Gillam and composer Freya Waley-Cohen swap Messiaen's frenetic Joy of the Blood of the Stars from Turangalîla, a Procol Harum classic performed by King Curtis, Ravel, Janacek and Shostakovich. This Classical Life is also available as a podcast on BBC Sounds. Here's what we listened to today... Olivier Messiaen - Turangalîla-Symphonie; V. Joie Du Sang Des Étoiles Vif, Passionné Avec Joie Willi...

Doctor Who composer Segun Akinola is in the hot seat, kicking off with the track that awoke his lifelong passion for music. Also in this ep: Jess and Segun talk “dad music”, breaking down barriers in genre and why Live and Let Die is the funnest Bond theme song of all time. This Classical Life is a show and podcast from BBC Radio 3. Every episode, saxophonist Jess Gillam is joined by a special gue...

Jess and pianist Fiachra Garvey swap the music they love, including Bernstein that makes them both want to dance, Holst's joyful Jupiter from The Planets and Fiachra embraces his Irish roots with Thin Lizzy's Whiskey in the Jar. Here's what we played this episode... Leonard Bernstein - Mambo from West Side Story Johannes Brahms - Piano Quintet in F minor (Scherzo) Nils Frahm - Ambre from Wintermus...

Jess and Cecilia swap some of their favourite music, including the epic Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem, fight scenes from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, folk tunes by Sulkhan Tsintsadze, and tracks by Mica Levi and Nino Rota. This Classical Life is also available as a podcast on BBC Sounds.

Violinist Callum Smart plays Jess some classic Michael Brecker, and Jess introduces Callum to piano music by Missy Mazzoli, plus Punch Brothers playing Bach and vintage Jascha Heifetz playing Richard Strauss. This Classical Life is also available as a podcast on BBC Sounds.

Jess Gillam is joined by the pianist Martin James Bartlett, a former winner of BBC Young Musician who has just released his debut album 'Love and Death'. They share music from the explosive overture to Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila to contemplative Peter Gabriel, a classic recording of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony and Max Richter. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever...

Jess Gillam is joined by the soprano Lauren Fagan, a recent graduate of the Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme. They chat about the music they love, from Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, to Queen and John Adams, and Barbara Bonney singing Schubert From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and appearances at th...

Jess Gillam is joined by the singer and composer Heloise Werner, a member of the young new music ensemble, The Hermes Experiment. Their music includes Shostakovich's Festive Oveture and Strauss' epic tone poem Also Sprach Zarathustra, plus tracks by Meredith Monk and Graham Fitkin. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and app...

Jess Gillam is joined by composer Lucy Armstrong, whose commissions have included from the Psappha Ensemble and Bergen National Opera. She and Jess chat about the music they love, from Smetana to Sondheim via Tansy Davis and Ute Lemper singing Kurt Weill. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and appearances at the Last Night...

Jess Gillam is joined by the Lithuanian accordionist Martynas Levickis, known for his exciting arrangements of everything from Bach to Daft Punk. Together they have chosen Teodor Currentzis conducting Mozart, the Adagietto from Mahler's 5th Symphony, Bjork and some electro swing from Parov Stelar. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young M...

Jess Gillam is joined by the conductor and violinist Stephanie Childress, who has been described as a 'seriously exciting (and unnervingly young) talent'. Their musical choices take us from Poulenc to Rachmaninov via the Beach Boys and a Doris Day classic. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and appearances at the Last Night...

Jess Gillam is joined by Lloyd Coleman, composer, clarinettist and associate music director of the British Paraorchestra. Their musical choices include a sabre dance, sounds of the sea from Debussy, a 'modern classic' by Anna Meredith, the glorious finale of Sibelius's Fifth Symphony and Kraftwerk. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young...

Jess Gillam presents her new show, with the bassoonist Amy Harman, principal bassoon with Aurora Orchestra and English National Opera. Their music ranges from Bernstein's Candide Overture to music by Handel and Vivaldi, some classic Miles Davis and new music by Caroline Shaw. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and appearanc...

Jess Gillam presents her new show, with pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, and their musical choices include a Brahms intermezzo, film music by Michael Nyman, symphonies by Beethoven and Walton, and tracks by Beyoncé and Radiohead. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, and appearances at the Last Night of the Proms in 2018 and at thi...

Jess Gillam presents her new show, with the double and electric bass player Sam Becker, who co-presented the BBC Young Musician podcast with Jess in 2018. The tracks they share with each other range from Debussy's Sarabande to David Bowie's Heroes, and from Dowland's Flow my teares to serpentwithfeet's take on Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being th...

Jess Gillam presents her new show, with the former BBC Introducing pianist and sound artist Belle Chen, and their 30-minute musical journey includes Korngold's Violin Concerto, music for prepared piano by John Cage and Aphex Twin, Sibelius' 7th Symphony and Herbie Hancock playing Ravel. From musical beginnings in a carnival band, to being the first ever saxophone finalist in BBC Young Musician, an...