EPISODE 2: celebrating beautiful sounds

‘La Mer’ (French for ‘The Sea’) is one of the most evocative pieces ever composed. The composer Claude Debussy conjures up images and sensations of the sea, creating some of the most beautiful sounds an orchestra can produce. In this episode I share insights into this piece, I continue to explore the question ‘What Is Music?’ and we discover the instruments of the Percussion Section.

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EPISODE 3: EMOTIONS THROUGH SOUND

‘Symphony no. 10’ by Dmitri Shostakovich has a rawness that strikes straight at the core of the listener. It’s full of intense emotion fuelled by the composer’s experience of living under Stalin’s regime. In this episode I share insights into the piece, introduce the instruments of the brass section, and discuss how emotion is communicated in music.

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EPISODE 4: A MAGICAL MELODY

The ‘Piano Concerto in G’ by Maurice Ravel is so astonishingly beautiful that time can appear to become suspended for a listener. The melody is somehow magical, transporting you to another place. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss the Woodwind section of the orchestra, and begin to uncover how music works by answering the question ‘What is a Melody?’.

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EPISODE 5: THE MARCH OF A KING

The solemn march from Beethoven’s ‘Symphony no. 7’ was featured in the climactic scene of the film ‘The King’s Speech’. It’s a masterpiece and it communicates perseverance and determination in overcoming adversity. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I continue our journey to uncover how music works by answering the question ‘What Is Harmony?’, and I discuss the instruments of the String section in an orchestra.

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episode 6: this feels good!

‘Candide Overture’ by Leonard Bernstein is a fantastic piece. Fun for the listener and virtuosic for the orchestra, it bursts with energy and excitement. In this episode I share insights into the piece and I discuss the ‘feel’ of music by exploring the role of the Time Signature. Also I answer the question, ‘What is an Overture?’.

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episode 7: inside the storm

In the ‘Four Sea Interludes’ by Benjamin Britten you’re standing on the cliffs of the English Channel and a storm is raging around you. Waves are crashing, wind is hurtling, and rain is drenching you from all angles! In this episode I share insights into the piece, I answer the question ‘What is rhythm?’, and we continue to explore the different types of pieces played by orchestras.

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EPISODE 8: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

The piece ‘Of A Sad Evening’ by the composer Lili Boulanger is harrowing. Its desolate atmosphere conveys the tragedy of its composer’s life: she would die at 24, shortly after composing this piece. For a listener, it’s intense and powerful. In this episode I share insights into the piece, we continue to discover the different types of pieces orchestras play, and I answer the question ‘What is Orchestration?’.

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EPISODE 9: alone, searching…

The ‘Cello Concerto’ by Elgar is the most famous piece for solo cello accompanied by an orchestra. The beautiful, rich sound of the cello is captivating. But, we also sense loneliness: the cellist seems to be searching for something. In this episode I share insights into the piece and I answer the questions ‘What is a Concerto?’ and ‘What is Texture?’.

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EPISODE 10: achieving a symphony

‘Symphony no. 1’ by Brahms is a piece that’s a favourite amongst musicians, and it may even be the piece I love most. But, composing it was an immense challenge: it took Brahms perhaps twenty years to complete! In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss Symphonies, and I conclude my series of episodes on how music works by taking a look at Form.

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EPISODE 11: STAR WARS!

‘Star Wars’ by John Williams is some of the best music ever written. Even those who’ve never seen the films instantly recognise it. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss music from film, tv, and video games, and also I explore what it is that makes performances thrilling.

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EPISODE 12: creating a universe

‘Symphony no. 2’ by Gustav Mahler is a piece for an enormous orchestra with a choir, and it features one of the greatest endings in all music. Its sheer scale and intensity is astonishing: this music creates a universe. In this episode I share insights into the piece and I discuss how an orchestra’s conviction can create thrilling performances.

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EPISODE 13: DEATH DANCE

‘The Rite of Spring’ by Igor Stravinsky is the piece that jolted classical music into the Twentieth Century. It’s a ballet and its central theme is a human sacrifice. There’s bombastic outbursts, pounding rhythms, and a driving intensity. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss orchestral virtuosity, and we discover music from ballet.

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EPISODE 14: once upon a time…

‘The Moldau’ by Bedřich Smetana is a wonderfully picturesque piece describing a journey down one of Europe’s most magnificent rivers. And even better, it’s your imagination that brings this piece to life! In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss Symphonic Poems, and also I describe why a listener must have conviction in their responses to music.

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EPISODE 15: the games of a genius

‘Symphony no. 41’ by Mozart is a display of compositional prowess. Mozart’s playing games in the music: his brilliant musical mind composes in a way that entertains the audience, the musicians, and himself. In this episode I share insights into the piece, we take a close look at the violin, and I discuss the virtuosity of composers.

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EPISODE 16: A JOURNEY OF CONVICTION

‘Symphony no. 1’ by Johannes Brahms has one of the most magnificent endings in all music. The piece itself is a journey of conviction, and when you arrive at the finale you hear the composer’s sense of accomplishment. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss the role of the timpani within an orchestra, and we continue to discover what it is that makes performances thrilling.

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