Composer of the Week

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 117 No 27 Symphony for Strings and Continuo in G major, Wq 182 No 1 Fantasia for keyboard in C major, Wq 61 No 6 Trio Sonata in B minor, Wq 143 Keyboard Concerto in G major, Wq 3 Symphony in G major, Wq 173 (1st mvt) Trio Sonata in A Minor, Wq 148 Sonata in A minor, Wq 132 (1st mvt) Cello Concerto No 3 in A major, Wq 172 (2nd & 3rd mvts) Sonata in E minor, Wq 49 No 3 Magnificat in D, Wq 215 (1, Magnificat anima mea Dominum; 5, Fecit potentiam; 10. Sicut erat in principio) Keyboard Sonata in E flat major, Wq 52 No 1( 2nd & 3rd mvts) Sonata in C minor ‘Sanguineus and Melancholicus’ Wq 161 No 1 Phyllis and Thirsis, Wq 232 (excerpt) Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, Wq 182 No 2 (3rd mvt) 30 Geistliche Gesänge mit Melodien, Book 2, Wq 198: (Nos 2 & 8) Die Israeliten in der Wüste, Wq 238 (extract from Part 1) Symphony in B minor, Wq 182 No 5 Rondo in E Major, Wq 58 No 3 Rondo in F Major, Wq 57 No 5 Sonata in D Minor, Wq 57 No 4 (2nd mvt) Quartet in G Major, Wq 95 (3rd mvt) Heilig, Wq 217 Keyboard Sonatina in D Major, Wq 109 Freye Fantasie in F sharp minor, Wq 80

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor 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 CPE Bach (1714-1788) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001yr0r

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

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 debt left other unfortunate people in their wake, with Debussy unrepentant throughout. In the aftermath of these scandals, Debussy was disowned by his friends, and by most of Parisian society, but the notoriety he gained only seemed to heighten his appeal with audiences. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy and tries to reconcile his appalling behaviour with his transcendent music.

Suite Bergamasque (3rd mvt, Claire de Lune) La Mer (2nd mvt, Jeux de vagues) Ariettes Oubliee (No 5, Green) Images for Orchestra (No 2, Iberia) Mélodies de Jeunesse (No 3, Les Papillons) Recueil Vasnier, L 53 (Romance – Silence ineffable) Printemps (2nd mvt, Modere) Danse bohemienne Deux Arabesques Rodrigue et Chimene (excerpt) (arr. Smith & orch. Denisov) La damoiselle élue (Chorus: La damoiselle élue s’appuyait) Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune Proses Lyriques (No 3, De fleurs) Prelude – La Fille aux cheveux de lin 3 Chansons de Bilitis Fetes Galantes (Claire de Lune) Trois Nocturnes Images, L 110 (No 2, Hommage a Rameau) Estampes (No 2, La soiree dans Grenade) Pelléas et Mélisande, Act III (excerpt) Rhapsodie for saxophone and orchestra L’isle joyeuse Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane La Mer (3rd mvt. Dialogue of the Waves) Children’s Corner (Cakewalk) 5 Poemes de Charles Baudelaire (No 3, Le Jet d’eau) The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (Act V: Paradise) Jeux, L 126 Sonata for flute, viola and harp, L 137 (Finale) La chute de la maison Usher, L112 (excerpt) (completed and orchestrated by R Orledge) Syrinx

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips 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 Claude Debussy (1862-1918) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001ygtn

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

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 Featured:

Holberg Suite: I. Praeludium Symphonic Dances (3rd & 4th mvts) Piano Concerto No 1 (2nd & 3rd mvts) Peer Gynt Suite No 1 Lyric Pieces Book 1: IV Elves’ Dance Violin Sonata No 1 in F major (3rd mvt) In Autumn Funeral March for Richard Nordraak (arr for orch by Johan Halvorsen) Ballade Hjertets melodier: III Jeg Elsker Deg 6 Songs, Op 25 (No 2, En Svane & No 4, IV Med en Vanlilje) Violin Sonata No 2 (3rd mvt) Piano Concerto No 1 (1st mvt) 6 Songs Op 39 (No 4, Millom Rosor) 6 Songs Op 39 (No 5 Veng en ung Hustrus Bare) arr. for choir 6 Songs Op 48 (No 4, Zur Rozenheit & No 6, Ein Traum) Two Elegaic Melodies Springar after Kristian Lund Album Leaves, Op 28 (No 4) String Quartet Op 27 (3rd & 4th mvts) The Mountain Thrall 12 Melodies Op 33 (No 9) 19 Norwegian Folk Tunes Op 66 (excerpts) Norwegian Dances, Op 35 (Nos 3 & 4) Lyric Pieces Op 43 (No 3, In my homeland) Violin Sonata No 3 (1st mvt) Wedding Day at Troldhaugen Peer Gynt Suite No 2 Haugtussa (Nos 6-8) Stimmungen Op 73

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Megan Jones 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 Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001y2c0

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

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 behind the famous beard - through the music he wrote for himself and his friends to play.

Music Featured:

Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op 52a No 1 Ballade in G minor, Op 118 No 2 Sandmännchen WoO 31, No 4 (Children’s Folk Songs) Scherzo in E flat minor, Op 4 An die Nachtigall, Op 46 No 4 Vier Gesänge für Frauenchor, Op 17 Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor Op 25 (3rd mvt – Andante) Einförmig ist der Liebe Gram, Op 113 No 13 Sonata in C major (4th mvt) FAE Sonata (3rd mvt – Scherzo) Piano Trio, Op 8 (3rd mvt – Adagio) Geistliches Lied, Op 30 Intermezzo, Op 117 No 2 Sextet No 2 (1st mvt – Allegro non troppo) Waltz in A flat Six Quartets, Op 112 (No 1, Sehnsucht) Piano Quartet No 2 in A major (3rd mvt – Scherzo) Ein Deutsches Requiem: Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen; Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit Geistliches Wiegenlied Piano Concerto No 2 (3rd mvt - Andante) Wiegenlied, Op 49 No 4 Romance in F major, Op 118 No 5 String Quintet in F (1st movement) Wie Melodien zieht es mir; Immer leiser wird mein Schlummer Violin Sonata in A major (1st mvt) Clarinet Quintet (1st movement) Liebeslieder Waltzes, Op 52: Ein kleiner hübscher Vogel Hungarian Dance in D major, WoO1 No 18 Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk, Op 109 No 3 Denn es gehet dem Mennschen (Serious Songs, Op 121 No 1) Intermezzo in E flat major, Op 117 No 1 Intermezzo in B minor, Op 119 No 1 Piano Trio No 1 (1st mvt – Allegro con brio) Double Concerto for violin and cello (2nd mvt – Adagio) Intermezzo in A major, Op 118 No 2

Presented by Kate Molleson 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 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xvy4

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

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 adults. By the time they returned home, three and a half years later, he’d grown into a fully-fledged composer of sonatas, symphonies and arias. This week, Donald Macleod accompanies the Mozart family on their musical marathon and invites us to follow their many scrapes and adventures.

Music Featured:

Allegro in F major, K 1c Exsultate, jubilate, K 165, 1. Exsultate, jubilate Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Viola and Cello in F Major, K 370 Misericordias Domini in D Minor, K 222 Violin Concerto No 4 in D major, K 218 Symphony in C, K 208/102, (1st mvt) Allegro in C Major, K 6 Piano Concerto No 17 in G major, K 453 (2nd mvt) Mass in C, K 317 'Coronation Mass' (Credo & Agnus Dei) Violin Sonata No 1 in C Major, K 6 Sonata No 14, K 29 (1st mvt) Divertimento in F, K 138 Va, dal furor portata, K 21 Symphony No 1 in E flat major, K 16 Flute Sonata in C major, K 14 Violin Sonata No 8 in F major, K 13 (1st mvt) String Quartet No. 3 in G major, K 156 (2nd mvt) Sonata for Piano duet in C major, K 521 (2nd & 3rd mvts) Symphony No 4 in D major, K 19 Mass in C minor, K 427 'Great': (VI Qui tollis; VII Quoniam; VIII Jesu Christe) Symphony No 7a in G, K Anh 221 (K45a) 'Alte Lambacher': (3rd mvt) Gallimathias musicum K 32 (excerpts) Piano Sonata No 16 in C, K 545 Violin Sonata in C, K 28 Symphony No 5 in B flat, K 22 Clarinet Concerto in A, K 622 (2nd & 3rd mvts)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor 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 Mozart's Grand Tour https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xmlr

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

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Charles Villiers Stanford. With Jeremy Dibble

Marking the centenary of his death, Composer of the Week explores the remarkable life and music of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford. Stanford was one of the leading musicians of his generation and, along with Parry and Mackenzie, he was one of the main protagonists in Britain’s musical renaissance at the end of the 19th century. Born in Dublin, Stanford rose to the very top of the British music scene, as both a conductor and composer. He also maintained strong links to Germany, following his studies in Leipzig and Berlin. Stanford’s works were popular in Europe, as well as Britain, with conductors such as Hans Richter promoting his music. Today, Stanford is largely remembered for his sacred works, however his prolific output covers most genres and he had a particular passion for opera. He was an influential teacher at the Royal College of Music and Cambridge University; many future musical luminaries passed through his classes, including Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Rebecca Clarke and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Stanford was a tremendous force for good in British music, and in honour of his contribution to British culture, his ashes are interred in Westminster Abbey close to the remains of Henry Purcell. This week, Donald Macleod is joined by Stanford biographer, Jeremy Dibble to explore Stanford life and music.

Music Featured:

The Bluebird, Op 119 No 3 (excerpt) Three Intermezzi, Op 13 No 1 (Allegretto scherzando) The Resurrection, Op 5 Symphony No 1 (Scherzo) The Veiled Prophet (Act 2 Love Duet) Service in B flat major, Op 10 (Magnificat) Symphony No 2 ‘Elegiac’ (Lento espressivo) To the Rose, Op 19 No 3 Piano Trio No 1, Op 35 (Allegretto con moto) Elegiac Ode, Op 21 (The night, in silence, under many a star) The Lord is my Shepherd Symphony No 3, Op 28 “Irish” (Allegro molto Vivace) Piano Quintet in D minor, Op 25 (Allegro risoluto) A Child’s Garland of Songs, Op 30 No 9 (My ship and me) The Clown’s Song from Twelfth Night’, Op 65 No 3 Six Irish Fantasies, Op 54 No 3 (Jig) Symphony No 5, Op 56 ‘L’Allegro ed il Pensieroso’ (Andante molto tranquillo) Shamus O’Brien, Op 61 (Act 2 Captain Trevor’s Song) Requiem, Op 63 (Agnus Dei et Lux aeterna) Te Deum, Op 66 (Judex crederis) Ten Dances, Old and New, Op 58 No 1 (Valse) Songs of the Sea, Op 91 No 3 (Devon, O Devon, in wind and rain) Magnificat in G, Op 81 String Quartet No 4 in G minor, Op 99 (Allegro molto vivace) Stabat Mater, Op 96 (Virgo virginum praeclara) String Quintet No 2 in C minor, Op 86 (Andante) A Song of Hope, Op 113 No 3 Six Songs from ‘The Glens of Antrim’, Op 174 No 2 (The sailor man) String Quartet No 7 in C minor, Op 166 (Allegro molto) Irish Rhapsody No 4, Op 141 (The Fisherman of Loch Neagh and What he Saw) An Irish Idyll in Six Miniatures, Op 77 No 2 (The Fairy Lough) Mass Via Victrix, Op 173 (Agnus Dei) How beauteous are their feet

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock 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 Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xdr0

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

Donald Macleod explores the lives and music of uncle and nephew Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli

Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli share a name that dominated Venetian music during the late 16th and early 17th century. Both uncle and nephew were organists and composers, and their music was linked inextricably with the exceptional city in which they lived and worked. From the organ loft of St Mark’s Basilica to the resplendent palazzos of merchants and noblemen, they provided the soundtrack to Venice’s golden age, with its numerous feast days and celebrations. But together, they would also pioneer an ambitious way of writing choral music - playing with texture and architecture– that would eventually echo beyond the Venetian waterways and profoundly affect the music of the future.

Music Featured:

Andrea Gabrieli: Benedictus dominus Deus sabbaoth Andrea Gabrieli: Fantasia allegra del duodecima toni Andrea Gabrieli: Hor chel nel suo ben seno; Vaghi augelletti; Angel del terzo ciel; O suave a mio cor Andrea Gabrieli: Aria della battaglia Andrea Gabrieli: Laudate dominum omnes gentes a 5; Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius a 10; Giovanni Gabrieli: O magnum mysterium Andrea Gabrieli: Ricercar del settimo tuono Giovanni Gabrieli: Deus qui beatum Marcum Andrea Gabrieli: Sancta et immaculata; Laetare Jerusalem Andrea Gabrieli: Maria Magdalenae et altera Maria; Maria stabat ad monumentum Andrea Gabrieli: Kyrie a 5; Christe a 8; Kyrie a 12; Gloria a 16 Giovanni Gabrieli: Exaudi me domine a 16 Giovanni Gabrieli: Hic est filius Dei (arr. Timothy Higgins) a 18 Giovanni Gabrieli: Hodie Christus natus est Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata pian e forte Giovanni Gabrieli: Udite, chiari e generosi figli Andrea Gabrieli: Psalmi Davidici, Psalmo 31:Beati quórum remissae; Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci; Tu es refugium meum a tribulatione; In camo et fraeno Giovanni Gabrieli: Audite príncipes Giovanni Gabrieli: Litaniae Beatae Mariae Virginis Andrea Gabrieli: O salutaris hostia Giovanni Gabrieli: Cantate Domino a 8 Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata con tre violini - XXI Giovanni Gabrieli: Timor et tremor Giovanni Gabrieli: Jubilate Deo Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata a 22; Magnificat a 33 Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata octavi toni a 12; Omnes gentes Giovanni Gabrieli: Sacri di Giove augei, sacre Fenici Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon XXVIII a 8 “Sol sol la fa mi” Giovanni Gabrieli:Buccinate in neomenio tuba Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon per sonar primi toni a 10; Canzon a 4 “La Spiritata”; Canzon 3 a 6 Giovanni Gabrieli: Maria virgo a 10; Canzon in echo duodecimo toni; Hic est filius Dei Giovanni Gabrieli: Quem vidistis pastores Giovanni Gabrieli: In eclesiis

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 Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x3y2

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

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone is cited as one of the most experimental and influential composers of all time, undoubtedly recognised as one of the world’s greatest ever composers of music for film. A legendary figure who over the course of his career won numerous awards, and accolades, his innovative soundworlds helped to define what film music could be for multiple genres of cinema. Morricone’s music extended far beyond the desert landscapes of Spaghetti Westerns, not just to other genres on the Silver Screen, but also into the worlds of pop music, and into the concert hall – where his study and composition of avant garde music gave him the techniques to experiment within his scores for film as well. Over the course of this week, following on the heels of the 2024 Academy Awards, Donald Macleod explores the incredible career of Ennio Morricone, a composer who quite astoundingly wrote over 500 scores for film and television, as well as over 100 classical works.

Music Featured:

Invenzione The Ecstasy of Gold from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Party Prohibito from I malamondo Musica per undici violini Eduardo di Capua and Alfredo Mazzucchi: O sole mio (arr. Morricone) Edoardo Nicolardi and Ernesto de Curtis: Voce e’notte (arr. Morricone) Concerto for Orchestra Scambio di prigionieri from A Fistful of Dollars The Man with the Harmonica from Once Upon a Time in the West Woody Guthrie: Pastures of Plenty (arr. Enrico Morricone) The Trio (extended version) from The Good the Bad and the Ugly Titles & A Fistful of Dollars (version 2) from A Fistful of Dollars Sixty Seconds to What? & Main Theme from For a Few Dollars More Requiem per un destino (Excerpt) Main Title from The Good the Bad and the Ugly Opening credits from Uccellacci e uccellini Addio a Pier Paolo Passolini Ostia from Pasolini, un delitto Italiano Birth of a City & Finale from Once Upon a Time in the West Suoni per Dino Delirio Secondo from Un Tranquillo Posto Di Campagna La Lucertola from Una Lucertola con la Pelle Di Donna Silenzio nel caos from The Bird with the Crystal Plumage Four Flies on Velvet (take 6) from Four Flies on Grey Velvet Deborah's Theme from Once Upon a Time in America Cockeye’s Song & Once upon a time in America – theme from Sergio Leone Suite Theme from Rampage La classe operaia va in paradiso from The Working Class Goes to Heaven or Lulu the Tool Fire from Days of Heaven Humanity (Part 2) from The Thing Four studies (Nos 1 & 2) Bugsy Cinema Paradiso Miserere & Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission Theme from The Untouchables Voci dal silenzio (Excerpt) Theme from Il Mercenario Volti e fantasmi from La Migliore Offerta ’Ultima Diligenza di Red Rock from the Hateful Eight On Earth as it is in Heaven from The Mission

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips 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 Ennio Morricone (1928-2020) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wyr0

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

Kate Molleson & Nastasha Loges explore the life and music of Johanna Senfter.

If you know the name Johanna Senfter, it is probably in connection with her teacher, the composer, Max Reger. Senfter won the Arthur Nikisch prize for composition in 1910, and went on to be one of the most prolific of all late-Romantic female composers, writing at least 150 works, yet she has all but disappeared from our history books. In between the two World Wars she was very active within the world of music too, founding the Oppenheim Music Society, organizing her own concert series and founding the Oppenheim Bach Society. However, her personal life is shrouded in mystery with little information published about either her biography, or her music, and there are substantial gaps in her story when we know nothing about Senfter. Unsurprisingly then, there are also questions hanging over certain elements of her personal life, and her political allegiances. Over the course of this week, Kate Molleson is joined by Professor Natasha Loges to explore the life of Johanna Senfter. They also examine the tumultuous world of early 20th Century Germany in which Senfter was working, and speculate on the reasons for her anonymity today.

Music Featured:

Suite for two violins No 2 (Menuet) Symphony No 4 (2nd mvt) Drei Klavierstucke, op 77 Violin Sonata in G minor, Op 32 (4th mvt) Trio for clarinet, horn and piano (3rd mvt) Vogelweise Clarinet Quintet (2nd mvt) Symphony No 4 (3rd mvt) Viola Sonata No 1 in F minor, Op 41 (3rd mvt) Chorale Preludes, Op 70 (Nos 4, 2 & 9) Sonata for cello in A Major, Op 10 (4th mvt) Suite for two violins No 91 No 2 (1st mvt) 5 pieces for viola and piano, Op 76 (No 5) Piano Concerto in G minor, Op 90 (3rd mvt) 6 Little Pieces for violin and piano, Op 13 (No 3 Elegie) Sonata for cello and piano in E flat major, Op 79 (2nd mvt) Clarinet Sonata (3rd mvt) Drei Klavierstucke Op 83, No 1 Sonata for violin and piano in A major, Op 26 (4th mvt) Concerto in C minor for two violins and orchestra, Op 40 5 pieces for viola and piano, Op 76 (Weihnachten. In ruhiger Bewegung) Piano Concerto in G minor, Op 90 (1st mvt) Suite for two violins No 1 (Courante) Piano Concerto in G minor, Op 90 (2nd mvt) Symphony 4 (1st mvt) Quintet for clarinet and string quartet in B, Op 11 (3rd mvt) 6 Little Pieces, for violin and piano (No 1, Melodie) Mazurka: Allegretto

Presented by Kate Molleson Produced by Sam Phillips 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 Johanna Senfter (1879-1961) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wqp7

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

Donald Macleod delves into the world of Venetian composer, Maddalena Sirmen

Maddalena Sirmen was born in Venice in 1745 and christened Maddalena Laura Lombardini. Her poverty-stricken family were unable to support her and by the age of seven she was admitted to one of Venice’s ‘Ospedali’. The Ospedali were hospitals and orphanages set up to help the needy but also celebrated for the musical education they provided to their residents . Sirmen soon excelled in her training. By the age of fourteen she was accepted for additional music lessons in Padua with the famed violinist, Tartini, and became one of his favourite students. In 1767 she married fellow composer, Lodovico Sirmen, and was able to leave the Ospedale, at last. There followed many successful years of travelling and performing as a virtuoso violinist, often presenting her own works. Sirmen’s music was published in many leading European cities, and Leopold Mozart said of one of her works, that it was “beautifully written”. When visiting London for a third time, Sirmen decided to present herself as a singer, rather than a violinist. This proved to be a mistake and she was greatly criticised in the press. From this point onwards her reputation diminished despite further concerts, as a violinist, in Paris, Dresden and St Petersburg. Sirmen eventually settled back in Venice, where she died in 1818.

Music Featured:

Violin Concerto No 3 in A major, Op 3 No 3 (excerpt) Trio Sonata No 5 in G, Op 1 No 5 (Allegro Moderato) Ferdinando Bertoni: Veni Creator (excerpt) Trio Sonata No 5 in G, Op 1 No 5 (Rondo Allegro) Ferdinando Bertoni: Orfeo (excerpt) String Quartet No 5 in F major Violin Concerto No 3 in A major, Op 3 No 3 Giuseppe Tartini: Violin Sonata in G minor, “Devils Trill” (excerpt) String Quartet No 1 in E flat major (Andante) String Quartet No 1 in E flat major (Allegretto) Giuseppe Tartini: Stabat Mater Violin Concerto No 2 in E major, Op 3 No 2 String Quartet No 4 in B flat major String Quartet No 2 in E flat major (excerpt) Duet in C major, Op 4 No 6 Ludovico Sirmen: Sonata in A major (Moderato) Violin Concerto No 5 in B flat major, Op 3 No 5 Ludovico Sirmen: Sonata in A major (Lento) String Quartet No 2 in E flat major Violin Concerto No 1 in B flat major, Op 3 No 1 (Allegro) J. C. Bach: Gioas, re di Giuda (Fe giuriamo) Maddalena Sirmen: Violin Concerto No 1 in B flat major, Op 3 No 1 (excerpt) J. C. Bach: Sonata in G, Op 10 No 3, W. B4 (Rondeaux) String Quartet No 3 in G minor Violin Concerto No 6 in C major, Op 3 No 6 Violin Concerto No 4 in C major, Op 3 No 4 (excerpt) String Quartet No 6 in E major (Andantino) Thomas Linley Junior: The Song of Moses (Chorus: Praise be to God, and God alone) String Quartet No 6 in E major (Con brio) Ludovico Sirmen: Sonata in A major (Adagio cantabile) Violin Concerto No 4 in C major, Op 3 No 4 String Quartet No 5 in F minor

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock 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 Maddalena Sirmen and her World https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001w8gx

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