Great music to mark the US Presidential hand-over! Raucous fun alongside the deep and meaningful, Three Places in New England is challenging, confusing, complex, silly and surprising music that leaves me baffled but smiling and moved too! A hundred years old but way ahead of its time from one of America’s first great composers, Charles Ives. Listening time 28mins.… Listen
If you’ve got any new year sluggishness, sweep all that away with a blast of Respighi’s Roman Festivals – four vivid musical pictures featuring love songs and folk dances, wine, religion and state-sponsored violence (lions eating Christians)! Listening time c32 mins [8′ podcast, 24′ music]… Listen
In the dramatic final part of our drug-fuelled adventure with composer Hector Berlioz, the dreams turn to nightmare visions of murder, execution, witches and demons. It’s loud, exciting, brilliant, a bit crazy and I love it. Listening time: 21 mins … Listen
Composer Hector Berlioz’s love-struck young artist – in his drug induced dreams – escapes to the country. In the peaceful atmosphere he dreams of love and happiness – but can it last? Listening time: 22 mins… Listen
This is a rarity on two counts – it’s a really good French symphony from the 1800s, and it’s written by a woman! The brilliant, Symphony No.3 by Louise Farrenc. 43 mins… Listen
It’s great to be able to escape from life’s concerns. Dvorak’s sixth symphony is full of good tunes, and a spirit of generosity and optimism. So forget about everything else for a bit and bask in Dvorak’s warmth and positivity. 35, 24 or 57 mins listen!… Listen
Sibelius takes us on an all-encompassing journey from the musical spring to the wide open ocean: it’s organic, generous, inevitable and uplifting. Total listen: 35 mins… Listen
George Gershwin spent two hectic weeks on holiday in Cuba and returned with a case full of percussion instruments, latin spirit and musical inspiration. Total listening time c14 mins… Listen
