Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20081006 | The focus on Messiaen's music in the context of significant themes in French music history continues with an examination of one of France's most important contributions to Western classical music - Impressionism. Presented by Penny Gore. Debussy: Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune BBC Philharmonic Alexander Shelley (conductor) Milhaud: Suite Provencale Juanjo Mena (conductor) Debussy: Images Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice Gianandrea Noseda (conductor) Messiaen: Turangalila-symphonie Cynthia Miller (ondes martenot) Cedric Tiberghien (piano) Sydney Symphony Simone Young (conductor). A focus on impressionism, with music by Debussy, Milhaud, Dukas and Messiaen. |
| 02 | 20081007 | Presented by Penny Gore. Afternoon on 3 continues its occasional series celebrating 100 years since the birth of Messiaen, which focuses on his music in the context of significant themes in French music history and this week examines one of France's most important contributions to Western classical music - Impressionism. Messiaen relished the notion of painting pictures in music and, in particular, had a fasincation for portraying bird song and nature, continuing a tradition that goes back to Renaissance times and the French chansons. Caplet: Inscriptions champetres Poulenc: Laudes de Saint Antoine de Padoue BBC Singers James Morgan (conductor) Poulenc: Sinfonietta Ulster Orchestra Howard Shelley (conductor) Faure, orch. Rabaud: Dolly Suite Schmitt: Par le tempete, Op 40 No 2 Messiaen: Visions de l'amen for two pianos GrauSchumacher Piano Duo Schmitt: A Contre-Voix Six choruses for mixed voices, Op 104 Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht (arr. for string orchestra) Tuomas Ollila (conductor). Penny Gore presents music by Caplet, Poulenc, Faure, Schmitt, Messiaen and Schoenberg. |
| 03 | 20081008 | Presented by Penny Gore. Afternoon on 3 continues its occasional series celebrating 100 years since the birth of Messiaen, which focuses on his music in the context of significant themes in French music history and this week examines one of France's most important contributions to Western classical music - Impressionism. The focus in this programme is early French vocal music and a work written towards the end of Messiaen's life that portrays a vision of life after death includes his beloved birdsong imagery. Messiaen: Eclairs sur l'Au-Dela for orchestra BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Ilan Volkov (conductor) Highlights from a concert by the Clement Janequin Ensemble directed by Dominique Visse given in Boston in 2007, including music by Clement Janequin who died 450 years ago. With Penny Gore. Featuring early French vocal music and a late Messiaen work. |
| 04 | 20081009 | Presented by Penny Gore. Afternoon on 3 continues its occasional series celebrating 100 years since the birth of Messiaen, which focuses on his music in the context of significant themes in French music history and this week examines one of France's most important contributions to Western classical music - Impressionism. The selection of music moves outside France, with the first part of a two-part performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. Nature, mysticism, birdsong and impressionism feature in this recording from Cagliari in Sardinia. Rimsky-Korsakov: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, Acts 1 and 2 Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich, ruler of Kitezh - Vsevolodovic Kazakov (bass) Princeling Vsevolod Yuryevich, his son - Vitaly Panfilov (tenor) Frevoniya - Tatiana Monogarova (soprano) Grishka Kuterma - Mikhail Gubsky (tenor) Fyodor Poyarok - Gevorg Hakobyan (baritone) Teatro Lirico Chorus and Orchestra Alexander Vedernikov (conductor) Rameau: Les Indes galantes BBC National Orchestra of Wales Francois-Xavier Roth (conductor) Daniel-Lesur: 2 Chansons de bord BBC Singers James Morgan (conductor) Janequin: Reveillez vous, cueurs endormis (Le chant des oiseaux) Stephen Cleobury (conductor) Cowie: Lyre-bird motet for a capella choir Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto No 3 in B minor, Op 61 Philippe Graffin (violin) Thierry Fischer (conductor) Ravel: Ma mere l'oye - ballet Thierry Fischer (conductor). Presented by Penny Gore. Including music by Rameau, Saint-Saens, Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov |
| 05 | 20081010 | Presented by Penny Gore. Afternoon on 3's occasional series celebrating 100 years since the birth of Messiaen and examining Impressionism concludes with the second part of a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. Rimsky-Korsakov, like Messiaen, enjoyed experimenting with scales and the opera has often been described as the Russian Parsifal, with its religious mysticism and forest music reminiscent of Wagner's Siegfried. Rimsky-Korsakov: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh, Acts 3 and 4 Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich, ruler of Kitezh - Vsevolodovic Kazakov (bass) Princeling Vsevolod Yuryevich, his son - Vitaly Panfilov (tenor) Frevoniya - Tatiana Monogarova (soprano) Grishka Kuterma - Mikhail Gubsky (tenor) Fyodor Poyarok - Gevorg Hakobyan (baritone) Teatro Lirico Chorus and Orchestra Alexander Vedernikov (conductor) Messiaen: Le merle noir for flute and piano Timothy Hutchins (flute) Janet Creaser Hutchins (piano) Debussy: Syrinx for flute solo Denis Bluteau (flute) Ravel: Une barque sur l'ocean BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Ilan Volkov (conductor) More highlights from a concert by the Clement Janequin Ensemble directed by Dominique Visse given in Boston in 2007, including music by Clement Janequin who died 450 years ago. Stravinsky: Firebird Suite Michal Dworzynski (conductor). Featuring the second part of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh. |