Tribute To Edward Downes, A [Afternoon Concert]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

20091130

Presented by Penny Gore.

Series celebrating the BBC work of the late Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. With a range of Downes's favourite repertoire, including his last studio recording with the orchestra - Bruckner's Sixth Symphony.

Rimsky-Korsakov: Overture (May Night)

Respighi: Pines of Rome

Edward Downes (conductor)

2.35pm

Verdi: Orchestral music from the operas

Korngold: Abschiedslieder, Op 14

Linda Finnie (contralto)

3.00pm

Elgar: Enigma Variations

Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite (The Tale of Tsar Saltan)

3.50pm

Bruckner: Symphony No 6 in A

Edward Downes (conductor).

The late Edward Downes conducting Rimsky-Korsakov, Respighi, Verdi, Korngold and Bruckner.

20091201

Presented by Penny Gore.

Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Downes conducts his beloved Russian repertoire, including one of his most famous performances - Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony, the culmination of his 80th birthday concert in 2004.

Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini

Edward Downes (conductor)

2.25pm

Prokofiev: Cantata (Alexander Nevsky)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite (The Invisible City of Kitezh)

3.30pm

Shostakovich: Symphony No 7 (Leningrad)

Edward Downes (conductor).

The late Edward Downes conducting Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich.

20091202

Presented by Penny Gore.

Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Featuring opera by Verdi and Wagner, with scenes from a historic Royal Opera performance of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, starring Jon Vickers and Ettore Bastianini, as well as John Tomlinson and Anne Evans in Wagner's Die Walkure.

Wagner: Overture (Tannhauser)

Edward Downes (conductor)

2.15pm

Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (excerpt)

Cast includes:

Gustavo III - Jon Vickers (tenor)

Renato - Ettore Bastianini (bass)

Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra

(Live recording at Covent Garden, 1962)

Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walkure)

2.40pm

Verdi: Ballet music (Don Carlos, Act 3)

3.00pm

Wagner: Final scene (Die Walkure)

Brunnhilde - Anne Evans (soprano)

Wotan - John Tomlinson (bass)

Edward Downes (conductor).

The late conductor Edward Downes and the BBC Philharmonic in Verdi and Wagner opera music.

Handel: Imeneo

20091203

Handel Operas 2009

Presented by Penny Gore.

The Handel Opera Cycle reaches Handel's penultimate Italian opera - Imeneo - which he called an 'operetta', most likely because it is a short work and probably the shortest opera he ever wrote. The story centres on Tirinto, who loves Rosmene, and the hero Imeneo who has saved her life and also is in love with her. Who will win her in the end?

Tirinto - Ann Hallenberg (mezzo-soprano)

Rosmene - Johanna Stojkovic (soprano)

Imeneo - Kay Stiefermann (bass)

Clomiri - Siri Karoline Thornhill (soprano)

Argenio - Locky Chung (bass)

Cologne Vocal Ensemble

Capella Augustina

Andreas Spering (conductor)

4.10pm

A Tribute to Edward Downes

Continuing a celebration of the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes with a Danish rarity - a symphony written in 1919-20 inspired by the old Indian symbol of the wheel of life, the swastika, before it was stolen by the Nazis.

Louis Glass: Symphony No 5 (Svastica)

BBC Philharmonic

Edward Downes (conductor).

Handel Operas 2009: Imeneo. Plus Louis Glass's Symphony No 5 conducted by Edward Downes.

20091204

Presented by Penny Gore.

Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Featuring more of Downes's favourite repertoire - British blockbusters, including three symphonies. Alongside Elgar and Peter Maxwell Davies is the composer whose music Downes almost singlehandedly put on the map - George Lloyd.

George Lloyd: Symphony No 6

BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra

Edward Downes (conductor)

2.25pm

Elgar: Serenade for Strings

2.35pm

Peter Maxwell Davies: Symphony No 3

4.00pm

Elgar: Symphony No 2

Edward Downes (conductor).

The late conductor Edward Downes in music by George Lloyd, Elgar and Maxwell Davies.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01		20091130	Presented by Penny Gore. Series celebrating the BBC work of the late Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. With a range of Downes's favourite repertoire, including his last studio recording with the orchestra - Bruckner's Sixth Symphony. Rimsky-Korsakov: Overture (May Night) Respighi: Pines of Rome Edward Downes (conductor) 2.35pm Verdi: Orchestral music from the operas Korngold: Abschiedslieder, Op 14 Linda Finnie (contralto) 3.00pm Elgar: Enigma Variations Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite (The Tale of Tsar Saltan) 3.50pm Bruckner: Symphony No 6 in A Edward Downes (conductor). The late Edward Downes conducting Rimsky-Korsakov, Respighi, Verdi, Korngold and Bruckner.
02		20091201	Presented by Penny Gore. Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Downes conducts his beloved Russian repertoire, including one of his most famous performances - Shostakovich's Leningrad Symphony, the culmination of his 80th birthday concert in 2004. Tchaikovsky: Francesca da Rimini Edward Downes (conductor) 2.25pm Prokofiev: Cantata (Alexander Nevsky) Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite (The Invisible City of Kitezh) 3.30pm Shostakovich: Symphony No 7 (Leningrad) Edward Downes (conductor). The late Edward Downes conducting Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shostakovich.
03		20091202	Presented by Penny Gore. Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Featuring opera by Verdi and Wagner, with scenes from a historic Royal Opera performance of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, starring Jon Vickers and Ettore Bastianini, as well as John Tomlinson and Anne Evans in Wagner's Die Walkure. Wagner: Overture (Tannhauser) Edward Downes (conductor) 2.15pm Verdi: Un ballo in maschera (excerpt) Cast includes: Gustavo III - Jon Vickers (tenor) Renato - Ettore Bastianini (bass) Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra (Live recording at Covent Garden, 1962) Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walkure) 2.40pm Verdi: Ballet music (Don Carlos, Act 3) 3.00pm Wagner: Final scene (Die Walkure) Brunnhilde - Anne Evans (soprano) Wotan - John Tomlinson (bass) Edward Downes (conductor). The late conductor Edward Downes and the BBC Philharmonic in Verdi and Wagner opera music.
04	Handel: Imeneo	20091203	Handel Operas 2009 Presented by Penny Gore. The Handel Opera Cycle reaches Handel's penultimate Italian opera - Imeneo - which he called an 'operetta', most likely because it is a short work and probably the shortest opera he ever wrote. The story centres on Tirinto, who loves Rosmene, and the hero Imeneo who has saved her life and also is in love with her. Who will win her in the end? Tirinto - Ann Hallenberg (mezzo-soprano) Rosmene - Johanna Stojkovic (soprano) Imeneo - Kay Stiefermann (bass) Clomiri - Siri Karoline Thornhill (soprano) Argenio - Locky Chung (bass) Cologne Vocal Ensemble Capella Augustina Andreas Spering (conductor) 4.10pm A Tribute to Edward Downes Continuing a celebration of the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes with a Danish rarity - a symphony written in 1919-20 inspired by the old Indian symbol of the wheel of life, the swastika, before it was stolen by the Nazis. Louis Glass: Symphony No 5 (Svastica) BBC Philharmonic Edward Downes (conductor). Handel Operas 2009: Imeneo. Plus Louis Glass's Symphony No 5 conducted by Edward Downes.
05		20091204	Presented by Penny Gore. Series celebrating the BBC work of the late conductor Edward Downes, focusing especially on the BBC Philharmonic, where he was principal conductor from 1980 to 1991 and thereafter conductor emeritus. Featuring more of Downes's favourite repertoire - British blockbusters, including three symphonies. Alongside Elgar and Peter Maxwell Davies is the composer whose music Downes almost singlehandedly put on the map - George Lloyd. George Lloyd: Symphony No 6 BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra Edward Downes (conductor) 2.25pm Elgar: Serenade for Strings 2.35pm Peter Maxwell Davies: Symphony No 3 4.00pm Elgar: Symphony No 2 Edward Downes (conductor). The late conductor Edward Downes in music by George Lloyd, Elgar and Maxwell Davies.