Main content

What's on the programme?

Tom Service explores the art of concert programming.

Who decides what goes into a classical music concert? What music will there be? What constraints are there on what can be played? And how have ideas about concerts changed over the years, from Beethoven's four-hour marathons to today's immersive experiences?

With Tom Service and the violinist, composer and music director Rakhi Singh.

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Sun 9 Jul 2023 17:00

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no. 5 in C minor, 3rd & 4th movements Op.67

    Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Performer: Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
    • HYPERION.
    • CDS 443015.
  • Lalo Schifrin

    Mission Impossible

    Performer: Ensemble Triptikh.
    • Ad Vitam Records.
    • AV200615D.
  • Paul Clark

    Interlude

    Performer: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.
    • HVALREKI19.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no. 29 in A major K.201: 1st mvt; Allegro moderato

    Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Performer: Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
    • LINN.
    • CKD350.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Saul, Act 3: Dead March

    Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Performer: English Baroque Soloists.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 426-265-2.
  • Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka

    Ruslan i Lyudmila - Overture

    Conductor: Esa鈥怭ekka Salonen. Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Philips.
    • 412552-2.
  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Concerto in E minor Op.64 for violin and orchestra

    Conductor: Paavo J盲rvi. Performer: Christian Tetzlaff. Performer: Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • Ondine.
    • ODE1195-2.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony no. 3 in F major Op.90

    Conductor: Claudio Abbado. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 4356832.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no. 5 in C minor Op.67

    Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth. Performer: Les Si猫cles.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • 902423DI.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no. 6 in F major Op.68 (Pastoral)

    Conductor: Sir Roger Norrington. Performer: London Classical Players.
    • VIRGIN.
    • 5624892.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Fantasia in C minor Op.80 for piano, chorus and orchestra

    Conductor: Pablo Heras鈥怌asado. Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Performer: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Performer: Z眉rcher Sing-Akademie.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • 90243132DI.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto no. 4 in G major Op.58 for piano and orchestra

    Conductor: Pablo Heras鈥怌asado. Performer: Kristian Bezuidenhout. Performer: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMM902413.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Ah! perfido - scena and aria Op.65 for soprano and orchestra

    Performer: Camilla Tilling. Performer: Paul McCreesh. Performer: Gabrieli Consort.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 4779176.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Mass in C Major, Op. 86: II. Gloria

    Conductor: Mariss Jansons. Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Choir. Performer: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    • BR KLASSIK.
    • 900170.
  • Paul Clark

    Interlude

    Performer: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.
    • HVALREKI19.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    First Day of Summer

    Performer: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.
    • HVALREKI19.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    First Day of Summer

    Performer: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.
    • HVALREKI19.
  • Gyorgy Ligeti

    M茅tamorphoses Nocturnes: First Vignette

    Performer: Manchester Collective.
    • Bedroom Community.
    • HVALREKI19.
  • Franz Liszt

    (Gounod) Waltz from 'Faust' S.407, transc. for piano

    Performer: Jean鈥怸ves Thibaudet.
    • DAL SEGNO.
    • DSPRCD061.
  • Johann Strauss

    Br眉nner National-Garde-Marsch, Op.231

    Conductor: Werner Hackl. Performer: Bl盲serensemble Des Nieder枚sterreichischen.
    • DIVERTIMENTO.
    • LC7397.
  • Richard Wagner

    Tristan und Isolde - opera in 3 acts

    Performer: Uri Caine Ensemble.
    • WINTER AND WINTER.
    • 9100132.
  • Henry Wood

    Fantasia on British sea songs

    Conductor: Barry Wordsworth. Performer: 主播大秀 Concert Orchestra.
    • Philips.
    • 4541722.
  • Frank Martin

    Polyptique for violin and 2 string orchestras

    Performer: Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Performer: Camerata Bern.
    • ALPHA.
    • ALPHA545.

Broadcast

  • Sun 9 Jul 2023 17:00

Why do we call it 'classical' music?

Tom Service poses a very simple question (with a not-so-simple answer).

Six of the world's most extreme voices

From babies to Mongolian throat singers: whose voice is the most extreme of all?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How Schoenberg opened a new cosmos for composers and listeners to explore.

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Bass is everywhere, but why do we enjoy it? Join Tom Service on a journey of discovery.

Watch the animations

Join Tom Service on a musical journey through beginnings, repetition and bass lines.

When does noise become music?

We like to think we can separate 鈥渘oise鈥 from 鈥渕usic鈥, but is it that simple?

Podcast