In 1791 a masked figure knocked at Mozart’s door. He wanted to commission a piece from the great composer – a mass for the dead. There was one condition, Mozart could never know who his client was. Mozart agreed and started work on the piece. But he soon became ill – had he been poisoned? Mozart began to fear he was writing the music for his own funeral. He died before he could finish the piece. Who was the mysterious stranger? And what’s the real story behind Mozart’s Requiem?

 

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones). Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes

The recordings featured in this episode are:

Mozart: Requiem

Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Marie-Claude Chappuis (mezzo), Maximilian Schmitt (tenor), Johannes Weisser (baritone); Freiburger Barockorchester, RIAS Kammerchor/René Jacobs

 

Mozart: The Queen of the Night's aria from The Magic Flute

Sabine Devieilhe, Pygmalion/Raphaël Pichon

 

Franz Anton Hoffmeister: Symphony in G major 'La festa de la Pace 1791' II. Poco Adagio

London Mozart Players/Matthias Bamert

 

Mozart: Piano Concerto No.25, III. Allegretto 

Piotr Anderszewski, Chamber Orchestra of Europe

 

Mozart: Music from The Marriage of Figaro 

Fanie Antonelou (Susanna), Christian van Horn (Figaro); MusicAeterna/Teodor Currentzis

 

Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito

RIAS Kammerchor, Freiburger Barockorchester/René Jacobs 

 

Salieri: Sinfonia in D major, 'La Veneziana' III. Presto; La locandiera III. Presto

London Mozart Players/Matthias Bamert

In 1893 the composer Tchaikovsky breathed his last. He had become a celebrity in his native Russia and been showered with honours. But Tchaikovsky had a secret. He was gay. And in Russia at the time that was illegal. Attempts by authorities and historians to cover this up have meant that Tchaikovsky’s life and death became shrouded with mystery. In this episode, we try to get to the bottom of exactly what happened to one of the greatest musicians the world has ever seen. This episode tackles subjects that some listeners might find upsetting.

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones).

Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes

The recordings featured in this episode are:

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from ‘The Nutcracker’

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Neeme Järvi

Swan Lake

James Ehnes (violin), Bergen Philharmonic, Neeme Järvi

‘Eugene Onegin’

Yuri Mazurok (Eugene Onegin), Anna Tomowa-Sintow (Tatyana), Nicolai Gedda (Lensky), Rossitsa Troeva-Mircheva (Olga); Sofia National Opera Chorus, Sofia Festival Orchestra, Emil Tchakarov

Symphony No.6

Musicaeterna, Teodor Currentzis

In the early 20th century a craze for the occult swept the country. It was the era of Aleister Crowley and a new-found fascination with black magic. And no-one embraced this world more fully than Philip Heseltine. This hard-living, heavy-drinking composer delved into the art of black magic, experimented with spells and even changed his name to ‘Peter Warlock’. In 1930 he died suddenly, at the age of just 36. Had he been interfering with forces beyond his control? This episode tackles subjects that some listeners might find upsetting.

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones).

Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes

The recordings featured in this episode are:

Warlock: Bethlehem Down – The Rodolfus Choir, directed by Ralph Allwood (Signum Classics)

Warlock: Capriol Suite – Nicholas Kraemer (harpsichord), Neville Marriner, Academy of St Martin in the Fields (Decca Classics and Deutsche Grammophon)

Warlock: The Fox – John Mark Ainsley, Roger Vignoles (Helios/Hyperion)

Warlock: Take, O Take Those Lips Away – Tim Travers-Brown and Jeremy Filsell (Signum Classics)

Warlock: Captain Stratton’s Fancy – Bryn Terfel (bass-baritone), Michael Martineau (piano) (Decca Classics and Deutsche Grammophon)

Has something ever been stolen from you? Do you remember the feeling of panic when you realised it was gone? Now imagine if that thing was worth £1.2m. This is the story of violinist Min Kym and what happened when her instrument was taken from her. It’s a tale of giddy love, devastating loss and the healing power of music.

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones).

Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes

The recordings featured in this episode are:

Bach: Sarabande from Partita No.2 in D minor

Min Kym (violin)

Brahms: Violin Concerto, II Adagio

Min Kym (violin), Philharmonia Orchestra/Andrew Davis

Paganini: Caprice, Op.1 No.16

Min Kym (violin)

Bach: Adagio from Sonata No.1 in G minor

Samuel Staples (violin) playing a 1684 Stradivarius violin

Massenet: Méditation from ‘Thaïs’

Min Kym (violin), Gordon Back (piano)

Bach: Chaconne from Partita No.2 in D minor

Alina Ibragimova (violin)

Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Min Kym (violin), Gordon Back (piano)

Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole

Min Kym (violin), London Symphony Orchestra/Barry Wordsworth

Chausson: Poéme

Min Kym (violin), Gordon Back (piano)

The murder of Donna Maria D’Avalos and Don Fabrizio Carafa in 1590 was one of the most violent Naples had ever seen. It was so violent, in fact, it became known as the crime of the century. But who could have committed such a brutal murder? And why was no one ever punished for the crime? In this episode we explore the grim story of a killing that horrified Europe and sent shockwaves down the centuries. This episode tackles subjects that some listeners might find upsetting.

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones).

Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes 

The recordings featured in this episode are:

Gesualdo: Seso Libro di Madrigali 1611

La Compagnia del Madrigale, Glossa

Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday

The King's Singers, Signum Records

Gesualdo: Sacrae Cantiones for five voices

The Marian Consort, Delphian Records

How did the tomb of Austria's great composer come to contain not one skull, but two? The story of Haydn's head leads us into the murky world of 19th-century medicine, complete with grave robbing and some gruesome pseudo-science. Be warned, this episode contains descriptions that some listeners might find disturbing.

Original music was written by Thomas Hewitt Jones (@thewittjones).

Tim Lihoreau can be found on Twitter (@TimLihoreau) and the Classic FM team can be found @ClassicFM. You can get in touch about the show at classicfm.com and find out more about this episode at classicfm.com/casenotes

The recordings featured in this episode are:

The Creation – Haydn performed by Collegium Vocale Gent and the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées conducted by Philippe Herreweghe (Phi)

'London' Symphonies – Haydn performed by Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, conducted by Howard Shelley (Hyperion)

The 'Joke' Quartet – Haydn performed by The London Haydn Quartet (Hyperion)

The Queen of the Night’s aria from The Magic Flute – Mozart performed by Sabine Devieilhe (soprano), Pygmalion conducted by Raphaël Pichon (Warner Classics)

Case Notes is a brand-new crime podcast, investigating some of the darkest mysteries from the history of music. From the murderous composer Carlo Gesualdo to the intriguing story of Haydn’s missing head – this is true crime like you’ve never heard it before. Join us as we delve into long-forgotten archives to unearth rich new evidence from decades and even centuries ago. Brought to you by the award-winning Classic FM team.