My Classical Favourites

This week's guest, Charles Emmerson, talks about the music and cultural life of London on the eve of World War I, and Sarah chooses a piece of music especially for him.

Stand-up comedian and actor Tim Vine stays in time with his Metronome Song, and takes advice from Sarah Walker on waltzes and animal-based music.

This week's guest, Sandi Toksvig, talks about her work, her family life and her love of suffragist Ethyl Smyth. Her musical choices are from Bernstein's West Side Story and Smyth's Mass in D. Rob Cowan chooses a piece of music especially for her, based on her own choices earlier in the week.

This week's guest, Russell Grant, talks about some of his plans for the future and Rob chooses a piece of music especially for him, based upon his musical choices this week.

This week's guest, Howard Brenton, talks about a composer he feels is the heir to Sibelius, sums up the nature of his work in two words, and Sarah chooses a piece of music for him, with his tastes in mind.

This week's guest, Amanda Foreman, talks about her love of the cello, and Rob plays her a piece he has chosen with her in mind.

Philip Pullman talks to Sarah about his work and his love of comic books, and Sarah chooses a piece of music with Philip's taste in mind.

This week's guest, Michael Dobbs, talks about his work in the House of

Penelope Wilton and Rob Cowan discuss silences on the stage, and Rob plays a piece of music he has chosen with her in mind.

This week's guest, Richard Eyre, talks about his role as interviewer rather than director and Rob chooses a piece of music for Sir Richard.