It’s time to delve into the tale of Clara Schumann, the phenomenally gifted composer who was, in many ways, The Greatest Schumann. Each episode is also accompanied by a playlist in Apple Music – you can find those here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/curator/classic-fm/1211395150

Clara Schumann: Three Romances – Jennifer Pike and Tom Poster (Chandos)

Beethoven: Für Elise – Ji Liu (Classic FM)

Robert Schumann: Piano Quartet in E flat – Alexander Melnikov/Jerusalem Quarete (Harmonia Mundi)

Brahms: Piano Sonata in F minor – Stephen Hough (Hyperion)

Chopin: Nocture Op.9, No.2 – Ji Liu (Classic FM)

Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn – Georg Solti/Murray Perahia

Clara Schumann: Scherzo in D minor, Op.10 – Konstanze Eickhorst

Episode 8: The Greatest Schumann

Join David Walliams as he goes on a marvellous musical journey of discovery and meets some of the most famous names from the history of music – from Ludwig ‘Grumpy’ van Beethoven to 19th-century rock star Franz Liszt.

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Music

Kids & Family

David Walliams takes a ride through the magical career of legendary film composer John Williams, from Star Wars to Harry Potter – with a little help from a ghost. Each episode is also accompanied by a playlist in Apple Music – you can find those here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/curator/classic-fm/1211395150

Music from:

John Williams: Star Wars, Main Title – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Raiders March – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Jaws, The Shark Theme – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Jurassic Park, Theme – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Superman, Superman March – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Saving Private Ryan, Hymn to the Fallen – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

John Williams: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hedwig’s Theme – London Symphony Orchestra/Gavin Greenaway (Decca/Classic FM)

Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker – Bergen Philharmonic/Neeme Järvi (Chandos)

Episode 10: John Williams and the Chamber of Star Wars

From a helicopter quartet to a vegetable orchestra, prepare to have your idea of what an ‘instrument’ can be blown wide open. David Walliams explores some of the most fantastical, needlessly complex and sometimes tasty musical instruments that human beings have ever created. Each episode is also accompanied by a playlist in Apple Music – you can find those here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/curator/classic-fm/1211395150

Viola Organista performed by S?awomir Zubrzycki

The Vegetable Orchestra

John Cage: Variations I – Langham Research Centre

Leroy Anderson: The Typewriter – Richard Hayman Orchestra/Richard Hayman

Verdi: ‘Anvil Chorus’ from Il trovatore – Orchestra e coro del teatro alla scala/Riccardo Muti

Mahler: Symphony No.6 – Minnestora Orchestra/Osmo Vänskä (BIS)

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko (Classic FM)

Ligeti: Poème Symphonique for 100 Metronomes – Françoise Terrioux (Sony)

Leopold Mozart: Cassation in G ‘Toy Symphony’

Rautavaara: Cantus Arcticus – Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra/Leif Segerstam

Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy on glass harmonica – William Zeitler

Episode 9: Weird Instruments

You’ve heard his music, now it’s time to hear his story. David dives into the life of one of history’s greatest – and grumpiest – composers. Each episode is also accompanied by a playlist in Apple Music – you can find those here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/curator/classic-fm/1211395150

Beethoven: Symphony No.5 – Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/John Eliot Gardiner (SDG)

Beethoven: Symphony No.7 – Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/John Eliot Gardiner (SDG)

Walter Murphy: A Fifth of Beethoven

Beethoven: Rage Over a Lost Penny – Ronald Brautigam (BIS)

Beethoven: Symphony No.3 – Dresden Philharmonic/Michael Sanderling (Sony)

Beethoven: Für Elise – Ji Liu (Classic FM)

Beethoven: Symphony No.9 (BIS)

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.14 ‘Moonlight’ – Ji Liu (Classic FM)

Episode 7: Beethoven

They broke the mould and changed the face of music. Meet the marvellous mavericks and devilish divas who took the musical world by storm. And don’t be surprised if a number of old friends turn up to join the party… Each episode is also accompanied by a playlist in Apple Music – you can find those here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/curator/classic-fm/1211395150

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.13 – Arcadi Volodos (Sony)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee – Royal Scottish National Orchestra//Neeme Järvi

excerpts from Mozart: Don Giovanni – MusicAeterna/Teodor Currentzis (Sony)

Mozart: ‘Voi che sapete’ from Don Giovanni – Adelina Patti (Nimbus)

Paganini: 24 Caprices – Augustin Hadelich (Warner Classics)

Paganini: Violin Concerto – Itzhak Perlman/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Lawrence Foster

Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 – Arcadi Volodos (Sony)

Bizet : ‘L’amour est un oiseau rebelle’ from Carmen – Maria Callas, Orchestra de l’Opéra National de Paris

Episode 8: The Greatest Schumann

Download our free app to listen on your phone