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Berlioz - The Ultimate Romantic

Tom Service presents David Sawer’s radiophonic work from 1989, Swansong, an evocation of a fantastical musical city inspired by the writings of Hector Berlioz.

As part of Radio 3's Berlioz season, Tom Service introduces a complete broadcast of David Sawer’s radiophonic work Swansong, commissioned by the Â鶹Éç and first broadcast in 1989. Sawer’s work is an evocation of a fantastical musical city, Euphonia, imagined by Hector Berlioz in one of the tales from his book Evenings With The Orchestra. Sawer has taken Berlioz’s descriptions of the strange sounds of the city and used the resources of the Â鶹Éç Symphony Orchestra, Â鶹Éç Singers, various solo instruments, sound effects and a children’s choir to evoke Euphonia in the form of a radiophonic symphonic poem.

Also tonight, music by another British composer of today deeply inspired by Berlioz, Benedict Mason, and his site-specific work for the Baarsporthalle at Donaueschingen and commissioned for the festival by Southwest German Radio. From the same concert we also hear an orchestral work by a long-overlooked Swiss composer, Hermann Meier, and our Sound of the Week comes from the Dutch composer Carlijn Metselaar who takes us into the undergrowth for the snapping of twigs and branches.

David Sawer: Swansong (1989)
Nick Dear (text)
Robert Lang (speaker)
Eric Hill (guitar)
Imogen Barford (harp)
Sophia Preston (double bass)
Rolf Hind (piano)
Jeremy Sams (accordion)
Simon Limbrick (percussion)
Finchley Children's Music Group
Â鶹Éç Singers
Â鶹Éç Symphony Orchestra
Rupert Bawden, Ronald Corp (conductors)

Hermann Meier: Stück für großes Orchester und Klavier vierhändig (1965)
Benedict Mason: Ricochet (2018)
SWR Symphonieorchester
Peter Rundel (conductor)

1 hour, 59 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Feb 2019 22:00

Music Played

  • David Sawer

    Swansong

    Performer: Eric Hill. Performer: Imogen Barford. Performer: Sophia Preston. Performer: Jeremy Sams. Performer: Simon Limbrick. Librettist: Nick Dear. Narrator: Robert Lang. Choir: Finchley Childrens Music Group. Choir: Â鶹Éç Singers. Orchestra: Â鶹Éç Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Rupert Bawden. Conductor: Ronald Corp.
  • Carlijn Metselaar

    Night Parade of Monsters

    Ensemble: Uproar. Conductor: Michael Rafferty.
  • Hermann Meier

    Stück für großes Orchester und Klavier vierhändig HMV 62

    Orchestra: Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Rundel.
  • Benedict Mason

    Ricochet

    Orchestra: Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Rundel.

Broadcast

  • Sat 16 Feb 2019 22:00

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