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Celebrating Shakespeare

Part of Radio 3's season of programmes marking the anniversary of the First Folio, the collection of Shakespeare plays first published in 1623.

William Walton and Duke Ellington both composed music inspired by Henry V. Twelfth Night gave inspiraton to jazz musician John Dankworth. Amy Beach wrote choral settings from A Midsummer Night's Dream. The ghost of Hamlet inspired Shostakovich, and Debussy wrote a piano sketch called The Sleep of Lear.

In this episode of Words and Music, which is part of Radio 3's season of programmes marking the anniversary of the First Folio, music inspired by a whole series of Shakespeare plays and sonnets is set alongside key speeches from those dramas. The readings include archive performances and new recordings from Tracy-Ann Oberman, who is currently starring as Shylock in a touring Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Merchant of Venice set in 1936, and from Reuben Joseph - the most recent Macbeth for the RSC.

Producer in Salford: Les Pratt

You can find three different adaptations of Hamlet available on Â鶹Éç Sounds as Drama on 3/ and there are more dramas to listen to in Radio 3's podcast The Shakespeare Sessions. Free Thinking, Radio 3's Arts & Ideas programme, has a playlist on the website exploring Shakespeare and will be broadcasting a special episode next Weds 8th November as part of Radio 3's Shakespeare Day which will play music inspired by Shakespeare from 7am to 7pm.

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Nov 2023 17:30
Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:01

    Arthur Bliss

    Fanfare: Homage to Shakespeare

    Performer: Onyx Brass.
    • CHANDOS CHSA5221.
    • Tr18.
  • 00:01

    Arthur Bliss

    Fanfare: Homage to Shakespeare

    Performer: Onyx Brass.
    • Chandos.

  • William Shakespeare

    From Henry V, read by Tracy-Ann Oberman

  • 00:03

    William Walton

    Henry V - Music for the Film: Overture - The Globe Playhouse

    Ensemble: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
    • Chandos.
  • 00:03

    William Walton

    Touch her soft lips and part [Henry V]

    Music Arranger: Muir Mathieson. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.
    • EMI CDM5650072.
    • Tr11.
  • 00:04

    William Walton

    Touch her soft lips and part [Henry V]

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton. Music Arranger: Muir Mathieson.
    • EMI.
  • 00:05

    William Walton

    Agincourt Song [Henry V]

    Performer: Philharmonia Orchestra, William Walton (conductor).
    • EMI CDM5650072.
    • Tr12.
  • 00:06

    William Walton

    Agincourt Song [Henry V]

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.
    • EMI.

  • William Shakespeare

    From Henry V, read by Reuben Joseph

  • 00:08

    Duke Ellington

    Sonnet to Hank Cinq

    Composer: Billy Strayhorn. Performer: Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.
    • COLUMBIA G0100033334954.
    • Tr3.
  • 00:08

    Duke Ellington

    Sonnet to Hank Cinq

    Composer: Billy Strayhorn.
    • Columbia.

  • William Shakespeare

    From As You Like It, read by Tracy-Ann Oberman

  • 00:11

    Thomas Morley

    It was a lover and his lass

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Performer: Elizabeth Kenny.
    • WARNER 0825646106639.
    • Tr7.
  • 00:12

    Thomas Morley

    It was a lover and his lass

    Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Singer: Ian Bostridge.
    • WARNER.
  • 00:14

    Johan Wagenaar

    Overture: Twelfth Night (excerpt)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • DECCA 4258332.
    • Tr3.
  • 00:15

    Johan Wagenaar

    Overture: Twelfth Night (excerpt)

    Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Decca.

  • William Shakespeare

    From Twelfth Night, read by Reuben Joseph

  • 00:19

    John Dankworth

    If music be the food of love

    Performer: Cleo Laine.
    • SPECTRUM 5447 70-2.
    • Tr8.
  • 00:19

    John Dankworth

    If music be the food of love

    Performer: Cleo Laine.
    • Spectrum.
  • 00:22

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    The Ghost [Hamlet Suite, Op.116a]

    Orchestra: Â鶹Éç Philharmonic. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.
    • CHANDOS CHAN10361.
    • Tr3.
  • 00:22

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    The Ghost [Hamlet Suite, Op.116a]

    Orchestra: Â鶹Éç Philharmonic. Conductor: Vassily Sinaisky.
    • Chandos.

  • William Shakespeare

    From Hamlet, read by Richard Burton

  • 00:27

    Edward MacDowell

    Ophelia [Hamlet & Ophelia, Op.22]

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Krueger.
    • OUR MUSICAL PAST OMP 104.
    • Tr2.
  • 00:28

    Edward MacDowell

    Ophelia from Hamlet & Ophelia, Op.22

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Krueger.
    • OUR MUSICAL PAST.
  • 00:35

    Matthew Locke

    Rustik Air [The Tempest]

    Ensemble: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • WARNER CLASSICS 2564632642.
    • Tr189.
  • 00:35

    Matthew Locke

    Rustik Air [The Tempest]

    Ensemble: Il Giardino Armonico. Conductor: Giovanni Antonini.
    • Warner Classics.

  • William Shakespeare

    From The Tempest, read by Reuben Joseph

  • 00:36

    Jean Sibelius

    The Storm [The Tempest]

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • BIS BIS-CD-448.
    • Tr2.
  • 00:36

    Jean Sibelius

    The Storm from The Tempest, Op. 109

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • BIS.

  • William Shakespeare

    From The Tempest, read by Tracy-Ann Oberman

  • 00:40

    Robert Johnson

    Full Fathom Five

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Performer: Jakob Lindberg.
    • BIS SACD1505.
    • Tr2.
  • 00:40

    Robert Johnson

    Full Fathom Five

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Performer: Jakob Lindberg.
    • BIS.

  • William Shakespeare

    Sonnet 29, read by Carrie Fisher

  • 00:43

    Rufus Wainwright

    A Woman's Face - Reprise (Sonnet 20)

    • DG 00028947955139.
    • Tr14.
  • 00:43

    Rufus Wainwright

    A Woman's Face - Reprise (Sonnet 20)

    Singer: Rufus Wainwright.
    • DG.
  • 00:46

    Philip Glass

    Let me be not mad [King Lear]

    Performer: Aaron Diehl Trio.
    • ORANGE MOUNTAIN OMM0141.
    • Tr7.
  • 00:46

    Philip Glass

    Let me be not mad from King Lear

    Ensemble: Aaron Diehl Trio.
    • Orange Mountain.

  • William Shakespeare

    From King Lear, read by Reuben Joseph

  • 00:50

    Claude Debussy

    Le sommeil de Lear, L.107

    Performer: Alain Planès.
    • Harmonia Mundi.

  • William Shakespeare

    From The Taming of the Shrew, read by Peggy Ashcroft

  • 00:56

    Cole Porter

    Brush up your Shakespeare [Kiss me, Kate]

    Performer: 2019 Broadway Cast Recording.
    • GHOSTLIGHT 625032.
    • Tr16.
  • 00:56

    Cole Porter

    Brush Up Your Shakespeare from Kiss Me, Kate

    Ensemble: 2019 Broadway Cast Recording.
    • GHOSTLIGHT.
  • 01:00

    Jocelyn Pook

    Banquet for Shylock (Tourdion) [Merchant of Venice soundtrack]

    Performer: Harvey Brough. Performer: Pamela Thorby. Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Performer: Clara Sanabras. Performer: Jeremy West.
    • DECCA 4756367.
    • Tr1.
  • 01:00

    Jocelyn Pook

    Banquet for Shylock (Tourdion) [Merchant of Venice soundtrack]

    Performer: Harvey Brough. Performer: Pamela Thorby. Performer: Elizabeth Kenny. Performer: Clara Sanabras. Performer: Jeremy West.
    • Decca.

  • William Shakespeare

    From The Merchant of Venice, read by Tracy-Ann Oberman

  • 01:03

    Arthur Sullivan

    Macbeth: Introduction to Act IV

    Orchestra: RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Penny.
    • MARCO POLO 8.223635.
    • Tr6.
  • 01:04

    Arthur Sullivan

    Macbeth: Introduction to Act IV

    Orchestra: RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Penny.
    • MARCO POLO.

  • William Shakespeare

    From Macbeth, read by Reuben Joseph

  • 01:07

    Geraldine Mucha

    Death of Macbeth & Conclusion [Macbeth]

    Performer: Hradec Kralove Philharmonic Orchestra, Andreas Sebastian-Weiser (conductor).
    • ARCO DIVA UP 01922231.
    • Tr6.
  • 01:08

    Geraldine Mucha

    Death of Macbeth & Conclusion from Macbeth

    Orchestra: Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Andreas Sebastian Weiser.
    • ARCO DIVA UP.
  • 01:09

    Amy Beach

    Over hill, over dale, Op.39'1

    Choir: Etherea Vocal Ensemble. Conductor: Derek Greten-Harrison.
    • DELOS DE34341.
    • Tr8.
  • 01:10

    Amy Beach

    Over hill, over dale, Op.39'1

    Choir: Etherea Vocal Ensemble. Conductor: Derek Greten-Harrison.
    • DELOS.
  • 01:11

    Edvard Grieg

    Puck [Lyric Pieces, Op.7’3]

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • HYPERION CDA68070.
    • Tr27.

  • William Shakespeare

    From A Midsummer Night’s Dream, read by Tracy-Ann Oberman

  • 01:13

    Felix Mendelssohn

    Fairy's March [A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61] (excerpt)

    Orchestra: Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: János Kovács.
    • MENUETTO CLASSICS 4803307413.
    • Tr 16.
  • 01:13

    Felix Mendelssohn

    Fairy's March [A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61] (excerpt)

    Orchestra: Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: János Kovács.
    • MENUETTO CLASSICS.

Broadcast

  • Sun 5 Nov 2023 17:30
    Â鶹Éç Radio 3

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