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Series 1
Schnittke
An idiot's guide to Schnittke. Perfect for fans of comedy, classical music, and idiots.
23 Aug 2017,·14 mins
Mina Foley
Mina Foley, one of Kiri's 20 Favourite Voices, in this Radio 3 series.
5 mins
Alistair McGowan tells the story of the love letters that composer Erik Satie never sent.
13 Jul 2013,·30 mins
Debbie Wiseman tells the fascinating story of the composer of Captain Noah and Rumpole
26 Jul 2011,·30 mins
Professor John Butt explores the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach.
10 Apr 2017,·30 mins
Simon Townley learns how 'the father of the symphony' lost his head for 145 years.
30 May 2009,·30 mins
Rainer Hersch explores the dazzling technique of today’s musical virtuosos.
23 Jun 2015,·30 mins
A parable play on the ancient theme of the Quest. Featuring music by Benjamin Britten.
21 Jan 1946,·73 mins
Episode 2
Paul Mason explores dark matters of nationalism and desire in the opera Die Meistersinger
07 May 2013,·30 mins
Stuart Maconie on rock musicians who combined symphony and pop music in the 60s and 70s
23 Aug 2012,·30 mins
Trevor Cox on the physics behind the way orchestral instruments make their unique sound
06 Dec 2012,·30 mins
Rainer Hersch champions the most popular waltz Strauss ever wrote.
04 Oct 2016,·30 mins
The Practice of Practising
Celebrated pianist Stephen Hough reflects on a life spent practising.
28 Dec 2013,·45 mins
Richard Langham Smith on the songs Debussy wrote for his muse Madame Vasnier.
10 Jan 2012,·30 mins
Catherine Bott tells the story of Nancy Storace, an English star who worked with Mozart.
16 Oct 2014,·30 mins
Rachel Podger
Sara chats with baroque violinist Rachel Podger about her love of singing.
12 Mar 2017,·11 mins
Michael White uncovers the life of the soprano singer Jennifer Vyvyan.
18 Aug 2011,·30 mins
Rudely Truncated
Humphrey Carpenter on how the Third Programme captured the intellectual high ground.
06 Oct 1996,·45 mins
Can there be too many cellists? How Jacqueline du Pré created a surfeit of cellists!
27 Aug 2015,·30 mins
30/11/2011
Long-lost fragments of Sibelius's Eighth, and feedback about the question of applause.
30 Nov 2011,·20 mins
Musician Mark Seow traces tensions between his Asian heritage and Western classical music.
15 Aug 2023,·28 mins
The Reverend Neil Brice leads the congregation of St Magnus Episcopal Church in Lerwick.
17 Nov 2014,·50 mins
Playing in the Dark (Part 2)
Concert of readings and music from Neil Gaiman and friends with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
01 Jan 2020,·57 mins
Every minute of every day, a musician is playing Bach’s music somewhere in the world.
19 Aug 2021,·28 mins
Overthrowing centuries of musical tradition - and prejudice: the Japanese Bach revolution.
13 Aug 2011,·30 mins
Edith Hall, Nandini Das and Beatrice Groves on the books which inspired Shakespeare.
26 Apr 2016,·45 mins
The surprising and touching story of how Richard Strauss' marriage inspired his music.
21 Apr 2011,·30 mins
Joseph Harker asks why Britain's classical music scene remains so resolutely white.
01 Mar 2016,·30 mins
Rainer Hersch explores unusual instruments used by composers.
20 May 2008,·30 mins
Alan Bennett and musicians young and old consider the orchestral heritage of Yorkshire.
15 Sep 2015,·30 mins
