This Classical Life

Jess Gillam is joined by Italian-American violinist Francesca Dego to swap some of their favourite music. Francesca has played everywhere from Wigmore Hall to Lincoln Centre New York, and her latest recording of Brahms and Busoni violin concertos with BBC Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dalia Stasevska is out now via Chandos. Today Francesca has brought along music from neglected Finnish composer Helvi Leiviskä and a fiendish 12-tone work from Schoenberg, while I've chosen David Bowie's swansong.PLAYLIST:GIOACHINO ROSSINI – ‘Una voce poco fa' (Il barbiere di Siviglia: Act 1) [Teresa Berganza (mezzo soprano), London Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Gibson (conductor)] PETER MAXWELL DAVIES – Farewell to Stromness [Richard Casey (piano)] HELVI LEIVISKA – Orchestral Suite No 2, Op 11 (2nd mvt, Humoresque) [Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Dalia Stasevska (conductor)] DAVID BOWIE - Lazarus JOHANNES BRAHMS – Concerto for violin and cello in A minor, Op 102 (2nd mvt, Andante) [Salvatore Accardo (violinist), Heinrich Schiff (cello), Kurt Masur (conductor), Gewandhausorchester] ARNOLD SCHOENBERG – Phantasy for violin and piano [Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), Joonas Ahonen (piano)] LANKUM – Wild RoverProduced by Rachel Gill.

Jess Gillam and tenor Alessandro Fisher share the music they love.Alessandro Fisher is a former member of the BBC New Generation Artist scheme, and a Kathleen Ferrier award winner: a versatile performer equally at home in baroque and romantic opera, or song. His choices today include barbershop quartet, brass band music, and the voice of Fritz Wunderlich. Jess has chosen music by Coleman Hawkins and multi-BRIT Award winner Raye.Playlist: Schubert: An die Musik, D 547 - Fritz Wunderlich (tenor), Hubert Gisen (piano) Coleman Hawkins Quartet: Love Song from ‘Apache' Fucik: Florentiner March - Grimethorpe Colliery Band Schubert: Wandrer's Nachtlied, D 768 - Kian Soltani (cello), Aaron Pilsan (piano) Crossroads Barbershop Quartet: That Lucky Old Sun (just rolls around heaven all day) Paul Mealor: Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal - Tenebrae, Nigel Short (conductor) Alain Romans: Quel temps fait-il à Paris (M Hulot's Holiday) Raye: Worth It

Jess Gillam swaps music with pianist James Baillieu, including works by Mozart, Bach, and Ella Fitzgerald.Pianist James Baillieu has worked with musicians including Lise Davidsen, Timothy Ridout and Pretty Yende, and has performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Vienna Musikverein. He is also Senior Professor of Ensemble Piano and a Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He's brought Martha Argerich playing Schumann and a classic Bob Dylan song, while Jess's choices include Mahler and Goldfrapp.PLAYLIST: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART – “Signori, di fuori” (Le nozze de Figaro: Act 2, Scene 9) [Lorenzo Regazzo (bass), Simon Keenlyside (baritone), Patrizia Ciofi (sop), Véronique Gens (sop), Concerto Köln, René Jacobs (cond)] JOHN ADAMS – Hallelujah Junction (1st mvt) [Nicolas Hodges (piano), Rolf Hind (piano)] BOB DYLAN – Blowin' in the Wind GUSTAV MAHLER – Symphony No 5 in C sharp minor (4th mvt, Adagietto) [Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, Gustavo Dudamel (cond)] JUAN TIZOL/DUKE ELLINGTON/IRVING MILLS – Caravan [Ella Fitzgerald (singer), Duke Ellington and his Orchestra] JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH – Cello Suite No 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 (4th mvt, Sarabande) [Yo-Yo Ma (cello)] ROBERT SCHUMANN - Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (Kinderszenen, Op 15: No 1) [Martha Argerich (piano)] GOLDFRAPP – Lovely HeadProduced by Rachel Gill.

Jess Gillam and soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha share their favourite tracks.South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha was the winner of the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2021 and is a current BBC New Generation Artist. She's brought a track from iconic South African artist Miriam Makeba and Maria Callas singing a prayer from Verdi's Otello, and Jess has picked a dance of death from Saint-Saens and jazz from Charlie ‘Bird' Parker.PLAYLIST: MAHALIA JACKSON– If I Can Help Somebody CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS – Danse macabre, Op 40 [Luben Yordandoff (violin), Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim (cond)] GIUSEPPE VERDI – Ave Maria (Otello: Act 4) [Maria Callas (sop), Orchestre de la Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire, Nicola Rescigno (cond)] HENRY PURCELL – Music for a While (Oedipus, Z 583) [Martin Fröst (clarinet), Sebastien Dube (double bass)] MIRIAM MAKEBA – The Click Song JIMMY MCHUGH/DOROTHY FIELDS– Don't Blame Me (Live) [Charlie Parker Quintet] DOMENICO CIMAROSA – Sonata No 42 in D minor, arr Ólafsson [Víkingur Ólafsson (piano)] VINCENZO BELLINI – Mira, O Norma (Norma) [Joan Sutherland (sop), Montserrat Caballé (sop), Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Richard Bonynge]Produced by Rachel Gill

Jess Gillam swaps favourite music with pianist Keelan Carew, and between them they put together a boundary-pushing playlist with songs by Kurt Weill and Nat King Cole - pianistic fireworks by Busoni and Chopin, orchestral fireworks by Shostakovich and some classic Japanese jazz fusion by Casiopea.Playlist: KURT WEILL: Der Abschiedsbrief [Teresa Stratus (sop), Kurt Weill (piano)] SHOSTAKOVICH: Festive Overture [Philharmonia Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy (cond)] CASIOPEA: Swear [Album: Mint Jams] MAURIZIO CAZZATI: Ciaccona [L'Arpeggiata, Christina Pluhar] CHOPIN: Ballade no.1 in G minor, op 23 [Vladimir Horowitz (piano)] MEERNAA: Good Luck [Album: Strange Life] BUSONI: Piano Concerto in C major, op.39 – iv. All Italiana, Tarantella [Kirill Gerstein (piano), Boston Symphony Orchestra] NAT KING COLE: When I Fall in Love

Jess Gillam meets violist Jordan Bak to share some of their favourite music.Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak is a proud new music advocate – he's performed world premieres of works by composers including Kaija Saariaho and Augusta Read Thomas. His debut album IMPULSE was released in 2022 and he's performed with orchestras including London Mozart Players. His musical picks include works by Florence Price, reggae singer Koffee, and Benjamin Britten, whilst Jess has chosen a classic Radiohead track and Stokowski's take on Bach.PLAYLIST:FLORENCE PRICE – String Quartet No 2 in A minor (3rd mvt, Juba) [Catalyst Quartet] FANNY MENDELSSOHN - Schluss [Heather Schmidt (piano)] PALACE – Live Well JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, ARR LEOPOLD STOKOWSKI – Passacaglia And Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 [Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin (conductor)] KOFFEE – Toast RADIOHEAD – House of Cards BENJAMIN BRITTEN – Night Piece “Notturno” [Stephen Hough (piano)]

Jess's guest this week is the composer Kate Whitley.Kate is an award-winning composer and pianist, who also runs the Multi-Story Orchestra. The orchestra was born in a multi-story car park in Peckham, and perform in car parks around the country, as they wanted to take classical music out of formal concert halls. They also create hugely powerful musical projects like the RPS Award-winning The Endz that involve the local community and young people in their music making.Kate and Jess settle in for a listening party of the music they love including a beautiful work by Caroline Shaw and Bjork, the biggest of brass by Mussorgsky, bluegrass courtesy of the Goat Rodeo and a contender for greatest ever cover version by the Pet Shop Boys.Playlist:CAROLINE SHAW – Partita for 8 Singers: 2. Sarabande [Roomful of Teeth] MUSSORGSKY – Night on Bald Mountain [Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti (conductor)] BJORK: Pneumonia GOAT RODEO - Attaboy [Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Yo Yo Ma] VIVALDI – La Folia [Apollo's Fire, Jeannette Sorell] SON LUX - This is a Life [Mitski, David Byrne] GABRIELE MIRABASSI – Girotondo [Gabriele Mirabassi [clarinet), Luciano Biondini (accordion)] PET SHOP BOYS: Always on My Mind

Jess Gillam meets Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene to swap some of their favourite music.At 23 years old, Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene is already the winner of several awards, including the prestigious Carl Nielsen Competition in 2019, the Gramophone Young Artist of the Year Award in 2022, and a Swedish Grammy in 2023. His music choices include a squelchy bassline from Thundercat, a Swedish Eurovision classic, and a virtuosic violin concerto that's close to his heart. Jess's choices include Bernstein conducting a favourite Mozart symphony, and music from the saxophonist Branford Marsalis.PLAYLIST:LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN – Sonata for Violin and Piano No 8 in G major, Op 30 No 3 (3rd mvt) [Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich] BRANFORD MARSALIS – A Thousand Autumns [Branford Marsalis Quartet] TOMMY KÖRBERG - Stad i ljus (City in Light) WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART – Symphony No 40 in G minor, K 550 (1st mvt) [Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein] THUNDERCAT – Them Changes CARL NIELSEN – Violin Concerto Op 33 (IIb – Rondo: Allegretto Scherzando) [Arve Tellefsen, Yehudi Menuhin, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra] YEAH YEAH YEAHS FT. PERFUME GENIUS – Spitting Off the Edge of the World PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY – The Nutcracker, Op 71: Miniature Overture [Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra]

Jess Gillam and conductor Robert Ames share some of the tunes they love, with music by Philip Glass, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Makaya McCraven, Pauline Oliveros and J.S. Bach.Playlist: Philip Glass – Aguas da Amazonia - Madeira River [Uakti] Abel Selaocoe – Voices of Bantu Hildur Guðnadóttir - For Petra [London Contemporary Orchestra, Robert Ames] Tchaikovsky – The Tempest, Op. 18; VI. Andante non tanto [BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Alpesh Chauhan] Makaya McCraven – In These Times Camille Saint-Saens – Le lever de la lune Pauline Oliveros / Stuart Dempster / Panaiotis - Suiren J.S. Bach – Aria from Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068 "Air on a G String" (Arr. Leopold Stokowski) [BBC Philharmonic, Matthias Bamert]

Jess Gillam meets mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron to swap some of their favourite music.Singaporean-British mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron sings everything from opera to chamber music, from the baroque to the contemporary. She is mentored by Barbara Hannigan and has performed with LSO, Czech Philharmonic, and San Francisco Symphony. She joins Jess ahead of performing Freya Waley-Cohen's Spell Book with Manchester Collective in London. Her music choices include a contralto version of Schubert's Winterreise, a traditional Uyghur folk song, and a toe-tapping melody from the musical Kiss Me, Kate. Jess brings along 'stadium jazz' from saxophonist Donny McCaslin, elegant incidental music from Purcell, and a joyful explosion of sound from indie band Villagers.PLAYLIST: HENRY PURCELL – Abdelazer Z 570 (2nd mvt, Rondeau) [Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Neville Marriner] COLE PORTER - Too Darn Hot (Kiss Me, Kate) [2019 Broadway Cast Recording] OLIVIER MESSIAEN – La mort du nombre [Sholto Kynoch (piano), Kaoru Yamada (violin), Rhona McKail (soprano), Nicky Spence (tenor)] TRADITIONAL UYGHUR – Derdi Tolidur Yarning (Such Pain My Love) [Sanubar Tursun (vocals and dutar)] WILLIAM WALTON – Symphony No 1 in B flat minor (4th mvt) [London Symphony Orchestra, Colin Davis] DONNY MCCASLIN – Stadium Jazz FRANZ SCHUBERT – Gute Nacht (Winterreise, D 911) [Nathalie Stutzmann (contralto), Inger Södergren (piano)] VILLAGERS – The First Day

Jess Gillam shares music with composer Laura Cannell, including a sublime Biber Requiem, new music by Kenya Grace, traditional Norwegian fiddle music and a Memphis Soul Stew!Playlist: Tchaikovsky – Piano Concerto No. 1; first movement [Vladimir Ashkenazy, London Symphony Orchestra, Lorin Maazel] Kenya Grace - Strangers John Mackey – Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Ensemble [ Timothy McAllister, ASU Wind Ensemble] Sven Nyhus – Fanitullen (The Devil's Dance) Domenico Scarlatti – Sonata in F minor, K. 466 [Vladimir Horowitz] Tarquinio Merula - Ciaccona [His Majesty's Sackbuts and Cornetts] King Curtis – Memphis Soul Stew Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber - Requiem in F minor - Dies Irae [Gabrieli Consort, Paul McCreesh]

Jess Gillam is joined by Norwegian soprano and Last Night of the Proms star Lise Davidsen for a very Christmassy edition of This Classical Life. They share their favourite Christmas music and chat about what gives them that festive feeling! Lise Davidsen has been described as “the greatest soprano in the world right now”, with a “one-in-a-million voice”. Her performance at the Last Night of the Proms 2023 received rave reviews, and she has sung at iconic venues including the Metropolitan Opera House, Royal Opera House, and Teatro alla Scala, Milan. And she's just released a whole album of seasonal favourites and Nordic delights via Decca, called Christmas From Norway.Lise brings along a haunting Scandinavian carol, a sugary-sweet soundtrack from a cult Christmas film, and a modern classic from Coldplay. Jess's choices include a traditional English wassail song, a rock'n'roll Rudolph from Chuck Berry, and a Christmas jig from Yo-Yo Ma and Natalie MacMaster.PLAYLIST:ADOLPHE ADAM – O helga natt (Adams julsång) [Jussi Björling] NATALIE MACMASTER/ TRAD. FRENCH-CANADIAN - A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel [Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie MacMaster] CHUCK BERRY – Run Rudolph Run KAREL SVOBODA – Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (Three Wishes for Cinderella): Motiv - Einleitung TRAD. ENGLISH – Wassail Song [John Kirkpatrick and friends] SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR – The Forest of Wild Thyme Op 74: Christmas Overture (arr. Sydney Baynes for orchestra) TRAD. SCANDINAVIAN – Mitt hjerte alltid vanker (My Heart Forever Dwells) [arr. O. Matre for chorus] COLDPLAY – Christmas Lights

Jess Gillam and bassoonist Guylaine Eckersley share their favourite tracks, with music by Abel Selaocoe, Pergolesi, Vivaldi, Laura Misch and a guilty pleasure from Frozen 2.Playlist: Abel Selaocoe - Ka Bohaleng / On the Sharp Side Pergolesi - Stabat Mater [Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor), Julia Lezhneva (soprano), I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis] Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez - Into the Unknown [from Frozen 2] Rachmaninov - Symphony no 3 [Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nezet Seguin] Vivaldi - Bassoon Concerto in A minor, rv498 [Sergio Azzolini (bassoon), L'Onda Armonica] Laura Misch - Glass Shards Grażyna Bacewicz - Concerto for String Orchestra [Amadeus Chamber Orchestra] Vaughan Williams - Silent Noon (from the House of Life) [Roderick Williams (baritone) , Iain Burnside (piano)]

Jess Gillam and flautist Daniel Shao play each other their current favourite music. Daniel is a versatile musician, at home in the classical repertory with a number of leading orchestras, or performing contemporary music and exploring his Chinese heritage with the group Tangram. Daniel's choices include Britten, Whitney Houston, and music for the flute by Ibert.Today's choices:Britten - Dawn from 4 Sea Interludes (BBC Philharmonic, Edward Gardner) Gluck - Dance of the Furies from Orfeo ed Euridice (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) Joanna Newsom - The Book of Right-On Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren Ibert - Flute concerto, 2nd mvt (Clara Andrada, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Jaime Martín) Hildegard of Bingen - Ancient Suite (Martin Fröst, The Adolf Fredrik's Girls Choir) Whitney Houston - Didn't we almost have it all Cleo Sol - 23

Jess Gillam meets jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant to swap some of their favourite music. Cécile is a 3 time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer and her music shows off her passion for storytelling and finding the connections between vaudeville, blues, jazz, baroque and folkloric music. She spoke to Jess ahead of her show at London Jazz Festival 2023 and picked some of her favourite voices from Maria Callas singing Puccini to flamenco star Camarón de la Isla and an air de cour by Gabriel Bataille.Jess brought along a string quartet by Caroline Shaw, a Hollywood inflected Concerto by Korngold and the most beautiful of songs by Aretha FranklinPLAYLIST:GABRIEL BATAILLE: Sortés soupirs témoins de mon mártire [Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Annie Dufresne (soprano)] CAROLINE SHAW: Plan & Elevation – v. The Beech Tree [Attacca Quartet] WANDA JACKSON: Funnel of Love KORNGOLD: Violin Concerto, op.35 – 1st mvt [James Ehnes (violin), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey (cond)] ARETHA FRANKLIN: Ain't No Way PUCCINI: La bohème, Act 4 “Sono andati” [Maria Callas (soprano), Giuseppe di Stefano (tenor), La Scala Milan Chorus & Orchestra, Antonino Votto (cond)] POULENC: Stabat Mater – i. Stabat Mater dolorosa [Cappella Amsterdam, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Estonian National SO, Daniel Reuss (cond)] CAMARON DE LA ISLA: Yo vivo enamorao (Tangos) [Camaron De La Isla (singer), Paco De Lucía (guitar)]

Jess Gillam and cellist Matthew Barley sit down to listen together to the music they love. Matthew's career as a cellist has seen him straddle any number of different genres and continents. He's just as at home in front of an orchestra as he is improvising in a nightclub, playing chamber music with his wife – the violinist Viktoria Mullova - or going solo and combining his cello with electronics. Their playlist today is suitably eclectic - Matthew brings a taste of Brazil from the singer Elza Soares and legendary songwriter Jobim, a lament on the duduk and reminisces his first childhood experience of classical music via the music of Beethoven. Jess has Tchaikovsky ballet music bursting with tunes, some sunshine by Marianna Martines and mandolin player Avi Avital and a beautiful piece of Junk by Paul McCartney. Playlist: ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM: Agua de Beber [Gonzalo Rubalcaba (piano)] TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake – Act 4 finale [London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn (conductor)] ELZA SOARES: Flores Horizontais MANUEL DE FALLA: No. 4 Jota from Canciones populares españolas [Avi Avital (mandolin)] DJIVAN GASPARYAN: 7 December 1988 [Djivan Gasparyan (duduk/voice)] MARIANNA MARTINES: Overture in C major – 1st mvt [La Floridiana] PAUL MCARTNEY: Junk BEETHOVEN: Symphony no 6 (Pastoral) – 1st mvt “Erwachen heiterer…” [Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Paavo Jarvi (conductor)]

Jess Gillam and mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska share the music they love, including a traditional Macedonian folk song, Janelle Monáe's sci-fi concept album The Arch Android, a sublime Bach partita in the hands of guitarist Sean Shibe and the beautiful voices of Mara Carlyle and Odetta. Playlist: Janacek - Prelude to The Cunning Little Vixen [Vienna Philharmonic, Sir Charles Mackerras] Odetta - Sometimes I feel like a motherless child Tose Proeski - Zajdi, Zajdi Telemann - Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G2; I. Andante [Andrius Puskunigis, St Christopher Chamber Orchestra, Donatas Katkus] Janelle Monáe - Neon Valley Street Bartok - Divertimento for Strings; III. Allegro assai [Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Chamber Orchestra of Europe] Mara Carlyle – Pianni J.S Bach - Partita in C minor, BWV 997; III. Sarabande [Sean Shibe]

Jess Gillam meets with the conductor Nicholas Collon to share some of the music they love. Today their musical journey takes in the harmonic genius of Jacob Collier, glorious choral music by Poulenc, a youthful Octet by Mendelssohn, a dreamy song from Sibelius, Britten's iconic Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, some grooves from Pino Palladino and Taylor Swift visits The Lakes. Playlist: Felix Mendelssohn – Octet in E flat major, IV. Presto [Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble] Pino Palladino & Blake Mills – Ekute Francis Poulenc – Figure humaine, VIII. Liberte [Tenebrae, Nigel Short] Benjamin Britten - The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra [London Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Britten] Taylor Swift – The Lakes Sibelius - Lieder No. 4 Op 37 - Was it a Dream [Kari Lövaas, Berliner Symphoniker, Eduardo Marturet] Jacob Collier / Henry Mancini – Moon River Carl Nielsen - Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 (FS76) 'The Inextinguishable'; 1. Allegro [Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Fabio Luisi]

Jess Gillam and violinist Sumina Studer swap some of their favourite music. As well as picking up prizes for her playing in the Berliner International Music Competition and the Verbier Festival amongst others, and performing with various orchestras across the world, Sumina still finds the time to make hugely popular videos for social media where she demystifies the violin to try and bring classical music to the biggest possible audience. She brought along to the studio the incredible voice of Millie Jackson, one of Ravel's most beautiful pieces for piano and something nostalgic from the soundtrack to the anime Kiki's Delivery Service. Meanwhile Jess chose some banjo virtuosity by Bela Fleck, a homage to Piazzolla by violinist Gidon Kremer and an elegy by Yoshimatsu. Playlist: JOE HISAISHI: A Town with an Ocean View PIAZZOLLA: Soledad [Gidon Kremer (violin)] RAVEL: Piano Concerto in G – 2nd mvt Adagio [Martha Argerich (piano), Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abbado (conductor)] MILLIE JACKSON: If You're Not Back in Love by Monday BELA FLECK/EDGAR MEYER: The B Tune [Béla Fleck (banjo), Zakir Hussain (table), Edgar Meyer (double bass)] TAKASHI YOSHIMATSU: And Birds are Still…. Op.72 [Manchester Camerata, Sachio Fujioka (conductor)] COPLAND: Symphony No. 3 – 4th mvt [San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor)]

Jess Gillam and trumpeter Lucy Humphris share their favourite music. Their musical adventure today includes scary Prokofiev, dreamy Debussy, wide open space from Edmund Finnis and Schoenberg, birdsong with Lady Maisery and some 8-bit chiptune from the computer game FEZ by Disasterpeace. Playlist: Cinderella-Suite Nr. 1, Op. 107, VIII. Midnight Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar Edmund Finnis - Preludes I and II for Solo Cello Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) Disasterpeace - Adventure from FEZ Debussy – Reverie Jean Yves Thibaudet (piano) Lady Maisery – Birdsong Colin Stetson - Nature is Timeless Arnold Schoenberg - Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4: I. Sehr langsam Juilliard String Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma Clara Schumann - Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 17: III. Andante Anne-Sophie Mutter (violin), Pablo Ferrandez (cello), Lambert Orkis (piano)

Jess Gillam and pianist Karim Kamar share some of their favourite music. Karim has an amazing musical story - after loving playing as a kid but never studying properly, at 25 he decided to quit his job and learn the piano seriously to become a professional musician. He spent years painstakingly learning how to play - and has since released 6 albums and performed at some of the most iconic music venues from Ronnie Scott's to the Royal Albert Hall. He's also a bit of a star on social media with millions of fans who follow his adventures of him playing the many street pianos you find around the country. His music picks are all based around the piano - from the pure romance of Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto, to the video game imagination of Ryuichi Sakamoto and the latin funk of Stevie Wonder. Meanwhile Jess finds a new inspiration in Sibelius's Third Symphony, one of her teenage soundtracks in Massive Attack and an uneasy waltz by Shostakovich. Playlist: MILES DAVIS: Nardis [Bill Evans Trio] SHOSTAKOVICH: Jazz Suite no.2 – Waltz no 2 [Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Riccardo Chailly (conductor)] RUYICHI SAKAMOTO: Seven Samurai: Ending Theme RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto no 2 – 2nd mvt Adagio sostenuto [Khatia Buniatishvilli (piano), Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi (conductor)] MASSIVE ATTACK: Hymn of the Big Wheel CHOPIN: Waltz op.64 no.2 in C sharp minor [Arthur Rubinstein (piano)] SIBELIUS: Symphony no.3 – 2nd mvt Andantino [BBC Philharmonic /John Storgards (conductor)] STEVIE WONDER: Another Star

Jess Gillam is joined by percussionist Delia Stevens to share the music they love and make some new discoveries, including tracks by Tessa Lark, Avner Dorman, Fabiano do Nascimento and Jack Hylton and His Orchestra. Playlist: Debussy: Danse profane for harp & orchestra Tessa Lark: Jig and Pop Cyrille Aimée: It's a Good Day Vega Trails: Love Your Grace Avner Dorman: Frozen in Time (Indoafrica & Eurasia) Julius Klengel: Hymnus Fabiano do Nascimento: Forro Brasil Jack Hylton & His Orchestra: Life is just a bowl of cherries

Jess Gillam and violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason swap some of their favourite tracks and chat about their lives in music. Braimah comes armed with a classic Beethoven recording by violinist Itzhak Perlman, a feel-good tune by The Melodians and a Haydn quartet. Meanwhile, Jess spins Rachmaninov at his most romantic, Monteverdi by the ensemble L'Arpeggiata and a soaring performance by Etta James. Playlist: HAYDN – String Quartet, op.33 no 2 ‘The Joke' 1st mvt Allegro Moderato [London Haydn Players] ETTA JAMES – At Last RACHMANINOV – Symphony no 2 – 3rd mvt ‘Adagio' [London Symphony Orchestra/Simon Rattle (cond)] JOSEPH ACHRON – Hebrew Melody, op.33 [Josef Hassid (violin), Gerald Moore (piano)] MONTEVERDI, arr. Pluhar – Zefiro Torna, SV251 [Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Nuria Rial (soprano), l'Arpeggiata/Christina Pluhar (director)] THE MELODIANS: Rivers of Babylon TRAD: Ku-Isa Tama Laug [David Darling (cello), The Wulu Bunun] BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D, op.61 – 3rd mvt [Itzhak Perlman (violin), Berlin Philharmonic/Daniel Barenboim (conductor)]

Jess Gillam and baritone James Newby swap some of their favourite tracks and chat about their lives in music. James - who was one of Radio 3's New Generation Artists - is one of the country's most exciting young baritones and performs all around Europe in everything from contemporary opera to intimate song recitals. His music picks include a choral piece by Howells that changed the direction of his life and catapulted him into a music career and the stunning voices of Celeste and Bryn Terfel. Meanwhile, Jess picks a stunner of a voice of her own in Sarah Vaughan, alongside the energy of John Adams and a tender ballad for violin and piano by Donald Grant. Playlist: MOZART: Marriage of Figaro – Overture [Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yannick Nezet Seguin (conductor)] DONALD GRANT: Bha lá eile ann [Elena Urioste (violin), Tom Poster (piano)] HERBERT HOWELLS: Nunc Dimittis (from Collegium Regale) [Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury] CELESTE: Strange JOHN ADAMS: Short Ride in a Fast Machine [City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle (conductor)] DILYS ELWYN EDWARDS: The Cloths of Heaven (Gwiseg Nefoedd) [Bryn Terfel (baritone), Malcolm Martineau (piano)] CORELLI: Follia [Hesperion XXI, Jordi Savall] SARAH VAUGHAN: Be My Love

Jess Gillam swaps favourite music with the mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter Anne Sofie is one of classical music's most celebrated singers with a huge back catalogue of recordings, and she's also known for her huge versatility and musical curiosity working with artists from conductors Claudio Abbado and Giuseppe Sinopoli to Elvis Costello, Brad Mehldau and Rufus Wainwright. Today though she's listening to other people's recordings, as she and Jess sat down together to listen to a Janacek fanfare and a headphone blasting piece of Verdi. Jess picks a Nina Simone track that left them both speechless, while Anne Sofie brought along a ravishing piece by Rameau and (quite literally) turned up the volume on a barnstorming Beyoncé track. Playlist: JANACEK: Sinfonietta, 1st mvt 'Sokol Fanfare' [Vienna Philharmonic, Charles Mackerras (conductor)] JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON: Good Night, Day [Hildur Guðnadóttir (cello), Air Lyndhurst String Orchestra, Anthony Weeden (conductor)] BEYONCÉ: Countdown RAMEAU: Les Boréades, Act 4 Entrée de Polymie [Les Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski (cond)] VERDI: Requiem, Dies Irae (into Tuba Mirum) [Coro y Orchestra dell'Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano (conductor)] NINA SIMONE: Little Girl Blue BENGAN JANSON: I've Found a New Baby

Jess Gillam and violinist Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux share their favourite music with each other, including the sublime voices of Dhafer Youssef and the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir, an intimate transcription of Gluck, joy and happiness from Boccherini and the Maccabees plus the unmistakable vibrato of Sidney Bechet.

Jess Gillam is joined by the Finnish violinist, conductor, and composer Pekka Kuusisto. They share thoughts on some favourite music, from a jazz arrangement of a Monteverdi madrigal to piano music by Ligeti, and from Bernstein's Wonderful Town to the Swedish singer Katarina Barruk.

Jess Gillam and percussionist Sehyogue Aulakh share some of the music that they love, from Aretha Franklin to Dmitri Shostakovich, JS Bach and Seckou Keita. Sehyogue's Playlist: SHOSTAKOVICH – Symphony No. 5 in D Minor Op. 47: I. Moderato (Royal Concertegabouw Orchestra, Bernard Haiktink) MOBY – Porcelain COUPERIN arr. Ades – Les Baricades misterieuses (Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon) ARETHA FRANKLN – (You make me feel like a) Natural Woman SECKOU KEITA - Sakiliba COLERIDGE-TAYLOR – Ballade in A Minor Op. 33: I. Allegro energetico, ma non troppo presto (Chineke! Orchestra, Kalena Bovell SIMON MOULLIER - Acceptance (Simon Moullier - Vibraphone, Balafon, Percussions, Synths; Dayna Stephens - Saxophone ; Simon Chivallon – Piano; Luca Alemanno – Bass; Jongkuk Kim - Drums)

Jess Gillam meets violinist Tessa Lark to swap some of their favourite music. Tessa is an in-demand classical concert violinist but growing up in Kentucky, she's equally inspired by bluegrass music and American folk styles and so blends the two influences in a lot of her work. Traditional music features prominently in her music choices as the Martin Hayes Quartet and Swedish duo Vasen rub shoulders with a Beethoven Symphony. Meanwhile Jess brings along an orchestral tearjerker by Pietro Mascagni, a track by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and some retro soul vibes by Saun and Starr. Playlist: VASEN: Silverschottis GIOVANNI SOLIMA: Il bell'Antonio – tema II [Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Kathryn Stott (piano)] MICHAEL THURBER & THE HUNTERTONES: Gigantic Energy SAMUEL COLERIDGE TAYLOR: Violin Concerto in G minor, op.80 – 2nd mvt [Elena Urioste (violin), Chineke! Orchestra, Kevin John Edusei (conductor)] MARTIN HAYES QUARTET: The Boy In the Gap JEAN LENOIR: Parlez moi d'amour [Lucienne Boyer (singer)] BEETHOVEN: Symphony no 2 in D major, op.36 4th mvt ‘Allegro molto' [Vienna Philharmonic, Simon Rattle (conductor) SAUN & STARR: In the Night

Jess Gillam is joined by composer, pianist and technologist Zubin Kanga, with music from Gesualdo to Ravel via Laurie Spiegel and Jaco Pastorius.

Jess Gillam is joined by sitarist and composer Jasdeep Singh Degun to share and talk about the music that they both love, with tracks from Philip Glass, Monteverdi, Nishat Khan and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Along the way they discover some of the links between western and Indian classical music, and find out more about Jasdeep's childhood in Leeds, and his experiences in the world of classical composition. Playlist: Rachmaninov: Elégie (Morceaux de Fantasie, Op 3 No 1) Nishat Khan: Raga Gaoti Nick Cave / Nicholas Lens: Litany of Gathering Up Monteverdi: Ahi, caso acerbo! (L'Orfeo) Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: This Land is Your Land Philip Glass: Violin concerto Nadia Boulanger: Cantique Abi Sampa & Rushil: Man Kunto Maula (Orchestral Qawwali)

Jess Gillam's guest is pianist and composer Missy Mazzoli. They share some of the music that they love, including Ellen Reid, JS Bach, Julian Lage and Sudanese singer Aamina Camaari.

Jess's meets folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Hazel Askew to swap some of their favourite music. Hazel is a fixture in the UK folk music scene known for her bands Lady Maisery and the Askew Sisters, as well as numerous collaborative projects across different musical genres. Today they sit down to listen to a full-blooded folk waltz by Warsaw Village Band, a symphony with all the tunes by Dvorak, Stevie Wishart channelling Hildegard of Bingen and a surprisingly emotional David Bowie cover by M Ward. Playlist: WARSAW VILLAGE BAND – At My Mother's ERIK SATIE – Gnossienne No.1 [Alexandre Tharaud (piano)] LEONARD BERNSTEIN – Chichester Psalms 1st mvt. Psalm 108 vs 2, Psalm 100 [Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Marin Alsop (conductor)] M WARD – Let's Dance ANTONIN DVORAK – Symphony no 9 – 4th mvt [Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra / Andris Nelsons (conductor)] STEVIE WISHART – Azeruz ELIZA CARTHY & MARTIN GREEN – Fen LITTLE SIMZ & MICHAEL KIWANUKA – Flowers

Jess Gillam's guest this week is conductor Gabriella Teychenné. Her musical life bounces between conducting brand new music, collaborating with symphony orchestras and she's the founder of Sinfonia Humanitas, a new ensemble whose concert programmes fuse early and contemporary music. Gabriella and Jess settle in for a listening party of the music they love, including a slice of Italian sunshine from Mendelssohn, a collaboration between folk artist Sam Lee and singer Elizabeth Fraser, a Schumann romance and a classic by Nick Drake. Playlist: LUTOSLAWSKI – Variations on a Theme by Paganini [BBC SO/Edward Gardner (conductor)] TRAD – The Moon Shines Bright [Sam Lee, Elizabeth Fraser] SCHUMANN – Symphony no 4 – 2nd mvt Romanza [London Symphony Orchestra/John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)] NICHOLAS BRITELL - Agape MENDELSSOHN – Symphony no 4 ‘Italian' – 1st mvt [Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Yannick Nezet-Seguin (conductor)] JAMES BLAKE – Life Round Here RESPIGHI – Ancient Dances and Airs – Siciliana [Filarmonica della Scala/ Riccardo Chailly (conductor)] NICK DRAKE – River Man

Jess Gillam is joined by a fellow saxophonist the Award-winning composer, poet, MC and producer Soweto Kinch to chat and share the music they love. Playlist: Debussy - Dances for Harp and Orchestra, L.103:2. Danse profane [Lavinia Meijer, Amsterdam Sinfonietta] Ben Webster - When I Fall in Love Steve Reich - Different Trains: America Before the War [Kronos Quartet] Amy Beach - 4 Sketches - Dreaming [Ambache Chamber Ensemble] Scott Joplin - Treemonisha: Act 3: A Real Slow Drag [Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Singers] Blanck Mass - Chernobyl Abel Selaocoe - Qhawe/Hero Beethoven - Symphony No 7 - 2nd movement [Berlin Philharmonic, Kirill Petrenko]

Jess Gillam is joined by acclaimed Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth to chat and share the music they love. Playlist: Stravinsky - Rite of Spring - XIV Pt2 le sacrifice: danse sacrale l'Elue [Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti] Mozart – Die Zauberflote, K.620; Act 2, no.17; Ach, ich fuhl's, es ist verschwunden [Mari Eriksmoen, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Jan Willem de Vriend] Massive Attack – Teardrop Ibrahim Maalouf - Una Rosa Blanca Wilhelm Friedemann Bach– Duet for 2 Flutes in E minor, F. 54 [Patrick Gallois (flute), Kazunori Seo (flute)] Tchaikovsky – Eugene Onegin, Op. 24, TH 5: Lensky's Aria [Janine Jansen (violin), Antonio Pappano (piano)] Sigrid – Mirror Janacek - In The Mists; I. Andante [Leif Ove Andsnes]

Jess Gillam chats to conductor Jack Bazalgette, co-founder of ‘through the noise' which aims to innovate and revolutionise live classical music. Their musical journey takes them to Zimbabwe with the music of mbira player Chiwoniso, a forest in Sweden with the Danish String Quartet plus we have the sounds of Barbara Moore, Mahler and Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders. Playlist: Franz Ignaz Beck - Symphony in C major, Op. 1, No 6, I. Allegro [New Zealand Chamber Orchestra, Donald Armstrong] Floating Points / Pharoah Sanders – Movement 1 (Promises) Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen - Waltz After Lasse in Lyby [The Danish String Quartet] Debussy - String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, CD 91, L. 85: III. Andantino. Doucement expressif [Ebene Quartet] Barbara Moore - Steam Heat Domenico Scarlatti - Sonata in F Minor, K466 [Vladimir Horowitz] Chiwoniso - Zvichapera Mahler - Symphony No.4: I. Bedächtig, nicht eilen [Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado]

Jess is joined by the cellist Laura van der Heijden to share some of their favourite musical discoveries, including JS Bach interpreted by the Lodestar Trio, music from Philip Glass's Book of Longing, a track from the trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf and Elena Urioste playing Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Cellist and composer Peter Gregson joins Jess from LA. They share some of their favourite tracks and new discoveries, including Steve Reich's Different Trains, a special recording of Schubert's String Quintet, Bach's Mass in B minor, and songs by Eva Cassidy and Bon Iver.

Jess Gillam and fellow saxophonist Laura Misch share the music they love, including tracks by Bjork, Hildegard von Bingen and Bob Marley. Playlist: Sibelius - Impromptu V (Leif Ove Andnes) Bendik Giske - Cruising Sarah Vaughan - Just One of Those Things Hildegard von Bingen - O vis eternitatis (Sequentia) Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds Saint-Saens - Carnival of the Animals: The Swan (Sheku, Jeneba, and Isata Kanneh-Mason) Strozzi - Che si puo fare? (Simone Kermes, Enrico Casazza) Bjork - The Anchor Song

Jess Gillam is joined by the Mumbai-born pianist Shivank Menon, to talk about the records that they love. Their playlist includes Rostropovich playing Bach, Sviatoslav Richter playing Chopin, songs by Ravel, Fanny Mendelssohn and Donny Hathaway, and a recording of Bill Evans duetting with himself. Playlist: MORELENBAUM2 & RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: Sabia J S BACH ARR. KODALY: Vater unser im Himmelrich, BWV 762 (Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Herbert Tachezi (organ) CHOPIN: Polonaise No 7 in A flat, Op 61 (Sviatoslav Richter, piano) ROBERT DE VISÉE: Sarabande from Suite No 7 in D minor (Thomas Dunford, archlute; Jean Rondeau, harpsichord) FANNY MENDELSSOHN: Schwanenlied, Op 1 No 1 (Dorothea Craxton, soprano & Babette Dorn, piano + Benjamin Appl, baritone & James Baillieu, piano) RAVEL: Soupir from 3 Poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano) DONNY HATHAWAY: A Song for You BILL EVANS: Emily

Jess Gillam swaps favourite music with singer, rock sitarist and composer Bishi. Together they journey through evocations of space from Meredith Monk, Holst and Roger Webb back home to different shades of the human voice in music - from sacred vocal music from the 15th century, via a Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass collaboration, the unique voice of Beverly Glenn-Copeland and singer Cosmo Sheldrake's wake-up call from the cuckoo. Playlist: RAVI SHANKAR/PHILIP GLASS: Prashanti TOMAS LUIS de VICTORIA: O Magnum Mysterium [Voces8] STRAVINSKY – Petrushka – Tableau 1 Fete Populaire de la semaine grasse [Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez (cond)] ROGER WEBB: Moonbird (Heaven and Hell) MEREDITH MONK: Atlas Part 3 – Invisible Light: Earth Seen from Above HOLST: The Planets – Mars [London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski (cond)] BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND: La Vita COSMO SHELDRAKE: Cuckoo Song