The Music Listening Project

In this episode, I listen to the African American composer's Lyric for strings and think about the difference between music that evokes emotions and music that works through them.

Brahms' second symphony is, as commentators agree, "serene, full of warmth, and brimming with optimism." The philosopher, Roger Scruton, writes that great music does not simply express a state - serenity, warmth, optimism – it interrogates it. In this podcast I explore his idea, and its – and the symphony's – profound relationship to life.

In this podcast I explore the idea that Dvorak redeems the problems of life – specifically the problem of his homesickness for Czechoslovakia – not by solving them but by turning them into music.

Commentators seem unable to praise the Finale of Mozart's 41st symphony enough, containing, "they say," the greatest 30 seconds of music ever written. I thought I'd work out why – and I'm not so sure I agree.

In this podcast I explore the relationship of carols to the magic of Christmas.

When I first rehearsed this music I could make no sense of it! So I made a podcast. Now I find parts of the Carol Symphony quite moving.

Journey to "where no [person] has gone before" or an early morning walk? Chamber music or symphony of gigantic proportions? Mark and Matthew listen to key moments from a work haunted by themes of joy, unrequited love and death.

Matthew and Mark discover the classical in the romantic.

Mark and Matthew listen to the first movement of Brahms' violin concerto and discover that, at heart, its depth and richness lies in the organic development of simple, musical ideas.

The opening pizzicato – the cork pops on a bottle of Prosecco – the brilliant Italian sunshine reveals the exquisite detail of Mendelssohn's mastery.