What great music has been inspired by war?

On Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Classical Music, Sunday 1 June 2014, 9pm-10pm, Catherine Bott marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day by showcasing music that captures the event, and other works that explore military conflict.

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day, Catherine Bott asks 'What great music has been inspired by war?' 

On 6 June 1944 - known as D-Day - Allied Forces began landing Normandy; it was the largest seaborne invasion in history. The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault which landed 24,000 British, U.S. and Canadian troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France starting at 6.30 in the morning.

Catherine marks D-Day itself tonight with Maurice Jarre's music for The Longest Day, John Williams' 'Hymn to the Fallen' from Saving Private Ryan, and a piece called 'D-Day' from Victory at Sea by Richard Rodgers, of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame. 

But looking further back into history, Catherine also explores other significant conflicts which were marked with music by Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin and Tchaikovsky.