The Classic FM Concert with John Suchet

Following the finals of the Leeds International Piano Competition over the weekend, John presents a programme showcasing the talents of past finalists from the competition’s 60 year history.

There’s a sparkling performance of Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in F major from 1972 winner Murray Perahia, who also went on to win three Grammy Awards, and 1975 silver award holder Mitsuko Uchida plays Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.11.

Another competitor, Myung-Whun Chung, shows his versatility in the role of conductor with the Bastille Opera Orchestra playing a suite of highlights from Bizet’s Carmen, Kathryn Stott plays Mendelssohn with long-time collaborator Yo-Yo Ma, and there’s Chopin from 2018 winner Eric Lu.

Johann Sebastian Bach
Keyboard Concerto in F major BWV.1057
Murray Perahia directs the Academy of St Martin in the Fields from the keyboard

Georges Bizet
Carmen Suite
Myung-Whun Chung conducts the Bastille Opera Orchestra

Felix Mendelssohn
Song Without Words in D major Opus 109
Cello: Yo-Yo Ma
Piano: Kathryn Stott

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concerto No.11 in F major K.413
Piano: Mitsuko Uchida
Jeffrey Tate conducts the English Chamber Orchestra

Frédéric Chopin
Prelude in D-flat major Opus 28 No.15
(‘Raindrop’)
Piano: Eric Lu

Ludwig van Beethoven
Triple Concerto in C major Opus 566
Violin: Christian Tetzlaff
Cello: Tanja Tetzlaff
Piano: Lars Vogt
Royal Northern Sinfonia

John marks the birthday of Gustav Holst, born on this day in 1874, with a performance of one of his lesser-known works. Though he himself described it as one of his “early horrors”, Holst’s Suite de Ballet is full of his characteristic folk-inspired melodies and dances.

Elsewhere in the programme, there’s a Borodin favourite, Schubert’s Symphony No.6 played by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and a 16th century motet – but with a 20th century twist.

Alexander Borodin
In the Steppes of Central Asia
Valery Gergiev conducts the Kirov Orchestra

Joseph Haydn
Keyboard Concerto in D major Hob.XVIII:11
Leif Ove Andsnes directs the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra from the keyboard

Cristobal de Morales
Parce mihi Domine
Saxophone: Jan Garbarek
Hilliard Ensemble

Gustav Holst
Suite de Ballet Opus 10
Richard Hickox conducts the Northern Sinfonia

Gerald Finzi
5 Bagatelles Opus 23
Clarinet: Robert Plane
Howard Griffiths conducts the Royal Northern Sinfonia

Edvard Grieg
Wedding Day in Troldhaugen Opus 65 No.6
Piano: Leif Ove Andsnes

Franz Schubert
Symphony No.6 in C major D.589
Claudio Abbado conducts the Chamber Orchestra of Europe

John presents an evening of midweek mood lifters – the perfect mix of relaxing music to ease the working week.

To begin, a fairy-tale-inspired overture by Rossini, before there are more stories to be told in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, played by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the great Herbert von Karajan.

There’s also elevating Bach, a sunny favourite by Tarrega, and highlights from Show Boat by Jerome Kern.

Gioachino Rossini
La Cenerentola – Overture
Carlo Rizzi conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Jay Ungar
The Ashokan Farewell
Major JR Perkins conducts the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines

Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade Opus 35
Herbert von Karjan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Francisco Tarrega
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Guitar: Thibaut Garcia

Antonio Vivaldi
Violin Concerto in D major RV.208
Rachel Podger directs Brecon Baroque from the violin

Johann Sebastian Bach
Partita No.4 in D major BWV.828 – Allemande
Piano: Charles Owen

Jerome Kern
Show Boat – Symphonic Selection
Carl Davis conducts the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

John presents a very special broadcast of Classic FM Live. The exciting classical concert returned – for the first time in almost two years – to the Royal Albert Hall, in front of a sell-out audience, on Wednesday 22nd September.

The spectacular celebration of classical music features favourites from the Classic FM Hall of Fame, as Camille and Julie Berthollet make their Royal Albert Hall debut with their rendition Vivaldi’s Four Seasons plus music by Sir Karl Jenkins and Vittorio Monti. Then Khatia Buniatishvili plays Rachmaninov’s enduringly romantic Piano Concerto No.2.

Alongside the world-class soloists is the Chineke! Orchestra, conducted by Damon Gupta, who play the beautiful Ballade in A minor by Coleridge-Taylor, and Tchaikovsky’s exhilarating 1812 Overture.

John celebrates the birthday of John Rutter, one of the country’s most celebrated living composers, with a beautiful performance of his Suite Lyrique, after a critically acclaimed recording of Beethoven’s mighty ‘Emperor’ Concerto, written whilst Vienna was under siege, from Stephen Hough. and music from the 2019 Vienna New Year’s Concert.

Concluding the programme is a piece that almost never came to be. Schumann had almost exclusively written for piano until his wife, fellow composer Clara, encouraged him to write a symphony, writing in her diary “his imagination cannot find sufficient scope on the piano.. my highest wish is that he should compose for orchestra”. Her wish came true, and Schumann composed his Symphony No.1 in the space of just four days. John selects a recording from the Staatskapelle Berlin under Daniel Barenboim.

Johann Strauss Jr
Where the Lemons Blossom Opus 364
Andris Nelsons conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus K.618
Stephen Cleobury conducts the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No.5 in E-flat major Opus 73
(‘Emperor’)
Piano: Stephen Hough
Hannu Lintu conducts the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

John Rutter
Suite Lyrique
Harp: Catrin Finch
John Rutter conducts Sinfonia Cymru

Leo Delibes
Coppelia – Waltz
Kent Nagano conducts the Lyon Opera Orchestra

Robert Schumann
Symphony No.1 in B-flat major Opus 38
Daniel Barenboim conducts the Staatskapelle Berlin