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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 Franklin PLAYLIST: 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]