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Jonathan Sumption

Michael Berkeley's guest is the lawyer and historian Lord Sumption.

Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, isn’t afraid of hard work or an intellectual challenge. He’s combined a high-profile legal career with a passion for medieval history, and his books include a five volume, 4000 page account of the Hundred Years War, widely described as ‘monumental.’

For much of his career he was a very successful barrister working on commercial law, constitutional law and human rights cases, with clients ranging from the British government to Roman Abramovich. Then in 2012 he made history when he was appointed to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, without ever having served as a full time judge.

In 2019, he gave the Reith Lectures, under the title Law and the Decline of Politics, examining how the courts are taking on more of the role of making law. It’s a topic he follows up in his most recent book, The Challenges of Democracy and the Rule of Law.

Jonathan's musical choices includes Berlioz, Schumann, Britten and Mozart.

29 days left to listen

1 hour, 26 minutes

Last on

Yesterday 12:00

Music Played

  • Nicolaus Bruhns

    Prelude in E minor

    Performer: Friedhelm Flamme.
    • Bruhns - Leyding - Complete Organ Works - Friedhelm Flamme.
    • cpo.
    • 6.
  • Robert Schumann

    Piano Quartet in E flat, Op.47 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Alexander Melnikov. Ensemble: Jerusalem Quartet.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
  • Hector Berlioz

    De quels revers (The Trojans)

    Singer: Stephen Milling. Singer: Sara Mingardo. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Colin Davis.
    • Berlioz Odyssey: The Complete Colin Davis Recordings.
    • LSO Live.
    • 39.
  • Franz Schubert

    Symphony No. 9 in C "The Great" (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Schubert: Symphony No.9 / Wagner: Siegfried Idyll.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Soave sia il vento (from Così fan tutte)

    Singer: Sandrine Piau. Singer: Lea Desandre. Singer: Florian Sempey. Orchestra: Insula Orchestra. Conductor: Laurence Equilbey.
    • Erato.
  • Richard Wagner

    Tannhauser (Overture)

    Performer: Tanguy de Williencourt. Music Arranger: Franz Liszt.
    • Wagner - Liszt.
    • Mirare.
    • 201.
  • John Dunstable

    Missa Da gaudiorum premia (Sanctus)

    Ensemble: The Binchois Consort. Conductor: Andrew Kirkman.
    • Music for the 100 Years' War (1337-1453).
    • Hyperion.
  • Leos JanáÄek

    Jenufa opera Act 2: Jenufa's prayer

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Singer: Elizabeth Soderstrom.
    • Jenufa.
    • Decca.
    • 4.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (Dawn)

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.
    • Britten: Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra: Bergen P.O., Neeme Jarvi.
    • BIS.
    • 6.
  • Richard Strauss

    Moonlight Music (Capriccio)

    Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Böhm.
    • Strauss: Four Last Songs; Capriccio - Final Scene; Death and Transfiguration.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 2.

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