Fatal Attraction
Kate Molleson explores the maverick spirit, fierce passions and phenomenal twilight years of Leos Janacek. Today, we hear about the dramatic final scenes of his life.
Kate Molleson unpacks the dramatic final scenes of Janacek鈥檚 life.
Leo拧 Jan谩膷ek was a true Czech original. He heard music in the way people talk on the streets, loved the local and made it universal - pouring his 鈥渟peech melodies鈥� into pioneering, devastating operas, and writing some of the most intimate confessionals in instrumental music. His life also came with a major plot twist 鈥� after years of toiling away unappreciated, he suddenly found fame in his 60s. Instead of winding down, Jan谩膷ek revved up. All this week, Kate Molleson explores his maverick spirit, his fierce passions, and the phenomenal flood of inspiration of his twilight years.
Today, Jan谩膷ek's relationship with Kamila reaches fever pitch, he pours his feelings into his extraordinary 鈥淚ntimate Letters鈥� Quartet, and he heads out on a holiday from which he鈥檇 never return鈥�
Intimate Sketches: Waiting for You!
Lada Vale拧ov谩, piano
From the House of the Dead Suite (iii. Holiday is Coming)
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Peter Breiner, conductor
Quartet No 2 鈥業ntimate Letters鈥� 1st and 2nd movements
Tak谩cs Quartet
Quartet No 2 鈥業ntimate Letters鈥� 3rd and 4th movements
Pavel Haas Quartet
On the Overgrown Path (No 7 - Good Night)
Bertrand Chamayou, piano
Produced by Amelia Parker for 蜜芽传媒 Audio Wales and West
Last on
More episodes
Next
You are at the last episode
Music Played
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
Intimate Sketches (No 8, I am Waiting for You!)
Performer: Olena Kushpler.- AVI : AVI8553084.
- AVI.
- 22.
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
From the House of the Dead Suite (3rd mvt, Holiday is Coming)
Orchestra: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Breiner.- NAXOS : 8.570706.
- NAXOS.
- 9.
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
String Quartet No 2 "Intimate Letters" (1st & 2nd mvts)
Ensemble: Tak谩cs Quartet.- HYPERION : CDA 67997.
- HYPERION.
- 9.
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
Sinfonietta (2nd & 3rd mvt)
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.- LSO LIVE : LSO0850.
- LSO LIVE.
- 16.
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
String Quartet No 2 "Intimate Letters" (3rd & 4th mvts)
Ensemble: Pavel Haas Quartet.- SUPRAPHON : SU 38772.
- SUPRAPHON.
- 3.
-
![]()
Leos Jan谩膷ek
On an Overgrown Path (No 7, Good Night!)
Performer: Bertrand Chamayou.- WARNER CLASSICS : 9029524243.
- WARNER CLASSICS.
- 1.
Broadcast
- Fri 23 May 2025 16:00蜜芽传媒 Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.