Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Creating Music

Nina Sosanya and Graeme Hawley with readings from Walter de la Mare, Errollyn Wallen, Stephen Hough and Jane Austen, alongside music ranging from Chopin to Simon and Garfunkel

Nina Sosanya and Graeme Hawley give us a series of readings considering the way music is created, with insights from a range of composers. Hector Berlioz recalls the day his father finally gave him permission to study music in Paris, the Master of the King’s Music, Errollyn Wallen learns how to motivate musicians performing her works and pianist Sir Stephen Hough remembers the time he first laid eyes on a piano. Whilst poems by Wendy Cope consider experimentalism and traditionalism in music. All set alongside compositions by Puccini, Bach, Nadia Boulanger, Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita and Benjamin Britten.

You can hear all of the music making from this year's ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Proms on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3 and ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sounds which opens with a world premiere from Errollyn Wallen on Fri July 18th

Producer in Salford: Joseph Zubier

Readings:
Musica Dei donum by Anonymous
Music by Walter de la Mare
The Study of Counterpoint: Gradus ad Parnassum [excerpt] by Johann Joseph Fux, trans. Alfred Mann
The Traditionalist by Wendy Cope
The Radical by Wendy Cope
Interviews [excerpt] by Pierre Boulez, trans. Joseph Zubier
Music, when soft voices die (To-) by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Ode on St Cecilia’s Day [excerpt] by Alexander Pope
Enough: 'Scenes from Childhood' [excerpt] by Stephen Hough
Essex Rag by Lavinia Greenlaw
Far From the Madding Crowd [excerpt] by Thomas Hardy
Memoires [excerpt] by Hector Berlioz, trans. David Cairns
The Composer by W.H. Auden
Transit by Rita Dove
Becoming a Composer [excerpt] by Errollyn Wallen
At a Solemn Music by John Milton

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 13 Jul 2025 18:00

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Anonymous

    Musica Dei donum

  • 00:01

    John Stanley

    Trumpet Voluntary

    Performer: Wynton Marsalis. Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Anthony Newman.
    • Wynton Marsalis: In Gabriel’s Garden.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 29.
  • 00:01

    John Stanley

    Trumpet Voluntary

    Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Anthony Newman.
    • Sony Classical.
    • Tr29.
  • Walter de la Mare

    Music

  • 00:06

    Giacomo Puccini

    Humming Chorus (Madam Butterfly)

    Choir: Vienna State Opera Choir. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • Your Hundred Best Opera Tunes IV.
    • Decca.
    • 8.
  • 00:06

    Giacomo Puccini

    Madama Butterfly - Act 2; Humming Chorus

    Choir: Vienna State Opera Choir. Orchestra: Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • Decca.
    • Tr8.
  • Johann Joseph Fux, trans. Alfred Mann

    The Study of Counterpoint: Gradus ad Parnassum [excerpt]

  • 00:09

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    Die Kunst der Fuge BWV.1080: Contrapunctus IX a 4 alla duodecima

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Bach: The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080.
    • Hyperion.
    • 9.
  • 00:09

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    Die Kunst der Fuge BWV.1080: Contrapunctus IX a 4 alla duodecima

    Performer: Angela Hewitt.
    • Hyperion.
    • Tr9.
  • Wendy Cope

    The Traditionalist

  • 00:12

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Ill Wind

    Performer: Michael Flanders and Donald Swann. Music Arranger: Donald Swann. Music Arranger: Michael Flanders.
    • At the Drop of Another Hat.
    • Parlophone UK.
    • 5.
  • 00:12

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    III Wind (after Mozart's Concerto for Horn in E-flat major: III)

    Lyricist: Michael Flanders. Performer: Michael Flanders and Donald Swann.
    • Parlophone UK.
    • Tr5.
  • Wendy Cope

    The Radical

  • 00:15

    Paul Simon

    The Sound Of Silence

    Music Arranger: Geoff Lawson. Music Arranger: Chris Trueman. Performer: Miloš Karadaglić. Ensemble: 12 Ensemble.
    • The Sound of Silence.
    • Decca.
    • 1.
  • 00:15

    Paul Simon

    The Sound of Silence

    Performer: Miloš Karadaglić. Ensemble: 12 Ensemble.
    • Decca.
    • Tr1.
  • Pierre Boulez, trans. Joseph Zubier

    Interviews [excerpt]

  • 00:19

    Nadia Boulanger

    Trois Improvisations: III. Improvisation

    Performer: Anna Lapwood.
    • Images.
    • Signum.
    • 7.
  • 00:19

    Nadia Boulanger

    Trois Improvisations: III. Improvisation

    Performer: Anna Lapwood.
    • Signum Classics.
    • Tr7.
  • Percy Bysshe Shelley

    Music, when soft voices die (To-)

  • 00:22

    Gabriel Fauré

    In Paradisum (Requiem, Op.48)

    Choir: The Sixteen. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Mozart: Vespers and Faure: Requiem.
    • Coro.
    • 14.
  • 00:22

    Gabriel Fauré

    Requiem, Op.48: In Paradisum

    Choir: The Sixteen. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • Coro.
    • Tr14.
  • Alexander Pope

    Ode on St Cecilia’s Day [excerpt]

  • 00:26

    George Frideric Handel

    Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Solomon)

    Music Arranger: Christina Pluhar. Ensemble: L’Arpeggiata. Conductor: Christina Pluhar.
    • Handel Goes Wild.
    • WARNER.
    • 7.
  • 00:26

    George Frideric Handel

    The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

    Ensemble: L’Arpeggiata. Director: Christina Pluhar.
    • Erato.
    • Tr7.
  • Stephen Hough

    Enough: 'Scenes from Childhood' [excerpt]

  • 00:32

    Sir Stephen Hough

    Sonatina nostalgica: II. The Bench by the Dam

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hough: Piano Concerto, Sonatina & Partita.
    • Hyperion.
    • 5.
  • 00:32

    Sir Stephen Hough

    Sonatina nostalgica: II. The Bench by the Dam

    Performer: Sir Stephen Hough.
    • Hyperion.
    • Tr5.
  • 00:34

    Scott Joplin

    Maple Leaf Rag

    Music Arranger: Evelyn Glennie. Performer: Evelyn Glennie. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Ray Russell.
    • Rhythm Song.
    • RCA.
    • 9.
  • 00:34

    Scott Joplin

    Maple Leaf Rag

    Performer: Evelyn Glennie. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Ray Russell.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • Tr9.
  • Lavinia Greenlaw

    Essex Rag

  • 00:37

    Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington

    It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

    • Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook.
    • Efor, S.L.
    • 9.
  • 00:37

    Ella Fitzgerald

    It don't mean a thing (if it aint got that swing)

    • Efor, S.L.
    • Tr9.
  • Thomas Hardy

    Far From the Madding Crowd [excerpt]

  • 00:42

    Claude Debussy

    Syrinx

    Performer: Emmanuel Pahud.
    • Debussy Sonates & Trio.
    • Erato.
    • 4.
  • 00:42

    Claude Debussy

    Syrinx for flute solo

    Performer: Emmanuel Pahud.
    • Erato.
    • Tr4.
  • Hector Berlioz, trans. David Cairns

    Memoires [excerpt]

  • 00:47

    Frédéric Chopin

    Impromptu in A flat major, Op.29

    Performer: Leif Ove Andsnes.
    • Horizons.
    • EMI.
    • 7.
  • 00:47

    Frédéric Chopin

    Impromptu in A-flat major Op.29 for piano

    Performer: Leif Ove Andsnes.
    • EMI.
    • Tr7.
  • W.H. Auden

    The Composer

  • 00:51

    Giuseppe Tartini

    Violin Sonata in G minor 'Devil's Trill' (Sogni dell autore)

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: Christian Curnyn. Performer: Catherine Rimer. Performer: Thomas Dunford.
    • Nicola Benedetti, Italia.
    • Decca.
    • 7.
  • 00:51

    Giuseppe Tartini

    Sonata in G minor (Devil's Trill): 3rd mvt

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: Christian Curnyn. Performer: Catherine Rimer. Performer: Thomas Dunford.
    • Decca.
    • Tr7.
  • Rita Dove

    Transit

  • 00:57

    Seckou Keita

    Future Strings

    Performer: Catrin Finch. Performer: Seckou Keita.
    • Clychau Dibon.
    • Astar Artes Recordings Limited.
    • 02.
  • 00:57

    Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita

    Future Strings

    • Astar Artes Recordings.
    • Tr2.
  • Errollyn Wallen

    Becoming a Composer [excerpt]

  • 01:04

    Errollyn Wallen

    Mighty River

    Orchestra: Orchestra X. Conductor: Andrew Morley. Conductor: Andrew Morley.
    • NMC Recordings.
    • Tr101.
  • 01:04

    Errollyn Wallen

    Mighty River

    Orchestra: Orchestra X. Conductor: Andrew Morley.
    • Errollyn Wallen: Mighty River (Live).
    • NMC Recordings.
    • 101.
  • John Milton

    At a Solemn Music

  • 01:11

    Benjamin Britten

    The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Fugue)

    Orchestra: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Andrew Davis.
    • Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ SO/Davis.
    • Teldec.
    • 1.
  • 01:11

    Benjamin Britten

    The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op.34: Fugue

    Orchestra: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.
    • Teldec.
    • Tr1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 13 Jul 2025 18:00

The hidden history of plant-based diets

The hidden history of plant-based diets

Forget social media influencers - the meat-free movement started with the Victorians.

Books website

Get closer to books with in-depth articles, quizzes and our picks from radio & TV.