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A journey to Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite

Sara Mohr-Pietsch plots a course towards Peter Warlock's Capriol Suite.

Sara Mohr-Pietsch plots a course towards Peter Warlock's most enduring work - the Capriol Suite. Warlock (a pseudonym for Philip Heseltine), was a British composer and critic in the 1920s, who died tragically young. He was a lifelong champion of the music of his friends Frederick Delius, Béla Bartók and Bernard van Dieren, but also drew inspiration from 16th Century composers such as Carlo Gesualdo and John Dowland.

His Capriol Suite, published in 1926 for piano duet is now best known in his version for string orchestra. The suite is named after a character mentioned in a dancing manual by the 16th Century French musician Thoinot Arbeau. Warlock takes six tunes found in Arbeau's "Orchésographie" and uses them as a basis to create new music in his own inimitable style.

Along the way, you can hear other pieces by composers who used pseudonyms, like Augusta Holmès, Jelly Roll Morton and Mrs Philharmonica. You can also hear works by Mozart, Ravel and Dobrinka Tabakova which draw on music from the past. And there's more music for string orchestra in the shape of Grieg's Holberg Suite.

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say: 'Ask ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sounds to play Music Map.'

6 days left to listen

1 hour, 29 minutes

Last on

Sun 12 Oct 2025 13:30

Music Played

  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite: Prelude

    Orchestra: Norwegian Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Terje Tønnesen.
    • BIS.
  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    Italien

    Performer: Eugene Asti. Singer: Susan Gritton.
    • Hyperion.
  • Augusta Holmès

    Symphonic Ode "Ludus pro patria" (II La nuit e l'amour)

    Orchestra: Rheinland-Pfalz State Philharmonic. Conductor: Patrick Davin.
    • Marco Polo.
  • Mrs. Philarmonica

    Sonata Sesta in G major (4th mvt: Vivace)

    Ensemble: Le Consort.
    • Alpha.
  • Jelly Roll Morton

    Jelly Roll Blues

    Performer: Jelly Roll Morton.
    • Magic Gold Records.
  • Frederick Delius

    Fennimore & Gerda (Introduction)

    Music Arranger: Eric Fenby. Orchestra: Northern Sinfonia of England. Conductor: Richard Hickox.
    • Warner Classics.
  • John Dowland

    Lachrimae

    Performer: Jakob Lindberg.
    • BIS.
  • Bernard van Dieren

    String Quartet No.6 (2nd mvt: Cantabile)

    Ensemble: Utrecht String Quartet.
    • NM Classics.
  • Béla Bartók

    Romanian Folk Dances

    Orchestra: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Sakari Oramo.
    • Warner Classics.

Broadcast

  • Sun 12 Oct 2025 13:30