How to Listen Episodes Available now

Synthonic Music Explained
Two examples of masterpieces on a synthonic scale

Tchaikovsky and How to Distinguish Instruments
How Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence exemplifies instrumental minimalism

Music Inspired by Pelleas and Melisande
How the play Pelleas and Melisande inspired several composers

French Impressionism and Music
Debussy was considered to be the sound of French impressionism

Composers and the Countryside
How the countryside and the rural ideal has inspired composers

Musical Classification Explained
A discussion of whether it is possible to categorise or 'classify' music

Russian Orthodox Easter Music
How music is used to celebrate Easter in the Orthodox Christian Church

Strauss - Four Last Songs
The work of Richard Strauss and the first aired recording of his Four Last Songs

Hearing or Listening?
An examination of the difference between hearing and listening

Music from the Last Night of The Proms
A look at three pieces of music that are always played on the last night of The Proms