Karol Szymanowski

Donald Macleod explores the myriad influences on the life’s work of Karol Szymanowski

• 60 mins

Ludwig van Beethoven: Making a Man

Donald Macleod on Beethoven’s childhood clues that point to the great man he would become

• 71 mins

Samuel Wesley

Donald Macleod delves into the life and work of Samuel Wesley

• 59 mins

Ludwig van Beethoven: Conversations with Friends

Donald Macleod and his guests discuss Beethoven’s early chamber music..

• 70 mins

Claudio Monteverdi

Donald Macleod looks at five themes in Monteverdi's life through the letters he wrote.

• 69 mins

Ludwig van Beethoven: Making His Way

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven as he sets himself up in his new home of Vienna

• 73 mins

Florence Price

Donald Macleod uncovers the story and prolific output of American composer Florence Price

• 66 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: At Home

Donald Macleod uncovers some of Beethoven’s personal possessions at his home in Bonn.

• 101 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: The Drawing Room Demon

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven’s progress as he seeks out wealthy Viennese patrons

• 78 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: At the Keyboard

Pianist Jonathan Biss shares the wonder of Beethoven's piano sonatas with Donald Macleod.

• 112 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Fate

Donald Macleod continues his journey through the life of Ludwig van Beethoven.

• 67 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Beethoven and the Voice

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven’s vocal music with Iain Burnside and Simone Young

• 81 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: New Pathways

Donald Macleod continues his journey through the life of Ludwig van Beethoven.

• 77 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Return to Form

Donald Macleod explores the enduring power of Beethoven’s late string quartets

• 94 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Hero

Donald Macleod explores the triumphs, friends and foes of Beethoven’s ‘heroic’ phase.

• 82 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Private Papers

Donald Macleod examines Beethoven’s documents to see what they reveal about him

• 91 mins

Holmes and Duparc

Donald Macleod explores the lives and music of Augusta Holmès and Henri Duparc.

• 80 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Restless Spirit

Donald Macleod follows Ludwig van Beethoven through the years 1807-1809.

• 78 mins

Johann Sebastian Bach

Donald Macleod journeys through Johann Sebastian Bach’s relationship with the organ

• 54 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words

Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven's varied and rich correspondence.

• 118 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Creating the Myth

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven through the years 1810-1812

• 78 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: How to Play Beethoven

Donald Macleod meets professional musicians to get the performer’s eye view of Beethoven

• 94 mins

Marie Jaëll

Donald Macleod delves into the life and career of the piano prodigy Marie Jaëll

• 52 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Phoenix Rising

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's life and music through the years 1813-1815.

• 82 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Spirit of the Age

Donald Macleod is joined by five guests to explore Beethoven’s wider world.

• 97 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Withdrawal

Donald Macleod follows Ludwig van Beethoven through the years of 1816-1821

• 87 mins

Kaija Saariaho (b 1952)

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about five contrasting aspects of her music.

• 82 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Piano Sonatas

Donald Macleod and pianist Angela Hewitt discuss 5 aspects Beethoven’s piano sonatas

• 87 mins

Desmarets and Boismortier

Donald Macleod steps into the French baroque with Desmarets and Boismortier

• 59 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Titan

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1822-1824

• 84 mins

James Price Johnson

Donald Macleod explores the life of composer and pianist, James Price Johnson

• 60 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Freedom and Joy

Conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, joins Donald Mcleod to discuss Beethoven’s symphonies

• 83 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: Pain and Persistence

Donald Macleod reaches the final chapters of his year-long biography of Beethoven

• 94 mins

George Benjamin (b 1960)

Donald Macleod is joined by Sir George Benjamin to discuss his musical influences

• 76 mins

Beethoven Unleashed: In Perspective

Donald Macleod introduces personal highlights of his year-long celebration of Beethoven

• 104 mins

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)

Donald Macleod explores Grieg's music through the places from which he took inspiration

• 64 mins

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Donald Macleod reflects on five aspects of Tchaikovsky

• 63 mins

Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792)

Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Joseph Martin Kraus

• 60 mins

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Donald Macleod explores Schubert’s chamber music and the stories behind five key works

• 54 mins

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Ralph Vaughan Williams

• 81 mins

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Donald Macleod finds connections between Mozart’s operas and the composer’s own life

• 59 mins

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Donald Macleod focuses on the final five years of Mendelssohn’s life

• 51 mins

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of the young Richard Strauss

• 59 mins

Ruth Gipps (1921-1999)

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of the English composer Ruth Gipps.

• 87 mins

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Donald Macleod looks at Handel’s life and work during the 1730s

• 71 mins

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Donald Macleod drops five pins on the map of Ravel’s life story

• 66 mins

Joseph Haydn

Donald Macleod surveys the string quartets of Joseph Haydn

• 69 mins

Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849)

Donald Macleod explores Chopin’s time in Britain

• 84 mins

Erik Satie (1866-1925)

Donald Macleod explores five aspects of Satie

• 66 mins

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)

Donald Macleod explores Aaron Copland’s most productive decade, the 1940s.

• 67 mins

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Donald Macleod explores the life of Schumann and his most notable piano works

• 55 mins

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Donald Macleod explores some of the many turning points in Gabriel Fauré’s career

• 56 mins

Robert Simpson (1921-97)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Robert Simpson, in his centenary year

• 74 mins

Pauline Viardot and her Circle

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of the multi-talented Pauline Viardot

• 73 mins

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Donald Macleod explores Purcell’s work in the context of the times in which he lived.

• 67 mins

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Donald Macleod explores the musical life of Benjamin Britten

• 70 mins

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)

Donald Macleod pulls back the curtain on Berlioz’s greatest obsession

• 72 mins

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Manuel de Falla

• 74 mins

Jennifer Higdon (born 1962)

Donald Macleod in conversation with award winning American composer Jennifer Higdon.

• 90 mins

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Antonín Dvořák

• 53 mins

Josquin and Art

Donald Macleod and Andrew Graham-Dixon build a picture of music and art in Josquin's time

• 85 mins

Sergey Rachmaninov (1873-1943)

Donald Macleod turns his attention to Rachmaninov’s great choral works

• 53 mins

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

Donald Macleod explores some of the challenges Telemann faced as he struggled for success

• 68 mins

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Béla Bartók

• 67 mins

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Donald Macleod follows Wagner's journey towards building the Bayreuth Festival

• 68 mins

Julius Eastman (1940-1990)

Donald Macleod unravels the enigmatic, remarkable story of New Yorker, Julius Eastman.

• 72 mins

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Donald Macleod tries to get to the heart of JS Bach’s character, warts and all.

• 70 mins

Sofia Gubaidulina (b 1931)

Donald Macleod and guest, Gerard McBurney mark Sofia Gubaidulina’s 90th birthday

• 75 mins

Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of composer, Luigi Cherubini

• 61 mins

Carla Bley (b 1936)

Donald Macleod and guest, Kevin Le Gendre follow the jazz adventures of Carla Bley

• 72 mins

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Donald Macleod explores a crucial decade in Sibelius’s life

• 73 mins

Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021)

Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim joins Donald Macleod to discuss his life and work

• 64 mins

Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)

Donald Macleod uncovers the story of a forgotten luminary of 19th century music

• 76 mins

Mark-Anthony Turnage (b 1960)

Donald Macleod is joined by the composer Mark-Anthony Turnage

• 75 mins

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Donald Macleod explores the life and music of Camille Saint-Saëns

• 82 mins

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Donald Macleod explores Mozart’s prolific final years.

• 73 mins

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

Donald Macleod delves into the operas of Giacomo Puccini

• 61 mins

Errollyn Wallen

Donald Macleod chats to composer Errollyn Wallen about her life and work

• 87 mins

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Jean-Baptiste Lully

• 81 mins

Franz Liszt (1811-1886)

Donald Macleod reflects on Franz Liszt's Hungarian story

• 82 mins

Marianna Martines (1744-1812)

Donald Macleod lifts the veil on neglected yet prolific composer, Marianna Martines

• 64 mins

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Donald Macleod explores Elgar's own belief that he was an outsider from British society

• 70 mins

Edward Gregson (b 1945) and Alan Bush (1900-1995)

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Edward Gregson and Alan Bush

• 82 mins

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

Donald Macleod explores the richly evocative musical landscape of Ottorino Respighi

• 56 mins

Henriette Bosmans (1895-1952)

Donald Macleod explores Henriëtte Bosmans' rise to fame as both a pianist and a composer.

• 72 mins

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Donald Macleod explores Debussy's life as he approaches his thirties.

• 67 mins

Elmer Bernstein (1992 – 2004)

Donald Macleod talks to Peter and Emilie Bernstein about film composer Elmer Bernstein.

• 91 mins

One Hit Wonders

Donald Macleod explores some of the greatest “one-hit wonders” in classical music.

• 87 mins

Vaughan Williams Today 1/4

Donald Macleod takes a fresh look at composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

• 81 mins

Vaughan Williams Today 2/4

Donald chronicles Vaughan Williams’ life through the years 1914 to 1930.

• 79 mins

Vaughan Williams Today 3/4

Donald continues his four-week exploration of composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

• 88 mins

Vaughan Williams Today 4/4

Donald Macleod returns for the final week of Vaughan Williams Today.

• 80 mins

Handel and the Crown

Donald Macleod explores Handel’s crucial relationship with the British monarchy.

• 79 mins

Dvořák and America

Donald Macleod explores Dvořák’s American years and uncovers what he achieved there.

• 70 mins

Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)

Donald Macleod surveys famed Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria.

• 61 mins

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

Donald Macleod marks the 'Tour de France' cycle race with French composers during July.

• 67 mins

Hélène de Montgeroult (1764-1836)

Donald explores the revolutionary French composer Hélène de Montgeroult.

• 77 mins

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Donald Macleod explores Ravel’s meteoric rise to fame.

• 69 mins

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven’s life as a set of themes and variations.

• 57 mins

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

Donald explores Claudio Monteverdi, a key figure in the development of Western music.

• 70 mins