LISTENING TO TCHAIKOVSKY: Béla Hartmann uses his knowledge of Eastern Europe to argue against the banning of all Russian culture following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
VIDEO PODCAST: Slava Ukraini! - recorded on 24 February 2022, the day the world woke up to the news that Vladimir Putin's Russian forces had invaded Ukraine. A fifty minute video which also features Caitríona O'Leary and Eric Fraad discussing their new film Island of Saints, and pays tribute to Joseph Horovitz, Malcolm Troup and Maria Nockin.
Scottish composer Hamish MacCunn was born in Greenock on 22 March 1868. He studied with Hubert Parry and Charles Stanford at the Royal College of Music in London.
His first successful piece remains his best-known work, the overture The Land of the Mountain and the Flood, first performed at Crystal Palace on 5 November 1887. There are a handful of other orchestral pieces, several operas and various choral cantatas, mostly on Scottish themes.
He taught at the Royal College of Music from 1888 until 1894 and also worked as a conductor at the Carl Rosa Opera Company.
MacCunn died in London on 2 August 1916, aged forty-eight.
CD Spotlight. Vivacious Performances - Music from Scotland, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... a spectacular album full of inspirational melodies that go straight to the heart.'
CD Spotlight. Varied Programme - The Usher Hall organ impresses Gerald Fenech. 'John Kitchen oozes out every sound possible from this monster of an organ ...'