Violin

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op 78

Stalin's oppression rules

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op 64

Soaring melodies of high emotion

Composer of the Week - Mendelssohn

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of composer Mendelssohn

Copland: Violin Sonata

From the US: 'Big Sky' music

Higdon: Violin Concerto

A Pulitzer Prize for Music winner

Classical Fix - Alix Fox

Alix from Radio 1's Unexpected Fluids tries Clemmie's classical playlist

Beethoven: Violin Sonata in G major, Op 96

A duet of love while cannons boom

Saariaho: Graal théâtre (Violin concerto)

Hot violin warms a Finnish winter

The Listening Service - The music of Kaija Saariaho

Tom Service takes a journey through the music of the Finnish-born, Paris-based composer

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35

The precious gift his lover rejected

Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op 28

Beauty to the Max

Composer of the Week - Max Bruch

Donald Macleod explores Max Bruch’s violin works

Beethoven: Quintet in C major, Op 29

Smooth and mellow? Violas and cello

Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time

"...you have the harmonious silence of Heaven"

Composer of the Week - Messiaen

Donald Macleod explores the organ music of Olivier Messiaen

Strauss: Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op 18

Music for all the heroic young lovers

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 77

Perhaps the greatest violin concerto of them all

BBC Proms - Brahms and German Music

Laura Tunbridge and Nicholas Baragwanath on Brahms and German tradition, with Ian Skelly

Grieg: Quartet in G minor, Op 27

Norwegian mood music

Shostakovich: The Gadfly (Romance)

Sentimental pining for a lost love and carefree youth

Composer of the Week - Dmitry Shostakovich

Donald Macleod explores Dmitry Shostakovich through the lens of his family life

Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G major

The sounds of The Heavenly Life

Puccini: Crisantemi

Opera's king weeps for his friend

Composer of the Week - Giacomo Puccini

Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Giacomo Puccini

Kreisler: Recitativo and scherzo-caprice, Op 6

Not just an encore!

Sibelius: Humoresques, Op 87 No. 1, Op 89 No. 3, Op 87 No. 2

Charming and playful - but no joke!

Composer of the Week - Jean Sibelius

Donald Macleod delves into the life and work of Jean Sibelius

Britten: String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op 36

An anniversary tribute to a fellow musician

Prokofiev: Violin Sonata No. 2

Light and energetic, with a sprinkling of the blues

Composer of the Week - Prokofiev

Donald Macleod explores Prokofiev's triumphant and ultimately tragic return to the USSR

Shostakovich: Quartet No. 10 in A flat major, Op 118

Variations with a customary Soviet twist

Stravinsky: Concertino

Stravinsky's rustic romp

Composer of the Week - Igor Stravinsky

Donald Macleod surveys the life and music of Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky

Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major, Op 61

A celebrated work full of big tunes

Bach: Violin sonata No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017

Powerful spells conjured with a violin bow

Gershwin: Porgy and Bess suite, arr. Jascha Heifetz

Summertime blues, jazz and gospel

Record Review Podcast - Gershwin's Porgy and Bess

Edward Seckerson recommends recordings of George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K 216

Bright sun and hot nights

Beethoven: Violin Sonata in F major, Op 24, 'Spring'

Positive spirit and youthful energy are in season

Tales from the Stave - Beethoven's Spring Sonata

Frances Fyfield examines the score of Beethoven's beautiful sonata for violin and piano

Auerbach: Symphony No. 3, 'The Infant Minstrel and his Peculiar Menagerie'

A violin tells peculiar tales

Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4, Op 90, 'Dumky'

How can music be happy and sad?

Discovering Music - Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4 'Dumky Trio'

Stephen Johnson explores Dvorak's Piano Trio No 4. in E minor - the Dumky Trio

Ysaye: Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Op 27, 'Obsession'

A virtuoso creates a violin challenge for the next century and beyond

Respighi: Quartet in D major

A simple romantic melody that ebbs and flows

Tales from the Stave - Respighi's Roman Trilogy

Frances Fyfield and her team explore the manuscript of Ottorino Respighi's Roman Trilogy

Beethoven: Violin Sonata in A major, Op 47, 'Kreutzer'

Pounding piano and dancing violin

Beethoven: Quartet in E flat major, Op 74, Harp

Harp fans beware... this piece contains no harps

Record Review Podcast - Beethoven's 'Harp' Quartet

Harriet Smith with recommendations from available recordings of Beethoven's so-called 'Harp' Quartet

Janáček: Violin Sonata

Created in the shadows of World War One

Beethoven: Quartet in C major, Op 59 No. 3, 'Rasumovsky'

Try to keep up when the energy kicks in

Discovering Music - Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 'Razumovsky'

Stephen Johnson explores the musical language of Beethoven's third Razumovsky Quartet

Waxman: Carmen fantasy, arr. Heifetz

A virtuoso movie score showpiece

Debussy: Quartet in G minor, Op 10

Great bursts of energy forge exciting new musical paths

Record Review Podcast - Debussy: String Quartet

Laura Tunbridge recommends recordings of Debussy's String Quartet

Bach: Sonata No. 1 in G minor for violin solo, BWV 1001

Complex and lively challenges for violinists

Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op 49

Simple beauty from "the Mozart of the 19th Century"

Record Review Podcast - Mendelssohn's Piano Trio Op. 49

Harriet Smith compares and recommends recordings of Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49

Massenet: Meditation from 'Thais', arr. Marsick

A melody you'll feel you've always known

Dvořák: Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op 96, 'American'

Locomotion straight from the New York City melting pot

Record Review Podcast - Dvořák's American Quartet

Robert Philip makes a recommendation from the available recordings of Dvořák's American Quartet

Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major, K 211

Teenage fun and wit

Mendelssohn: Octet in E flat major, Op 20

A 16-year-old conjures up a thrilling mix of rhythm and melody

Soul Music - Mendelssohn's Octet

Exploring the impact that Mendelssohn's Octet has had on different people's lives

Fauré: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op 13

“A magic floats above everything”

Schumann: Trio in G minor, Op 17

Soulful trio haunted by shadows of personal turmoil

Record Review Podcast - Clara Schumann Piano Trio

David Owen Norris recommends recordings from available versions of Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio

Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op 1 (No. 24 in A minor)

Marvel at the violinist's skill in this blistering piece

Janáček: String Quartet No. 1 'The Kreutzer Sonata'

Tolstoy's unhappy novel depicted in bittersweet sound

Record Review Podcast - Janáček's String Quartets

Ivan Hewett with recommendations from recordings of Janáček's two string quartets

Corelli: Sonata in D minor, Op 5 No. 7

An 18th Century rock star tries to impress the King’s younger sister

Ravel: String Quartet

Future sounds from a master of tomorrow

Record Review Podcast - Ravel: String Quartet in F major

Jeremy Sams recommends recordings of Ravel's String Quartet in F major

Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, Op 40

Does the Devil really have all the best tunes? Well, here's a good one

Grieg: Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op 13

Too Norwegian? No such thing!

Falla: Danza Espagnole

Music for a high paced animated dance

Elgar: Quartet in E minor, Op 83

The anguish of war captured in sound

Schumann: 3 Romances, Op 22, No. 1

Thoughts and feelings crash in upon themselves in romantic turmoil

Saint-Saëns: Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op 28

A musical challenge for a star violinist

Bach: Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV 1004

Prayers brought to life in music

Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op 78

Let's be friends

Tartini: Sonata in G minor, 'Devil's Trill'

A dream of a devilishly good piece of music

Ravel: Violin and Cello Sonata

Listen for the very modern, spiky sounds

Halvorsen: Passacaglia

Handel with care

Brahms: Double Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op 102

What did the violin say to the cello?

Mozart: Quartet in C major, K 465, 'Dissonance'

The still modern sound of 1785

Smetana: Quartet No. 1 in E minor, 'From my life'

A composer's sad story, told via viola

Berg: Quartet, Op 3

A romantic Viennese whirl

Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence, Op 70

A musical postcard from an Italian inspiration

Haydn: Quartet in B flat major, Op 76 No. 4, (Sunrise)

Wake up and greet the new day

Bartók: Quartet No. 1, Sz 40

Almost like a horror movie soundtrack

Zemlinsky: Quartet No. 1 in A major, Op 4

Rhythmic, folky, powerful and heroic movements

Suk: Meditation on an old Czech hymn "St Wenceslas", Op 35a

A nostalgic melody for patriotic Czech mates

Mozart: Divertimento in D major, K 136

A delicious feast of melodies

Webern: 5 Movements for string quartet

Dare you take the challenge? The rewards are immense

Haydn: String Quartet, Op 76 No. 3, 'Emperor'

Light and stately, with a familiar tune

Beethoven: Quartet in A minor, Op 132

A slow movement springs to life

Bach: The Art of Fuge: Contrapunctus I, IV and XI, BWV 1080

Unfinished and complex

Clarke: Viola Sonata in E minor

A pensive, fierce and daring piece

Haydn: Quartet in E flat major, Op 33 No. 2, 'Joke'

Its famous ending was written to win a bet

Bruch: Quintet in A minor for strings [1918], Op 84

Listen for the beautiful, slow melodies of the first movement

Bartók: Quartet No. 5, Sz 102

Can you hear the frogs, insects and hooting owls in this 'night music'?

Beethoven: Quartet in B flat major, Op 18 No. 6

Fragile with a strong finish

Schumann: String Quartet in A minor, Op 41, No. 1

Life is a rollercoaster

Mendelssohn: Piano Quartet No. 2 in F minor, Op 2

A minor-key rollercoaster of joyful emotion

Tchaikovsky: Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op 11

A test passed with flying colours

Bruckner: String Quartet in C minor, WAB 111

A dramatic, passionate, lyrical gem

Villa-Lobos: Suite for voice and violin, W 497

The flavours of Brazil, via 1920s Paris

Szymanowski: Quartet No. 1 in C major, Op 37

Four different keys at the same time... so wrong it's right

Brahms: Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op 111

Fiery, passionate and mischievous

Mendelssohn: Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op 80

Created in the shadow of death, this vibrant yet tragic piece encapsulates two lives

Mahler: Piano Quartet movement in A minor

The only surviving piece of chamber music that Mahler wrote

Beethoven: Trio in G major, Op 1 No. 2

Music for practising your gentle prancing

Brahms: Trio No. 1 in B major, Op 8

The embrace of youthful passions

Ravel: Piano Trio in A minor

A frenzied farewell to civilian life

Brahms: Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op 51 No. 2

Music of loneliness and longing

Haydn: Trio Gypsy Rondo, H15 25

Wickedly fast, it’s a hoot!

Brahms: Horn Trio in E flat major, Op 40

Nostalgia for the great outdoors

Beethoven: Trio in D major, Op 70 No. 1, 'Ghost'

Rumbling piano creates spooky sounds

Tchaikovsky: Trio in A minor, Op 50

A composer cries in public

Schubert: Piano Trio, D 898

Is this music that can make all the world fresh and bright again?