Music TV - April 21 - 27

Thursday 21 April - BBC Four

1930 - 2000: Top Of The Pops - 1976

Repeated: BBC Four - Saturday 2320

We travel back to 1976 to track the year that sculpted pop. 'Diddy' David Hamilton introduces performances from Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, John Miles, Harpo, Sheer Elegance, the Rubettes, Gilbert O' Sullivan, Abba and Brotherhood of Man.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010jsrm

Friday 22 April - BBC Two

2410 - 2515: Later with Jools Holland

Repeated: BBC Two - Saturday 2245

Jools is joined by Seattle's Fleet Foxes, who play tracks from their second album Helplessness Blues. k d lang is in the studio to perform tunes from her new collection Sing It Loud. Taking a break from acting to pursue a singing career with his blues album Let Them Talk - which features guests such as Dr John and Tom Jones - is Hugh Laurie, and from LA, performing their brand of livewired, straight-shootin', dirty-mouth'd pelvis-pushin' juke music, the band Vintage Trouble. Making his television debut is east London's Maverick Sabre, performing pop tunes in a hip-hop and reggae style. Completing the line-up is Brighton's Derek Meins, aka The Agitator, taking the protest song into the 21st century with a mix of political words and energetic drumming.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010q1pd

Friday 22 April - BBC Four

1900 - 1930: Opera's Fallen Women

Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Verdi's Violetta - some of the most famous and powerful roles in opera and they are all, in different ways, fallen women. And now there's a newcomer to their ranks - Anna Nicole. The Royal Opera's latest smash hit is an operatic version of the life of former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith. Antonio Pappano, music director of the Royal Opera House and conductor of Anna Nicole, delves into the world of opera's fallen women and discovers how for centuries composers and librettists have used female characters in opera to explore and challenge society's attitudes and prejudices.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zpdwq

1930 - 2030: Opera Italia

Three-part series tracing the history of Italian opera presented by Antonio Pappano, conductor and music director at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The series features sumptuous music, stunning Italian locations and some of the biggest names in opera as contributors. The final episode is devoted to Puccini, the worthy successor to Verdi. Puccini's operas are cinematic in their scale with ravishing, passionate and clever music, as he took Italian opera into the 20th century.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00spgk8

2030 - 2100: Transatlantic Sessions

Folk musicians come together in what have been called 'the greatest backporch shows ever', as Shetland fiddle virtuoso Aly Bain and dobro ace Jerry Douglas host a Highland gathering of the cream of Nashville, Irish and Scottish talent. Martha Wainwright, Mairead ni Mhaonaigh, Karen Matheson, James Taylor and Donal Lunny are among the featured stars.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mwr5p





2100 - 2200: The Making Of Elton John - Madman Across The Water

Documentary exploring Elton John's childhood, apprenticeship in the British music business, sudden stardom in the US at the dawn of the 70s, and his musical heyday. Plus, the backstory to the album reuniting him with Leon Russell, his American mentor. Features extensive exclusive interviews with Elton, plus colleagues and collaborators including Bernie Taupin, Leon Russell and others.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vs4yv





2200 - 2300: Elton John at the BBC

Elton John's career tracked in archive from performances, interviews and news clips.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vs5c0





2300 - 2405: Elton John - Electric Proms

Elton John in concert at the Roundhouse with his friend and mentor Leon Russell and special guests Plan B and Rumer. The concert celebrates Elton and Leon's classic hits and they also perform from their new collaboration album, The Union.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vt2yz

Saturday 23 April - BBC Four

2450 - 2550: k.d. lang - BBC Four Session

Series of unique concerts featuring musicians from around the world at St Luke's in London. Canadian country singer and four-times Grammy award winner k.d. lang performs together with a 30-strong strings section from the BBC Concert Orchestra. The set features songs from across her 25-year career, including her biggest hit Constant Craving, covers of Neil Young and Leonard Cohen songs, and material from her 2008 album Watershed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008yw99

Sunday 24 April - BBC One

2225 - 2325: Bee Gees - In Our Own Time

Documentary following the fascinating, and at times turbulent, story of the Bee Gees, one of the most successful bands of all time. This is the story of three very close brothers, tied together by familial love and a natural aptitude and obsession for all things musical.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010tbk5





2325 - 2410: TOTP2 - Bee Gees Special

A Bee Gees special featuring an interview with Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, and performances specially recorded for TOTP2.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010tbk7

Monday 25 April - BBC Two

2100 - 2230: Arena - Produced by George Martin

Profile of record producer Sir George Martin. He began with Nellie the Elephant, 633 Squadron and Peter Sellers, then came The Beatles and then the golden age of rock. Martin recorded the soundtrack of the second half of the 20th century. This rich and intimate portrait follows Sir George at 85 with his wife Judy, son Giles, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Cilla Black, Michael Palin, Rolf Harris and Bernard Cribbins among the many contributors.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010t9hz

Tuesday 26 April - BBC Two

2200 - 2230: Later Live with Jools Holland

Jools is joined by Dorset's own PJ Harvey, who performs songs from her eighth studio album Let England Shake. This, her 'folk-influenced album about the horrors of war', has been widely acclaimed as one of her best. Also in the studio, from Northumberland, is the folk group The Unthanks. Rachel and Becky Unthank and their troupe perform a couple of songs from their upcoming album. Swedish singer Lykke Li returns to the show with songs from her second album, Wounded Rhymes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010wb96