From Scotland to Paris
Donald Macleod talks with Thea about her musical roots as she celebrates her 90th birthday
All this week, Donald Macleod is in conversation with Thea Musgrave as the composer celebrates her 90th Birthday.
Born just outside Edinburgh, Thea developed as a musician but went to study medicine at Edinburgh University before realising that she must pursue a life in music. A composition prize took her to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger who spotted her real potential. Back in Britain, Thea started to be noticed and get commissions. A dream about a subversive clarinettist led to a crucial commission from the CBSO for a ground breaking Concerto for Orchestra. In 1970 she was offered the post of Guest Professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara and has lived and made her life as a composer in the States ever since.
Driving in the Highlands (Excursions for piano duet)
Malcolm Williamson, piano
Thea Musgrave, piano
Four Madrigals
Florilegium Chamber Choir
JoAnn Rice, conductor
Rorate Coeli (1973)
Florilegium Chamber Choir
JoAnn Rice, conductor
Impromptu for flute and oboe
Douglas Whittaker, flute
Janet Craxton, oboe
Concerto for Orchestra
Scottish National Orchestra
Alexander Gibson, conductor
Presenter: Donald Macleod
Producer: Rosie Boulton for BBC Wales
Last on
Music Played
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Driving in the Highlands (Excursions)
Performer: Malcolm Williamson. Performer: Thea Musgrave.- LYRITA.
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Four Madrigals
Choir: Florilegium Chamber Choir. Conductor: JoAnn Rice.- LEONARDA LE328.
- LEONARDA.
- 2.
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Rorate coeli
Choir: Florilegium Chamber Choir. Conductor: JoAnn Rice.- LEONARDA LE328.
- LEONARDA.
- 6.
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Impromptu No 1 for flute and oboe
Performer: Douglas Whittaker. Performer: Janet Craxton.- BBC RECORDS : BBC CD-635.
- BBC RECORDS.
- 13.
![]()
Thea Musgrave
Concerto for orchestra
Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Alexander Gibson.- LYRITA: SRCD253.
- LYRITA.
- 1.
Broadcast
- Mon 1 Oct 201812:00BBC Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.
