Music and conversation for Holy Saturday morning
Tom Service introduces the perfect classical soundtrack for the weekend, and meets acclaimed French conductor Raphaël Pichon.
Tom Service soundtracks Easter Saturday morning with the best classical music, in new and landmark recordings, with one or two surprise guests introducing their own releases.
This week, Tom also meets the French conductor Raphaël Pichon. With his ensemble Pygmalion, Pichon has produced a string of innovative and critically acclaimed recordings and concerts. His latest release, of Bach’s St John Passion, has continued that run, and Tom finds out more about how Pygmalion manages to inject something fresh into such familiar works.
As the London Soundtrack Festival celebrates film composer Bernard Herrmann with a performance of his clarinet quintet 'Souvenirs de Voyage', Tom hears from the performers about their love for Herrmann's concert music, and also meets the composer's widow Norma to hear about the years Herrmann spent living and working in London.
And in The Creators this week, Tom talks to video game composer Lorien Testard about the eight hours of music he wrote for the hit game 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33', an award-winning endeavour which topped the Billboard Classical Chart.
To listen on most smart speakers, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Saturday Morning”.
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Music Played
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Edvard Grieg
Morning (Peer Gynt - suite no.1 Op.46)
Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Tugan Sokhiev.- Sommernachtskonzert 2025 / Summer Night Concert 2025.
- Sony Classical.
- 7.
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Orlande de Lassus
In monte Oliveti
Ensemble: Stile Antico.- Passion and Resurrection: Stile Antico.
- Harmonia Mundi.
- 4.
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Kodály Zoltán
Intermezzo
Ensemble: Notos Quartett.- Hungarian Treasures.
- RCA Red Seal.
- 5.
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Felix Mendelssohn
St Paul Op.36 (Overture)
Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Andris Nelsons.- Mendelssohn: Paulus, Op. 36, Pt. 1: No. 1, Overture.
- Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
- 1.
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Joseph Haydn
Cello Concerto no.2 in D major H.7b.2 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Alisa Weilerstein. Orchestra: TrondheimSolistene.- Pentatone.
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Luigi Boccherini
Quintet in C major G.324 'La musica notturna delle strade di Madrid' (4th mvt)
Orchestra: Metamorphose String Orchestra. Conductor: Pavel Lyubomudrov.- Halidon.
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Robert Schumann
3 Romances Op.94 (no.2)
Music Arranger: Tabea Zimmermann. Performer: Tabea Zimmermann. Performer: Javier Perianes.- Schumann: Three Romances, Op. 94 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Tabea Zimmermann):.
- harmonia mundi.
- 1.
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Bedrich Smetana
Polka (The Bartered Bride)
Orchestra: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda.- Smetana: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2.
- Chandos.
- 2.
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Antonio Vivaldi
L'autre visage (after Vedro con mio diletto from 'Il Giustino RV.717')
Music Arranger: Sonia Wieder‐Atherton. Performer: Sonia Wieder‐Atherton.- Or. Couperin & Vivaldi.
- Alpha Classics.
- 16.
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Eduardo Fabini
El Poncho
Singer: Santiago Sánchez. Performer: Ian Tindale.- BBC recording.
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Judith Steenbrink
Heaven lives in the other
Composer: Dimitrius Cantemir. Ensemble: Holland Baroque Society. Ensemble: Constantinople.- Dialogos.
- PENTATONE Music B.V..
- 3.
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Pietro Castrucci
Concerto Grosso in G minor Op.3 no.11 (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Concerto Köln. Conductor: Evgeny Sviridov.- Pantheon - Corelli's Orbit.
- Berlin Classics.
- 6.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin Concerto in D major Op.61 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Richard Tognetti. Orchestra: Australian Chamber Orchestra.- Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61: III. Rondo (Live at City Recital Hall, Sydne.
- ABC Classic.
- 1.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Herr, unser Herrscher (St John Passion BWV.245)
Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
O grosse Lieb' (St John Passion BWV.245)
Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Auf dass das Wort erfullet wurde (St John Passion BWV.245)
Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Sanctus & Osanna (Mass in B minor BWV.232)
Ensemble: Pygmalion. Conductor: Raphaël Pichon.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Léo Delibes
Mazurka (Coppélia)
Orchestra: Opéra de Lyon. Conductor: Kent Nagano.- Delibes: Coppelia: Orchestre de l'opera de Lyon/Nagano.
- Erato.
- 4.
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Laura Mvula
She
Composer: Sam Brown. Music Arranger: Michael Brisentine. Choir: Lyyra.- Rising.
- Warner Classics.
- 8.
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Friedrich Witt
Symphony no.1 in B flat major (2nd mvt)
Orchestra: Die Kölner Akademie. Conductor: Michael Alexander Willens.- Friedrich Witt: Symphonies Nos. 1-3.
- CPO.
- 2.
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Oliver Knussen
2 Organa Op.27 (no.1)
Orchestra: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: Oliver Knussen.- Deutsche Grammophon.
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Gioachino Rossini
William Tell (Overture)
Orchestra: La Scala Philharmonic. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.- Rossini: 10 Overtures - Chailly.
- Decca.
- 1.
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Bernard Herrmann
Souvenirs de voyage for clarinet quintet (3rd mvt)
Performer: Julian Bliss. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.- Signum.
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Bernard Herrmann
The Ghost and Mrs Muir (Finale)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.- Decca.
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Bernard Herrmann
Main theme & murder (Psycho)
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Paul Bateman.- Decca.
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Bernard Herrmann
Souvenirs de Voyage (2nd mvt)
Performer: Julian Bliss. Ensemble: Tippett Quartet.- Psycho: Suite for String Quartet.
- Signum Records.
- 3.
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Frédéric Chopin
Fantasie-impromptu in C sharp minor Op.66
Performer: Daniil Trifonov.- DG.
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Tansy Davies
Transfiguration (The Passion of Mary Magdalene)
Ensemble: Dunedin Consort. Director: John Butt.- BBC recording.
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Francisco Tárrega
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Performer: Thibaut Garcia.- Leyendas.
- Warner Classics.
- 16.
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Lorien Testard
Robe de nuit (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Performer: Lorien Testard. Performer: Lorien Testard.- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (original soundtrack).
- Laced Records.
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Lorien Testard
Sirene - Tisser la beaute (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Performer: Lorien Testard.- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (original soundtrack).
- Laced Records.
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Lorien Testard
Lumiere (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Singer: Alice Duport-Percier. Performer: Lorien Testard.- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (original soundtrack).
- Laced Records.
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Lorien Testard
Stone Wave Cliffs - Warding blades (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Performer: Lorien Testard.- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (original soundtrack).
- Laced Records.
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Lorien Testard
Aux lendemains non ecrits (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Performer: Lorien Testard.- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (original soundtrack).
- Laced Records.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano concerto no.17 in G major K.453 (3rd mvt)
Performer: Olga Pashchenko. Orchestra: Il Gardellino.- Alpha.
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Antonín Dvořák
Symphony no.9 in E minor Op.95 'From the New World' (3rd mvt)
Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Nathalie Stutzmann.- Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" & American Suite.
- Warner Classics.
- 8.
Broadcast
- Saturday09:00BBC Radio 3

