BBC Music
Season 2013
BBC Music is an umbrella title used by the BBC to collect together its music output
Where to Watch Season 2013
61 Episodes
- The Beatles' Please Please Me: Remaking a Classic
E2The Beatles' Please Please Me: Remaking a ClassicOn the 50th anniversary of the famous 12-hour session at Abbey Road which resulted in the Beatles' iconic album Please Please Me, leading artists such as Stereophonics, Graham Coxon, Gabrielle Aplin, Joss Stone, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Paul Carrack, Mick Hucknall and I Am Kloot attempt to record the same songs, in the same timescale, in the same studio. The results will be captured in this programme, presented by Stuart Maconie. Amongst those paying their own tribute to the album's success are Burt Bacharach and Guy Chambers, as well as people lucky enough to have been there 50 years ago telling the remarkable story of what happened that day, including engineer Richard Langham and Beatles' press officer Tony Barrow. - Glen Campbell - The Rhinestone Cowboy
E3Glen Campbell - The Rhinestone CowboyIn 2011, Glen Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and that he would be bowing out with a final album and farewell tour across Britain and America. This documentary tells Campbell's remarkable life story, from impoverished childhood in Arkansas through huge success first as a guitarist and then as a singer, with great records like Wichita Lineman and Rhinestone Cowboy. With comments from friends and colleagues including songwriter Jimmy Webb and Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees, it's a moving story of success, disgrace and redemption as rich as any of the storylines in Campbell's most famous songs. - Madness Live: Goodbye Television Centre
E4Madness Live: Goodbye Television CentreAs the BBC makes its exit from the iconic west London site of Television Centre, BBC Four presents a special night of celebration of the building and its 53-year history. To kick start proceedings, the nation's favourite nutty boys and national treasures Madness take to the stage at the front of BBC Television Centre to perform an hour long concert in front of an assembled audience nine days before TV Centre closes its doors. To help launch this celebration of over 50 years of programme making at TVC Madness treat us to new material and classics alike, such as One Step Beyond, I Never Knew Your Name, Baggy Trousers and Our House. - The Enigma of Nic Jones: The Return of Britain’s Lost Folk Hero
E6The Enigma of Nic Jones: The Return of Britain’s Lost Folk HeroIn February 1982, guitarist and singer Nic Jones was a star of English folk music: his record, Penguin Eggs, was a bestseller - to this day many still believe it to be one of the best acoustic records ever produced. But Nic’s life was about to change forever. Driving back from a gig in Glossop, Derbyshire, a near-fatal car accident ended his career. Nic’s legacy has continued to inspire each generation of folk players since that fateful night in 1982 - singers like Eliza Carthy, Jim Moray, Anaïs Mitchell, Martin Simpson, Ashley Hutchings and Chris Wood testify to Nic’s influence on their music, even Bob Dylan covered Nic’s iconic track Canadee-i-o. In 2012 Nic returned to the stage for his first proper gigs in 30 years; accompanied by his son on guitar he wowed audiences once again. This film tells the story of his legend and his return to the stage. - Elton John in Concert 2013
E7Elton John in Concert 2013As part of BBC Radio 2's In Concert series, Elton John performs in the beautiful art deco surroundings of the BBC's famous Radio Theatre situated in Old Broadcasting House. Elton performs classic songs from his enviable and extensive back catalogue including: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Rocket Man, I'm Still Standing, Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting and Your Song plus The Diving Board from his latest album, which sees him join forces again with his career-long lyrical collaborator Bernie Taupin, and with producing credits going to country music man of the moment T-Bone Burnett, he'll be treating us to some brand new material. A very special, exclusive and intimate performance from the legend that is Elton John. - Robbie Williams: One Night At The PalladiumE8
Robbie Williams: One Night At The PalladiumRobbie Williams takes over the London Palladium for an evening of swing classics and new songs. Special guests joining Robbie and his big band on stage are Lily Allen, Rufus Wainwright and Muppets Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, and grumpy old men Statler and Waldorf - John Denver: Country BoyE10
John Denver: Country BoyDocumentary exploring the private life and public legacy of John Denver, America's original country boy. With exclusive accounts from those closest to him, the man behind the music is revealed in an intimate profile in his 70th birthday anniversary year. - Billy Budd from GlyndebourneE12
Billy Budd from Glyndebournelyndebourne has a proud association with the operas of Benjamin Britten, yet this highly-acclaimed production from 2010 was their first staging of his all-male opera Billy Budd. Set on a British man-o-war ship, with a libretto co-written by EM Forster, the opera is based on the battle between good and evil. Michael Grandage, artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, chose this work to make his long-awaited operatic debut. Sir Mark Elder returned to conduct, marking the 100th opera production in his illustrious career. - ABBA at the BBC
E13ABBA at the BBCIf you fancy an hour's worth of irresistible guilty pleasures from Anni-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha, this is the programme for you. It's 39 years since ABBA stormed the Eurovision song contest with their winning entry Waterloo, and this programme charts the meteoric rise of the band with some of their greatest performances at the BBC. It begins in 1974 with their first Top of the Pops appearance and we even get to see the band entertaining holidaymakers in Torbay in a 1975 Seaside Special. There are many classic ABBA tunes from the 1979 BBC special ABBA in Switzerland, plus their final BBC appearance on the Late Late Breakfast show in 1982. This compilation is a must for all fans and includes great archive interviews, promos and performances of some of ABBA's classics including Waterloo, Dancing Queen, Does Your Mother Know, Thank You for the Music, SOS, Fernando, Chiquitita and many more. - Dusty Springfield at the BBC
E14Dusty Springfield at the BBCA selection of Dusty Springfield's performances at the BBC from 1961 to 1995. Dusty was one of Britain's great pop divas, guaranteed to give us a big melody in songs soaring with drama and yearning. The clips show Dusty's versatility as an artist and performer and include songs from her folk beginnings with the Springfields; the melodrama of You Don't Have to Say You Love Me; Dusty's homage to Motown with Heatwave and Nowhere to Run; the Jacques Brel song If You Go Away; the Bacharach and David tune The Look of Love; and Dusty's collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys in the late 1980s. There are also some great duets from Dusty's career with Tom Jones, Mel Torme and even Alf Garnett. - Eugene Onegin from the Royal Opera HouseE16
Eugene Onegin from the Royal Opera HouseA new production from the Royal Opera House of Tchaikovsky's much-loved opera Eugene Onegin, a story of love, rejection and tragedy based on Pushkin's verse drama of the same name. The international cast includes Simon Keenlyside singing the role of Onegin and Krassimira Stoyanova in the role of Tatyana, with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Robin Ticciati. The opera is introduced by Kasper Holten who makes his debut as stage director at the ROH. - Plácido Domingo's Gala ConcertE17
Plácido Domingo's Gala ConcertFrom the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Katie Derham introduces a gala concert in celebration of Plácido Domingo, one of the greatest figures in the world of music. On stage with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Antonio Pappano are some of the finest singers of today performing selected gems of the operatic repertory. Opera stars Nina Stemme, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja, Rolando Villazón perform alongside voices new to Covent Garden - Stefan Pop, Julia Novikova and Sonya Yoncheva. - The Joy of ABBA
E18The Joy of ABBACombining European musical influences, perfect production and lyrics of love and loss, ABBA made us fall in love with the sound of Swedish melancholy. This documentary explores the music of ABBA and chronicles how they conquered both Sweden and Britain in the face of constant criticism. - Music TechnologyE19
Music TechnologyMusic Technology presents practical 'how-to' advice for making music with easy-to-access technology, combined with an exploration of musical and sonic principles and concepts - how and why that 'whooshhh!' was created in that Kylie track or what was used to make that distorted bassy noise in the most recent Tinie Tempah record. Presented by Radio 1's Dev, the series explores a range of musical tracks and meets some of the UK's hottest young producers involved in the production of those same tracks. These producers offer practical demonstrations and encouragement on different aspects of making music, each time within the context of a particular 'practical topic' of music technology. The hour-long show covers the following topics and contributors: 1. An Introduction to Music Technology 2. Setting up a home studio with producer Kito 3. Sampling and looping with producer Happa 4. Using MIDI technology with Dan Smith from Bastille 5. Live production with Tim Exile 6. Using audio effects with Starsmith (Ellie Goulding's writer/producer) 7. Multi-track projects with Charlie Hugall (Florence & The Machine producer) 8. Mobile music technology 9. Collaboration in music technology with the Hayes School Choir and Ukelele Orchestra 10. Remixing and sharing with Monki (Radio 1 In New DJs We Trust). - The Rolling Stones Return to Hyde Park: Sweet Summer SunE20
The Rolling Stones Return to Hyde Park: Sweet Summer SunHyde Park 2013 comes almost 44 years to the day after the Rolling Stones first invited 200,000 fans to listen to them for free in a legendary concert at the central London park on 5 July 1969, only two days after the tragic death of founder member Brian Jones - a landmark event, now widely acknowledged as one of the most significant moments in modern music history. Featuring their greatest hits from across their career, plus a special appearance by former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor - who made his debut with the band at Hyde Park in 1969 - Hyde Park 2013 takes the huge success of the Rolling Stones' 50 and Counting anniversary celebrations into a second year, and follows an acclaimed Glastonbury appearance - their debut performance at the festival in a career spanning 50 years. Directed by Paul Dugdale, this 19 camera HD shoot in front of 65,000 fans captures just why the Rolling Stones are still the greatest live rock 'n' roll band after all these years. Highlights include Gimme Shelter, Jumpin' Jack Flash, You Can't Always Get What You Want and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. - Totally British 70s Rock'n'Roll 1970-1974
E22Totally British 70s Rock'n'Roll 1970-1974Trawled from the depths of the BBC Archive and classic BBC shows of the day - Old Grey Whistle Test, Top of the Pops and Full House - a collection of performance gems from a totally rock 'n' roll early 1970s. This was a golden era for British Rock 'n' Roll as everyone moved on from the whimsical 60s and looked around for something with a bit more oomph! In a pre- heavy metal world bands were experimenting with influences that dated back to 50s rock 'n' roll whilst taking their groove from old school rhythm and blues. It was also a time when men grew their hair long! In a celebration of this era we kick off with an early 1970s Badfinger number direct from the BBC library and continue the groove from the BBC vaults with classic rock 'n' roll heroes like Free, Status Quo, the Faces, Humble Pie and Mott the Hoople. Plus from deep within the BBC archives we dig out some rarities from the likes of Babe Ruth, Stone The Crows, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Man, Heavy Metal Kids and original rockers Thin Lizzy... to name but a few. Sit back and enjoy a 60 minute non-stop ride of unadulterated Totally British 70s Rock 'n' Roll! - Shirley Bassey at the BBC
E23Shirley Bassey at the BBCCompilation of BBC performances by Dame Shirley Bassey, who began her rise to fame as a 16-year-old singer in 1953 and over 60 years is still going strong. This trip down memory lane uncovers some of her finest performances from the vaults, ranging from early appearances on Show of the Week and the Shirley Bassey Show, via the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury 2007, right up to her show at the Electric Proms in 2009. Iconic songs featured include The Performance of My Life, Goldfinger, Big Spender and Diamonds are Forever. - Wings over the WorldE25
Wings over the WorldTV special featuring footage filmed throughout Wings' tour of 1975/1976, following the band in England, Australia and America. It contains live concert performances featuring fifteen of Wings' greatest songs and home movies of Paul McCartney and his family, providing a fascinating profile of the McCartneys' life off-stage. The tour itself was a major triumph for Wings - the first time the group had appeared in Australia and America, and Paul's first performance in the States for ten years. Three million people saw the shows and a then-world record attendance for an indoor concert of 67,053 was set at the Kingdome, Seattle. Starting with Paul and Linda in Scotland, the special features the gradual build-up of the band and follows Wings on tour with hit songs such as Jet, Maybe I'm Amazed, Yesterday, Silly Love Songs and Band on the Run. The Wings line-up for the tour was Paul and Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Jimmy McCulloch and Joe English. - Jon Lord: It's All MusicE26
Jon Lord: It's All MusicKeyboard wizard Rick Wakeman pays tribute to his friend, Deep Purple's Jon Lord, the man who put the rock into the Hammond organ. Lord, who died last year, was always proud of his Leicester roots and went on to become not just a rock star but also a classical composer in his own right. - Definitely DustyE27
Definitely DustyDocumentary looking at the life and work of soul and pop diva Dusty Springfield, singer of such classics as You Don't Have to Say You Love Me and Son of a Preacher Man, who was equally famous for her trademark panda eyes and blonde beehive. Using archive footage and interviews shot in the UK and the US, it charts her progress from plain Catholic schoolgirl to glamorous star and ventures behind the extravagant image to reveal a complex and vulnerable character. Featuring interviews with fellow musicians from a career spanning four decades, including Elton John, Burt Bacharach, Neil Tennant, Lulu and Martha Reeves. Dusty's protective inner circle of friends have never spoken about her on camera before. Dusty's personal secretary for her entire solo career, Pat Rhodes, her manager Vicky Wickham, ardent fan-turned-backing singer Simon Bell and others talk about the highs and lows of the woman they knew and loved. - When Albums Ruled the WorldE28
When Albums Ruled the WorldBetween the mid-1960s and the late 1970s, the long-playing record and the albums that graced its grooves changed popular music for ever. For the first time, musicians could escape the confines of the three-minute pop single and express themselves as never before across the expanded artistic canvas of the album. The LP allowed popular music become an art form - from the glorious artwork adorning gatefold sleeves, to the ideas and concepts that bound the songs together, to the unforgettable music itself. Built on stratospheric sales of albums, these were the years when the music industry exploded to become bigger than Hollywood. From pop to rock, from country to soul, from jazz to punk, all of music embraced what 'the album' could offer. But with the collapse of vinyl sales at the end of the 70s and the arrival of new technologies and formats, the golden era of the album couldn't last forever. With contributions from Roger Taylor, Ray Manzarek, Noel Gallagher, Guy Garvey, Nile Rodgers, Grace Slick, Mike Oldfield, Slash and a host of others, this is the story of When Albums Ruled the World. - Paul McCartney & Wings: RockshowE29
Paul McCartney & Wings: RockshowIn 1976, Paul McCartney and Wings undertook an epic world tour which brought their music to a live audience of two million people in ten countries, an experience captured on the Wings over America triple album. The climax of that tour was an incredible performance at the mammoth Kingdome in Seattle, Washington, where a staggering 67,000 fans listened to Wings perform their greatest songs. Fully restored and remastered from the original film and audio masters, this is Wings at their best - live on stage in a concert that was destined to live forever. Venus & Mars / Rockshow / Jet Let Me Roll It Maybe I'm Amazed Lady Madonna Long and Winding Road Bluebird Blackbird Yesterday You Game Me The Answer Silly Love Songs Band on the Run Hi Hi Hi - Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's DayE30
Fathers and Songs: Music for Father's DayFatherhood has proved a great subject for a variety of artists - some celebratory, some conflicted, but all inspired by what dad does and doesn't do. Here's a mixture of songs that celebrate and probe the emotional complexities generated by the sometime head of the household. Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Cat Stevens, Emmylou Harris, Paul Simon, Madonna, Peter Gabriel, Mike and the Mechanics, Suggs and the Blockheads, Neil Young, James Brown, Pigbag and even Ozzy Osbourne and his daughter Kelly put in an appearance, making a cracking compilation for Father's Day. - David Bowie: Five Years
E31David Bowie: Five YearsAn intimate portrait of five key years in David Bowie's career. Featuring a wealth of previously unseen archive this film looks at how Bowie continually evolved, from Ziggy Stardust to the soul star of Young Americans and the 'Thin White Duke'. It explores his regeneration in Berlin with the critically-acclaimed album Heroes, his triumph with Scary Monsters and his global success with Let's Dance. With interviews with all his closest collaborators, this film investigates how Bowie has become an icon of our times. - Great American Rock Anthems: Turn it up to 11E32
Great American Rock Anthems: Turn it up to 11It's the sound of the heartland, of the midwest and the industrial cities, born in the early 70s by kids who had grown up in the 60s and were now ready to make their own noise, to come of age in the bars, arenas and stadiums of the US of A. Out of blues and prog and glam and early metal, a distinct American rock hybrid started to emerge across the country courtesy of Alice Cooper, Grand Funk Railroad et al, and at its very heart is The Great American Rock Anthem. At the dawn of the 70s American rock stopped looking for a revolution and started looking for a good time; enter the classic American rock anthem - big drums, a soaring guitar, a huge chorus and screaming solos. This film celebrates the evolution of the American Rock Anthem during its glory years between 1970 and 1990 as the anthem became a staple of the emerging stadium rock and AOR radio and then MTV. From School's Out and Don't Fear the Reaper to Livin' On A Prayer and Smells Like Teen Spirit, these are the songs that were the soundtrack to teenage lives in the US and around the world, anthems that had people singing out loud with arms and lighters aloft. Huey Morgan narrates the story of some of the greatest American rock anthems and tracks the emergence of this distinct American rock of the 70s and 80s. Anthems explored include School's Out, We're An American Band, Don't Fear The Reaper, Paradise By The Dashboard Light, I Love Rock'n'Roll, Eye of the Tiger, I Want To Know What Love Is, Livin' On A Prayer and Smells Like Teen Spirit. Contributors include: Alice Cooper, Dave Grohl, Butch Vig, Meat Loaf, Todd Rundgren, Richie Sambora, Blue Oyster Cult, Survivor, Toto and Foreigner. - Tips for Young ComposersE33
Tips for Young ComposersComposer Barry Russell, with help from musicians from the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, passes on techniques, skills and best practice to students who are composing their own music based on six classical masterpieces, ranging from Monteverdi to Adams. - Totally British 70s Rock'n'Roll 1975-1979E34
Totally British 70s Rock'n'Roll 1975-1979 A romp through the BBC archive library from 1975 to 1979 has unearthed some seldom-seen performances of the rarely explored genre of pub rock and other late 70s rock 'n' roll gems from classic music programmes like the Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pops. Before the DIY culture of punk took hold there was a whole breed of real musicians who honed their craft in the backrooms of pubs. And towards the end of the 70s men's hair was starting to get shorter too. This compilation has uncovered rarely seen footage from the likes of Canvey Island's Dr Feelgood, original pub rockers Ducks DeLuxe, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Elvis Costello, Meal Ticket, Steve Gibbons Band, Dave Edmunds and chum Nick Lowe, a pre-Mike & the Mechanics' Paul Carrack in his first band Ace, a post-Faces Ronnie Lane, the Motors, the first TV performance from Dire Straits, Graham Parker and the Rumour and many more. - Jazz Divas Gold
E35Jazz Divas GoldBBC Four explores the archives for the sultry sounds and looks of 'Jazz Divas Gold'! Featured Jazz legends include Ella Fitzgerald, Marion Montgomery, Cleo Laine, Blossom Dearie, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Betty Carter, Amy Winehouse, Eartha Kitt and many more who can be seen from 1965 to 2008 on BBC treasures such as Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life, Show of the Week, Not Only...But Also, Birdland, Parkinson, Later..with Jools Holland, Morecambe and Wise and more...so let's hear it for the ladies! - Matthew Bourne's Sleeping BeautyE36
Matthew Bourne's Sleeping BeautyChoreographer Matthew Bourne's haunting new scenario is a gothic tale for all ages. The traditional story of good vs evil and rebirth is turned upside down, creating a supernatural love story across the decades that even the passage of time itself cannot hinder. Perrault's timeless fairy tale about a young girl cursed to sleep for one hundred years has been turned into a supernatural tale of vampires, fairies and decadent gothic opulence. Yet in the end, young love finally triumphs over all as Aurora is rescued by her one true prince. - Celtic Connections at 20E37
Celtic Connections at 20In the year that Celtic Connections celebrates its twentieth anniversary, this programme looks at the history of the festival and tells how the event has grown to be one of the most important music festivals in the country. Just before the start of Celtic Connections 2013, the show features some fantastic musical highlights from previous years as well as the history of this popular annual event. Re-live memorable performances from Tom Jones, Capercaillie, the Transatlantic Sessions and many more as every January, Glasgow comes alive to the sounds of Celtic and roots music from all over the world. Hear the story so far from, amongst others, Aly Bain, Karine Polwart and Eddi Reader. This programme features archive performances filmed at Celtic Connections and includes the following (year recorded also included): Carlos Nuñez – Mambo – 2010 Wolfstone – Psycho Lady - 2000 Capercaillie – Finlay’s– 2002 Cherish the Ladies – The Ladies of Pantalettes – 1998 Shooglenifty – Charlie & The Professor – 2007 La Bottine Souriante – Le Reel de Pointe-au-pic – 2002 Transatlantic Sessions – Shove the Pig’s Foot Set – 2009 Nanci Griffith – It’s a Hard Life Wherever You Go – 2009 Julie Fowlis with Kathy Mattea and Eddi Reader – Bothan Àirigh am Bràigh Raithneach – 2009 Martyn Bennett & Cuillin Music – Ud the Doudouk – 1999 Treacherous Orchestra – Maverick Angels – 2012 Karine Polwart – Waterlily – 2004 Kristan Harvey & The Sanna – The Union Station Set – 2012 Rachel Sermanni – Bones – 2011 Chris Stout & The BBC SSO – Dynröst – 2007 Creole Choir of Cuba – L’Atibonite Oh – 2011 Tom Jones – Burning Hell – 2011 Paul Brady – Baker Street – 2012 Breabach – The Plagiarist / Good Drying – 2008 - Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield Story
E38Tubular Bells: The Mike Oldfield StoryIn 1973, an album was released that against all odds and expectations went to the top of the UK charts. The fact the album launched a record label that became one of the most recognisable brand names in the world (Virgin), formed the soundtrack to one of the biggest movies of the decade (The Exorcist), became the biggest selling instrumental album of all time, would eventually go on to sell over 16 million copies and was performed almost single-handedly by a 19-year-old makes the story all the more incredible. That album was Tubular Bells, and the young and painfully shy musician was Mike Oldfield. This documentary features contributions from Sir Richard Branson, Danny Boyle, Mike's family and the original engineers of the Tubular Bells album among others. The spine of the film is an extended interview with Mike himself, where he takes us through the events that led to him writing Tubular Bells - growing up with a mother with severe mental health problems; the refuge he sought in music as a child, with talent that led to him playing in folk clubs aged 12 and signing with his sister's folk group at only 15; his frightening experience of taking LSD at 16; and finally arriving at the Manor Recording Studios as a young session musician where he gave a demo tape to a recording engineer who passed it along to young entrepreneur Richard Branson. After the album's huge success, Mike retreated to a Hereford hilltop, shunned public life and became a recluse until he took part in a controversial therapy which changed his life. In 2012 Mike captured the public's imagination once again when he was asked to perform at the London Olympic Opening Ceremony, where Tubular Bells was the soundtrack to 20 minutes of the one-hour ceremony. Filmed on location at his home recording studio in Nassau, Mike also plays the multiple instruments of Tubular Bells and shows how the groundbreaking piece of music was put together. - Christmas '77 with the Sex Pistols
E39Christmas '77 with the Sex PistolsLooking back to Christmas 1977 with an irreverent portrait of the times, featuring unseen footage of The Sex Pistols. Director Julien Temple presents a unique insight into the tradition and transgression of Christmas. Featuring interviews and 70s archive, framing The Sex Pistols' last UK concert with Sid Vicious, for the children of striking firemen in Huddersfield on Christmas Day 1977. - Green Day at Reading Festival 2013
E40Green Day at Reading Festival 201399 Revolutions, Know Your Enemy, Stay The Night, Stop When The Red Light Flash, Letterbomb, Holiday, Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Let Yourself Go, Wake Me Up When September Ends, Burnout, Having A Blast, Chump, Longview, Welcome To Paradise, Pulling Teeth, Basket Case, She, Sassafras Roots, Highway To Hell, When I Come Around, Coming Clean, Emenius Sleepus, In The End, F.O.D., St. Jimmy, Waiting, Minority, American Idiot, Jesus Of Suburbia, Brutal Love, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Bach: A Passionate LifeE41
Bach: A Passionate LifeWritten and presented by John Eliot Gardiner, one of the world’s leading interpreters of Bach’s music, Bach: A Passionate Life takes us on a physical, musical and intellectual journey in search of Bach the man and the musician. The most famous portrait of Bach shows him aged 62, a rather miserable looking old man in wig and formal coat, yet his greatest works were composed in his late 30s and early 40s in an almost unrivalled decade-long blaze of creativity. This conservative image of Bach also conflicts with evidence of clashes with authority from an early age. There are accounts of public brawls, periods in jail, and the smuggling of girls into his organ loft. Gardiner draws upon his lifelong fascination and passion for the composer to shed light on Bach’s personality and music. In the documentary, made by Leopard Films, John Eliot Gardiner conducts his award-winning Monteverdi choir and orchestra in specially shot performances from Bach’s masterworks: the St Matthew Passion, the St John Passion and the B Minor Mass, as well as extracts from some of his secular and sacred cantatas. The programme reveals a complex and passionate artist, a warm and convivial family man who shows a rebellious spirit while struggling with the hierarchies of state and church. Despite the cramped conditions of his life in Leipzig, and despite rarely venturing outside a 60-mile radius of the city, he wrote timeless music that today enjoys world-wide fame. - The Genius of Verdi with Rolando VillazónE42
The Genius of Verdi with Rolando VillazónSuperstar opera tenor Rolando Villazón reveals an insider's view on performing music by one of the greatest opera composers, Giuseppe Verdi, who celebrates his bicentenary in 2013. By looking at some of Verdi's most well-known works including the operas Macbeth, Rigoletto, La Traviata, as well as his Requiem, Villazón shares his unique and passionate insight on Verdi's consummate skill - how he constructed dramatic episodes of searing reality, as well as the historical context in which the operas are set. Along with interviews with some of the world's leading Verdi singers, conductors and theatre directors, Villazón tells us why he thinks Verdi is a genius. - Queens of Jazz: The Joy and Pain of the Jazz DivasE43
Queens of Jazz: The Joy and Pain of the Jazz DivasQueens of Jazz is a celebration of some of the greatest female jazz singers of the 20th century. It takes an unflinching and revealing look at what it actually took to be a jazz diva during a turbulent time in America's social history - a time when battle lines were being constantly drawn around issues of race, gender and popular culture. This is a documentary about how these women triumphed - always at some personal cost - to become some of the greatest artists of the 20th century; women who chose singing above life itself because singing was their life. - Pink Floyd: A Delicate Sound of ThunderE44
Pink Floyd: A Delicate Sound of ThunderA spectacular concert film from Pink Floyd's A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour. Filmed at New York's Nassau Coliseum in 1989 using 27 cameras, it sees David Gilmour, Rick Wright and Nick Mason on fine form, performing classic after classic including Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Time, Comfortably Numb and Wish You Were Here. - The Who: The Making Of TommyE45
The Who: The Making Of Tommy1968 was a time of soul searching for the band - with three badly performing singles behind them they needed a big new idea to put them back at the top and crucially to hold them together as a band. Inspired by Indian spiritual master Meher Baba, Pete Townshend created the character of Tommy, the 'deaf, dumb and blind boy'. Broke and fragmenting when they started recording, the album went on to sell over 20 million copies. In this film, the Who speak for the first time about the making of the iconic album and how its success changed their lives. - Elvis Costello Mystery DanceE46
Elvis Costello Mystery DanceElvis Costello is one of the uncontested geniuses of the rock world. 33 albums and dozens of hit songs have established him as one of the most versatile and intelligent songwriters and performers of his generation. This film provides a definitive account of one of Britain's greatest living songwriters - the first portrait of its kind - directed by Mark Kidel, who was won numerous awards for his music documentaries, including portraits of Rod Stewart, Boy George, Tricky, Alfred Brendel, Ravi Shankar, John Adams and Robert Wyatt. Elvis is a master of melody, but what distinguishes him above all is an almost uncanny way with words, from the playful use of the well-worn cliché to daring poetic associations, whether he is writing about the sorrow of love or the burning fire of desire, the power play of the bedroom or the world of politics. The film tells the story of Elvis Costello - a childhood under the influence of his father RossMcManus, the singer with Joe Loss's popular dance band; a Catholic education which has clearly marked him deeply; his overnight success with the Attractions and subsequent disenchantment with the formatted pressures of the music business; a disillusionment which led him to reinvent himself a number of times; and writing and recording songs in various styles, including country, jazz, soul and classical. The film focuses in particular on his collaborations with Paul McCartney and Allen Toussaint, who both contribute. It also features exclusive access to unreleased demos of songs written by McCartney and Costello. Elvis was interviewed in Liverpool, London and New York, revisiting the places in which he grew up. The main interview, shot over two days at the famed Avatar Studios in NYC, is characterised by unusual intimacy. Elvis talks for the first time at great length about his career, songwriting and music, and often breaks into song with relevant examples from his repertoire. - Hello QuoE47
Hello QuoYou don't sell 128 million albums worldwide without putting in the graft and Status Quo are, quite possibly, the hardest working band in Britain. Alan G Parker's documentary Hello Quo, specially re-edited for the BBC, recounts the band's epic story from the beginning - when south London schoolmates Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster formed their first band with big ambitions of rock 'n' roll domination, quickly adding drummer John Coghlan and guitarist Rick Parfitt. The film tells the story of Quo's hits from their unusually psychedelic early hit, Pictures of Matchstick Men, followed by a run through their classics Down Down to Whatever You Want. The band laughs off the constant ribbing about only using three chords and the film explores how Quo's heads-down boogie defined UK rock in the early 70s. Fender Stratocaster in hand, Quo have stood their ground and never shifted, but they have managed to adapt to scoring pop hits over five decades. The original members of the 'frantic four' tell their story of a life in rock 'n' roll, alongside interviews from some prominent Quo fans, such as Paul Weller, whose first gig was the Quo at Guildford Civic hall, to Brian May, who waxes lyrically about the opening riff to Pictures of Matchstick Men, even Sir Cliff plays homage to the denim clad rockers. - Danny Boy: The Ballad That Bewitched The WorldE48
Danny Boy: The Ballad That Bewitched The WorldHow did an obscure Irish melody become one of the greatest songs of all time, recorded by music's biggest names? One hundred years after 'Danny Boy' was first published, the true story of its astonishing past is uncovered, while contributors including Gabriel Byrne, Rosanne Cash, Brian Kennedy and Barry McGuigan explain its enduring appeal and what it has come to symbolise. - Lou Reed RememberedE49
Lou Reed RememberedFilm tribute to Lou Reed, who died in October, which looks at the extraordinarily transgressive life and career of one of rock 'n' roll's true originals. With the help of friends, fellow musicians, critics and those who have been inspired not only by his music but also by his famously contrary approach to almost everything, the documentary looks at how Reed not only helped to shape a generation but also helped to create a truly alternative, independent rock scene, while also providing New York with its most provocative and potent soundtrack. With contributions from Mick Rock, Maureen Tucker, Boy George, Thurston Moore, Debbie Harry, Holly Woodlawn, Doug Yule, Steve Hunter and Paul Auster. - Agnetha: ABBA and AfterE50
Agnetha: ABBA and AfterIn this documentary the BBC have exclusive access to Agnetha Fältskog, 'The Girl with the Golden Hair' as the song goes, celebrating her extraordinary singing career which began in the mid-60s when she was just 15. Within just two years, she was a singing sensation at the top of the charts in Sweden. Along came husband Björn Ulvaeus and the phenomenal band Abba that engulfed the world in the 70s, featuring Agnetha's touching voice and striking looks. Agnetha lacked confidence on stage as the global demand for the group grew and grew, while being away from her young children caused her great turmoil. With special behind-the-scenes access to the making of her comeback album, the film follows this reluctant star - the subject of much tabloid speculation since she retreated from the stage post-Abba - as she returns to recording aged 63. Included in the film is her first meeting with Gary Barlow, who contributes a duet to the new album. The programme features interviews with Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Gary Barlow, Tony Blackburn, Sir Tim Rice and record producers, Peter Nordahl and Jörgen Elofsson. - RequiemE51
RequiemFrom plainsong to Penderecki, this film for Remembrance Sunday shows how music has shaped the requiem over 500 years. John Bridcut explores the significance and history of one of the oldest musical forms and discusses its enduring appeal with some of its greatest exponents. The great requiems of Mozart, Berlioz, Verdi and Fauré have been rooted in the Latin requiem mass of the Roman Catholic Church. But now, thanks to Brahms and Britten, the requiem has spread into other Christian traditions, producing some of the finest classical music ever written. This feature-length documentary has specially-shot musical performances by the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales (conducted by Edward Gardner), with sopranos Elin Manahan Thomas and Annemarie Kremer, and bass-baritone Neal Davies. It also features the choir Tenebrae, conducted by Nigel Short. Contributors include the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, the conductors Sir Colin Davis and Jane Glover, and the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel. - The Man who Brought the Blues to Britain, Big Bill BroonzyE52
The Man who Brought the Blues to Britain, Big Bill BroonzyBig Bill Broonzy would inspire a generation of musicians, yet he was not the man they believed him to be. This first, very intimate, biography of the pioneering bluesman uncovers the mystery of who Broonzy really was and follows his remarkable and colourful journey from the racist Deep South to the clubs of Chicago and all across the world. With contributions from: Pete Seeger, Ray Davies, Keith Richards, Martin Carthy, John Renbourn and members of the Broonzy family. Broonzy's own words are read by Clarke Peters - How to be a World Music StarE53
How to be a World Music StarDocumentary telling the story of the British world music revolution from the early 1980s to the present. Through a variety of careers, starting with Zimbabwe's Bhundu Boys and culminating with Portugal's Mariza in the new millennium, the film explores what it takes to bring music from 'out there' over here. Through the testimony of artists from all around the world alongside key British producers and broadcasters including Andy Kershaw, Joe Boyd and Nick Gold, it tracks the evolving story of what British audiences have wanted from what has come to be called 'world music' and what a range of artists including Les Mystere des Voix Bulgares, Salif Keita, Youssou N'Dour, Baaba Maal, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Buena Vista Social Club and Tinariwen have made of us. At the dawn of the 80s, in an age of spandex and synthesizers, many music fans were becoming bored with the pop charts and hungered for a new music that could excite them once again. Where music from the rest of the world had once been regarded as mere exotica, there was increasingly a sense that world music could be the future of pop music. The documentary traces the hopes and ambitions of a new music industry as cultures came together for the first time, producing much brilliant music and a degree of human comedy. From the tribal warriors of Mali who fought in rebellions with guitars and guns strapped to their shoulders, all-female choirs from the other side of the Iron Curtain playing to rock fans, a band from Zimbabwe who supported Madonna to a group of old men from Cuba who took the world by storm with their music from another era, these tales from musicians from out there arriving over here trace an evolving market that has both offered a blueprint for the future and an escape into a romantic past. - Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender (Director's Cut)E54
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender (Director's Cut)Filmmaker Rhys Thomas's full-length director's cut of his film exploring the solo career and private life of one of British rock and roll's great frontmen, Freddie Mercury. Renowned as the bravura front man of one of Britain's greatest rock bands, Freddie Mercury's life outside Queen is rarely celebrated or explored. In a touching portrait, this film explores Mercury's solo projects and interests, including a previously unheard collaboration with Michael Jackson and the triumphant Barcelona project with Dame Montserrat Caballe as well as the life of a gay man who was not yet publicly out. Rare interviews reveal a shy man in search of love, and a driven artist living behind the protection of his stage persona. - A-Z of World MusicE55
A-Z of World MusicJourneying through the alphabet, a showcase of music from across the world - from Africa to Uzbekistan, Norway to South America, India to Louisiana and everywhere in between. Featured instruments include Kimmo Pohjonen's accordion, the impressively large drums of the Yamato Drummers and the extraordinary vocals of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The helter-skelter ride takes us from the 1970s, through to the explosion of acts in the 1980s, right up to the most sought-after musicians on the world music circuit today. From Sevara Nazarkhan's pin-drop solo to a crowd-moving set from Orchestra Baobab, this is a compilation that presents a fun, vibrant snapshot of the range of traditional music that has captured audiences the world over. - The Proclaimers Live at Stirling Castle
E56The Proclaimers Live at Stirling CastleRecorded live at Hogmanay 2012 on the esplanade of historical Stirling Castle, the Proclaimers deliver a set of their best-loved tracks in front of an audience of new year revellers. One of Scotland's favourite bands, playing their classic tracks at one of the most iconic locations in Scotland - it was a great way to see in 2013. - The Ballad of Mott the HoopleE57
The Ballad of Mott the HoopleDocumentary telling the bruised and battered, but triumphant, tale of one of the UK's most cherished rock 'n' roll bands, Mott the Hoople. Originating from Herefordshire, the band were thrown together in 1969 and signed to Island Records by the increasingly erratic manager/producer Guy Stevens, in a bid to find a band that would combine The Rolling Stones rhythmic power with the melody and lyricism of 'Blonde on Blonde' era Bob Dylan. The documentary charts their journey from cult struggling touring band to their successful transformation into 'glam rock players' thanks to the intervention of David Bowie who gave them their biggest hit, 'All The Young Dudes', and their subsequent collapse after the addition of Mick Ronson to their line-up. Mott the Hoople's story is brought to life through a combination of rare and unseen archive footage, their magnificent music and the testimony of band members Ian Hunter, Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Dale Griffin, Luther Grosvenor aka Ariel Bender and various other associates and witnesses, including boyhood fan Mick Jones of The Clash and Queen's Roger Taylor. - Nile Rodgers: The HitmakerE58
Nile Rodgers: The HitmakerNile Rodgers has sold over 100 million records. As the co-founder, songwriter, producer and guitarist of Chic he helped define the sound of the 70s, as disco took the world by storm. Nile and musical partner Bernard Edwards captured the essence of New York's iconic Studio 54 creating hits like Dance Dance Dance, Le Freak and Good Times for Chic and We Are Family and Lost In Music for struggling vocal group Sister Sledge. But the music that had made Chic would also break them, thanks to the 'Disco Sucks' backlash. What could have been the end for Nile Rodgers would actually be a new beginning as a producer, helping create some of the biggest hits of the 80s for the likes of Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran. In this profile documentary, the ever-charismatic Rodgers contributes an engaging and often frank interview to tell the tale of how, born to Beatnik, heroin-addict parents in New York, he picked up a guitar as a teenager and embarked on a journey to learn his craft as a musician, before becoming one of disco's most successful artists In the 70s and 80s he lived the party lifestyle thanks to his success with Chic and as one of the music industry's hottest producers. Drugs and alcohol would become part of everyday life for Nile, contributing in part to the break up of Chic in the early 80s. The band would reform in the mid-90s, but their return was quickly marked by tragedy with the death of Nile's longtime friend and musical partner, Bernard Edwards in 1996. Then in 2010 Nile was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer, which last year he announced he had beaten. In spite of, or perhaps because of this, Nile's talent and ambition remains undimmed, deservedly earning himself the title of hardest-working man in pop, with Chic's seemingly inexhaustible live performance schedule. Nile Rodgers: The Hitmaker recounts a captivating and moving story of a man who has created some of the most sparkling and ebullient pop music. - Flamenco: Gypsy SoulE59
Flamenco: Gypsy SoulWriter Elizabeth Kinder embarks on a journey through Andalusia from Malaga to Cadiz to find the soul of flamenco, the beguiling mix of guitar, song and dance strongly associated with southern Spain's gypsies. Featuring performances from gypsy blacksmiths to goat herders, the documentary reveals a glimpse of a timeless way of life as it has been preserved down the centuries. The history of this mysterious music and its relationship to Spain is explored in chocolate box locations including Moron de la Frontera, Granada, Seville and Jerez and the programme also features rare archive of notable artists such as Camaron de la Isla and Diego Del Gastor. - Secret Voices of HollywoodE60
Secret Voices of HollywoodIn many of Hollywood's greatest movie musicals the stars did not sing their own songs. This documentary pulls back the curtain to reveal the secret world of the 'ghost singers' who provided the vocals, the screen legends who were dubbed and the classic movies in which the songs were ghosted. - Lionel Bart Reviewing the SituationE61
Lionel Bart Reviewing the SituationDocumentary telling the larger-than-life story of Lionel Bart, the composer of Oliver! - one of the greatest musicals of the last fifty years. Drawing on his unseen personal archive and interviews with Barbara Windsor, Roy Hudd, Cameron Mackintosh, Marty Wilde and Ray Davies, it paints a vivid, poignant picture of the rise and fall of one of Britain's favourite songwriters.
