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1788 - Empty Pockets

Donald Macleod follows the highs, lows and exquisite music of Mozart鈥檚 last five years. Today, Mozart tries to charm and borrow his way out of serious financial trouble.

Donald Macleod joins Mozart as he tries to charm his way out of serious financial trouble.

All this week, we鈥檒l be hearing Mozart鈥檚 famous swansong, his Requiem, in its entirety as Donald Macleod charts the highs and lows of the composer's last five years, from veneration to humiliation and back again. We hear how Mozart coped with all that life threw at him and somehow managed to compose many of the works he鈥檚 most loved for today.

Today, Mozart gets a job as court composer for the emperor, but it鈥檚 not enough to keep him on top of his mounting debts. With a growing family to feed, and the Viennese pressure to keep up appearances, how will he keep himself afloat?

Contredance in C major 鈥淟a Bataille鈥
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Symphony No 40 (iii. Menuetto)
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Marc Minkowski, conductor

Divertimento in E flat major, K 563 (I. Allegro)
Trio Zimmermann

Requiem: Dies Irae; Tuba mirum; Rex tremendae
Karita Mattila, soprano鈥
Sarah Mingardo, contralto鈥
Michael Schade, tenor鈥
Bryn Terfel, bass鈥
Swedish Radio Choir鈥
Berlin Philharmonic鈥
Claudio Abbado, conductor鈥

Piano Sonata No 16 in C major, K545 鈥淔acile鈥 (ii. Andante)
Andras Schiff, piano

Symphony No 41 鈥淛upiter鈥 (1st and 2nd movements)
Budapest Festival Orchestra
Ivan Fischer, conductor

Produced by Amelia Parker for 麻豆社 Audio Wales and West

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Contredance in C major "La Bataille"

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 429-783-2.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 7.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 40 (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • ARCHIV : 477-5798.
    • ARCHIV.
    • 3.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Divertimento in E flat major, K 563 (1st mvt)

    Ensemble: Zimmermann Trio.
    • BIS : SACD-1817.
    • BIS.
    • 1.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Requiem in D minor, K 626 (Dies Irae; Tuba mirum; Rex tremendae)

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado. Choir: Swedish Radio Choir. Singer: Karita Mattila. Singer: Sara Mingardo. Singer: Michael Schade. Singer: Bryn Terfel.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 463-181-2.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 3.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Sonata No 16 in C major "Facile" K 545 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Sir Andr谩s Schiff.
    • DECCA : 443 717-2.
    • DECCA.
    • 5.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No 41 "Jupiter" (1st & 2nd mvts)

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.
    • HUNGAROTON : HCD-1282.
    • HUNGAROTON.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Tue 15 Apr 2025 16:00

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