Main content

Felix Klieser: French horn player, problem solver

Tom Service meets horn player Felix Klieser, looks at the problems opera faces with writer Caitlin Vincent, and talks Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells with arranger Robin A Smith.

Tom Service starts the weekend with the best classical music, in new and landmark recordings, with one or two surprise guests introducing their own releases.

This week, Tom meets the German French horn player Felix Klieser. Born without arms, Felix has become one of the world's leading horn soloists. Currently visiting the UK to play with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Felix takes time out of his schedule to tell Tom how he sees himself foremost as a problem solver. He also recounts the story of how, despite growing up in a nonmusical family, he stll developed an overwhelming desire, as a young child, to play the French horn in front of an orchestra.

Tom also speaks to writer, opera singer and arts commentator Caitlin Vincent about her new book 'Opera Wars': an engaging, sometimes irreverent look at the issues which shape the past, present and future of opera, such as the staggering financial commitment singers have to make just to try and become professional, and the challenges opera companies face to engage audiences in new and relevant works.

And in The Creators this week, Tom hears the story of Mike Oldfield's groundbreaking classical and rock hybrid Tubular Bells, in conversation with longtime Mike Oldfield collaborator Robin A Smith, who has been tasked with creating a live spectacle to carry the work's legacy forward.

To listen on most smart speakers just say, "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Saturday Morning鈥.

10 days left to listen

3 hours

Music Played

  • Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    Te Deum (Prelude)

    Orchestra: Le Concert des Nations. Conductor: Jordi Savall.
    • Guerre et Paix.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 22.
  • Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Grande Valse Brillante in E flat major Op.18

    Performer: Ingrid Fliter.
    • Chopin: Complete Waltzes.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 1.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Sinfonia in D major RV.125

    Ensemble: Accademia dell鈥橝nnunciata. Conductor: Riccardo Doni.
    • Arcana.
  • Dora Peja膷evi膰

    Piano Trio in C Major (2nd mvt)

    Ensemble: Neave Trio.
    • In Her Hands.
    • Chandos.
    • 106.
  • Hector Berlioz

    Le Corsaire - overture Op.21

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis.
    • Chandos.
  • Claude Debussy

    The Girl with the flaxen hair (Preludes, Bk.1)

    Performer: Anna Tsybuleva.
    • The Complete Debussy Pr茅ludes for solo piano.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 108.
  • John Dowland

    In darknesse let mee dwell

    Singer: Clara Brunet. Performer: Bor Zuljan.
    • Mr Dowland's Dream.
    • Ricercar.
    • 14.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Danse macabre

    Orchestra: Utah Symphony. Performer: Madeline Adkins. Conductor: Thierry Fischer.
    • Saint-Sa毛ns: Symphony No. 2, Danse macabre & Urbs Roma.
    • Hyperion.
    • 5.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Young Apollo Op.16

    Orchestra: Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg. Conductor: Howard Griffiths.
    • Britten: Young Apollo, Op. 16.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.
  • Johannes Brahms

    Symphony No 2 in D major, Op 73 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Herbert Blomstedt.
    • Brahms: Symphony No. 2 & Academic Festival Overture (Live).
    • PENTATONE.
    • 104.
  • Eduardo Di Capua

    O sole mio

    Music Arranger: Wolfgang Renz. Performer: Felix Klieser. Orchestra: I Solisti di Pavia.
    • Senza Parole.
    • Berlin Classics.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Horn concerto no.3 in E flat major K.447 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Felix Klieser. Orchestra: Camerata Salzburg.
    • Berlin Classics.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    E lucevan le stelle (Tosca)

    Music Arranger: Wolfgang Renz. Performer: Felix Klieser. Orchestra: I Solisti di Pavia.
    • Senza Parole.
    • Berlin Classics.
  • Antoine Reicha

    String quartet in G major Op48 no.2 (4th mvt)

    Ensemble: Kreutzer Quartet.
    • Toccata Classics.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano concerto no.8 in C major K.246 (2nd mvt)

    Performer: Olga Pashchenko. Ensemble: Il Gardellino.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos 6, 8 & 18.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 5.
  • Franz Schubert

    4 Impromptus D.899 (no.4 in A flat major)

    Performer: Eric Lu.
    • Warner Classics.
  • Hugo Alfv茅n

    Gustav Adolf II - suite Op.49 (Vision)

    Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Neeme J盲rvi.
    • Alfven & Rautavaara: Orchestral Works.
    • Chandos.
    • 105.
  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

    Violin Concerto in A major Op.5 no.2 (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Francesca Dego. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jonathon Heyward.
    • A New Dawn.
    • PLATOON.
    • 04.
  • Jacques Offenbach

    Orpheus in the Underworld - concert overture

    Orchestra: Orchestre national de Lille. Conductor: Darrell Ang.
    • Offenbach: Overtures.
    • Naxos.
    • 101.
  • Georges Bizet

    L' Amour est un oiseau rebelle [Habanera] (Carmen)

    Singer: Magdalena Ko啪en谩. Choir: Berlin Opera Chorus. Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • EMI.
  • Giacomo Puccini

    Un bel di vedremo (Madame Butterfly)

    Singer: Ren茅e Fleming. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Decca.
  • Jonathan Dove

    Look! Up there (Flight)

    Singer: Christopher Robson. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: David Parry.
    • Chandos.
  • Richard Wagner

    Liebestod (Tristan und Isolde)

    Singer: Nina Stemme. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • EMI.
  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    13 Preludes Op.32 (no.10 in B minor)

    Performer: Tom Borrow.
    • 麻豆社 recording.
  • Jan Dismas Zelenka

    Missa paschalis in D major ZWV.7 (Credo; Et resurrexit - Amen)

    Ensemble: Zeronove. Ensemble: I Pizzicanti. Conductor: Lukas Wanner.
    • Zelenka: Missa Paschalis, ZWV 7: III. Credo. Et resurrexit - Amen (Live).
    • Prospero Classical.
    • 1.
  • Thibault Cauvin

    SABBIR

    Composer: Jordan Cauvin. Performer: Thibault Cauvin.
    • Alter Ego.
    • Universal Music Division Decca Records France.
    • 1.
  • B茅la Bart贸k

    Romanian folk dances Sz.68

    Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Bartok: Romanian Folk Dances, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.
  • Mike Oldfield

    Tubular Bells (Part 1 - extract)

    Performer: Mike Oldfield.
    • UMC (Universal Music Catalogue).
  • Mike Oldfield

    Tubular Bells (Part 1 - extract)

    Music Arranger: Robin A Smith. Performer: Robin A Smith.
    • Private recording.
  • Mike Oldfield

    Tubular Bells (Part 1 - extract)

    Performer: Mike Oldfield.
    • UMC (Universal Music Catalogue).
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita no.3 in E major BWV.1006 (Gigue)

    Performer: Viktoria Mullova.
    • Bach: 6 Sonatas & Partitas.
    • Onyx.
    • 10.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Overture in C major Op.115 'Name Day'

    Orchestra: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Conductor: Riccardo Chailly.
    • Beethoven: Symphony No.9: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig/ Chailly.
    • Decca.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sat 21 Feb 2026 09:00