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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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Essential Classics

Music: Classical

Refresh your morning with a great selection of classical music

Refresh your morning with a great selection of classical music, presented by Suzy Klein and Ian Skelly

Essential Classics: Thursday - Rob Cowan with Francesca Simon

Monday - Rob Cowan with Francesca Simon

05/05/2016

Thursday - Rob Cowan with Francesca Simon

BBC Radio 3 - Essential Classics, Thursday - Rob Cowan with Francesca Simonsearch

Artists of the Week: Juilliard Quartet, featured in Beethoven's String Quartet, Op 131.

With Rob Cowan. My Favourite Smetana Piano Works; Music in Time: Poulenc; Artists of the Week: Juilliard Quartet, featured in Beethoven's String Quartet in C sharp minor, Op 131.

9am
My favourite... Smetana piano works. Celebrated for his charming polkas, Bedrich Smetana was in fact a genuine musical innovator. His piano works contain some of the most daring, disquieting and original music written during the 19th century. This week Rob explores works ranging from the concert etude 'On the Seashore' to the collection of Czech Dances featuring performances by native Czech pianists Rudolf Firkusny and Jitka Cechova, as well as Andras Schiff and Leif Ove Andsnes. 

9.30am
Take part in our daily musical challenge: can you remember the television show or film that featured this piece of classical music?

10am 
Rob's guest is the author Francesca Simon, creator of the Horrid Henry books. The adventures have sold millions of copies worldwide, have been made into an animated series and film, and have won the Children's Book of the Year awards. Besides the Horrid Henry series Francesca has written over fifty books for children of all ages and is among the most borrowed children's authors in British libraries. She is also involved in children's literacy charities as well as working with young writers, and is currently developing an opera for the Royal Opera House. Throughout the week Francesca will be sharing a selection of her favourite classical music including works by Jonathan Dove, Tchaikovsky and troubadour Bernart de Ventadorn. 

10.30am 
Music in Time: Modern 
Rob places Music in Time and looks at how the signature Modern style of writing for wind instruments and piano crafted by Francis Poulenc in the 1920s infused Poulenc's music until his death in 1963.

11am
Rob's featured artists are the members of the Juilliard Quartet, a group that has been in existence for nearly seven decades. Among the quartet's many virtues is their ability to make the classics sound new, and more modern music sound as if it's been around for years. In their hands everything becomes contemporary, vital and memorable. 

Beethoven
String Quartet in C sharp minor Op.131
Juilliard String Quartet.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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Thursday - Rob Cowan with Francesca Simon

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