Composer of the Week: Mozart's Grand Tour

Original version

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

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Migrated podcast image for: Composer Of The Week

Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Mozart's Grand Tour: Mixed fortunes in London

Mixed fortunes in London

Mozart's Grand Tour

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Mozart's Grand Tour, Mixed fortunes in London

Donald Macleod joins Mozart and his family on an epic European adventure.

The Mozart family arrive in Britain with high hopes. The children make a dazzling first impression, but unexpected problems arise. With Donald Macleod.

The Mozart’s arrive in Britain with high hopes, but unexpected problems arise. With Donald Macleod.

When Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was just seven years old, he and his family set out on an epic journey.  Their goal: to travel through Europe and become famous; bringing their awesomely talented children to concert halls, homes and royal palaces across Germany, Belgium, France, Britain, the Netherlands and Switzerland.  At the start of their trip, young Wolfgang could already perform and improvise better than most adults.  By the time they returned home, three and a half years later, he’d grown into a fully fledged composer of sonatas, symphonies and arias.  This week, Donald Macleod accompanies the Mozart family on their musical marathon and invites us to follow their many scrapes and adventures.

Today, the Mozarts change their plans and divert to London, lured by the promise of large profits to be made in Europe’s wealthiest capital.  The children quickly make a big impression at Buckingham House, but a mystery disease threatens to derail their progress. 

Sonata No 14, K 29: I. Allegro molto
François Fernandez, violin
Pierre Hantaï, harpsichord

Divertimento in F, K 138
Hagen Quartet

Va, dal furor portata, K 21
Rolando Villazón, tenor
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antonio Pappano

Symphony No 1 in E flat major, K 16
Northern Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas Ward

Flute Sonata in C major, K 14
Marc Grauwels, flute
Guy Penson, harpsichord

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.

Donald Macleod follows the young Mozart and his family on an ambitious European adventure.

When Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was just seven years old, he and his family set out on an epic journey. Donald Macleod follows them on their ambitious European adventure.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Composer of the Week

Mozart's Grand Tour

Mixed fortunes in London

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3