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Donald Macleod chats to Max Richter, one of the world鈥檚 most in-demand composers. Today we hear about Max鈥檚 musical beginnings, and how the milkman influenced his creative destiny.

Donald Macleod speaks to trailblazing composer Max Richter about his musical beginnings.

German-born British musician Max Richter is one of the most influential composers of his generation. A streaming sensation with over 3 billion listens, he blends classical and electronic elements in his music and is just as at home on 6Music as on Radio 3. He鈥檚 a producer, pianist and serial collaborator whose trailblazing work ranges from ballets and orchestral works to major Hollywood scores and solo albums. At his studio in rural Oxfordshire, Donald sits down with Max to talk about his musical life, from making synthesisers in his bedroom, to Grammy nominations, writing the world鈥檚 longest lullaby and tackling some of society鈥檚 biggest questions through the medium of music. Across the week, we dig into Max鈥檚 eclectic back catalogue, and journey through one of his most popular works, his reinterpretation of Vivaldi鈥檚 Four Seasons.

Today, we rewind back to Max鈥檚 musical beginnings. His parents鈥 classical records opened his eyes to the power of music, before a youth spent at punk gigs and obsessing with analogue synthesisers. Donald and Max discuss the liberating 鈥渇ailure鈥 of his first record, and we hear about an unlikely influence on his creative destiny 鈥 the local milkman.

Spring 1 (Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons)
Daniel Hope, violin
Konzerthaus Kammerhaus Berlin
Andre de Ridder, conductor

Last Days
大象传媒 Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba, conductor

Sketchbook
大象传媒 Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba

November
Mari Samuelsen
Konzerthausorchester Berlin
Jonathan Stockhammer, conductor

Andras
Max Richter, piano

Arbenita (11 Years)
Sarah Leonard, soprano
大象传媒 Philharmonic
Rumon Gamba

Gongstream (excerpt)
Piano Circus

Max
Future Sound of London

Spring (Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons)
Elena Urioste, violin
Chineke! Orchestra
Max Richter, synthesisers

Organum
Max Richter, piano

Produced by Amelia Parker for 大象传媒 Audio Cardiff

(Photo credit: Mike Terry)

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Jan 2023 12:00

Music Played

  • 大象传媒 Philharmonic & Rumon Gamba

    Last Days

    • N/A.
    • 大象传媒.
    • 17.
  • Max Richter

    Sketchbook

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS : LATE JUNCTION-大象传媒LJ30032.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS.
    • 8.
  • Max Richter

    November (Single Edit)

    Performer: Mari Silje Samuelsen Andersen. Orchestra: Berlin Konzerthausorchester. Conductor: Jonathan Stockhammer.
    • DG : 4835869.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 18.
  • Max Richter

    Andras

    Performer: Max Richter.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS : LATE JUNCTION-大象传媒LJ30032.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS.
    • 6.
  • Max Richter

    Arbenita (11 Years)

    Singer: Sarah Sutcliffe. Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS : LATE JUNCTION-大象传媒LJ30032.
    • 大象传媒 RECORDS.
    • 11.
  • Elena Urioste

    Spring (2022)

    • The New Four Seasons - Vivaldi Recomposed.
    • DG.
    • 1.
  • Max Richter

    Gongstream (excerpt)

    Performer: Max Richter.
    • ARGO : 4435272.
    • ARGO.
    • 4.
  • The Future Sound of London

    Max

  • Max Richter

    Organum

    Performer: Max Richter.
    • DG 4835014.
    • DG.
    • 9.

Broadcast

  • Mon 2 Jan 2023 12:00

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