Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Composer says no: Milan, Mantua

Donald Macleod explores Girolamo Frescobaldi’s discovery of his own agency – rejecting households whose wooing of him wasn’t sufficiently enticing.

Girolamo Frescobaldi established the keyboard style that would dominate Europe in the Baroque era. His life throws a light on the nepotism and patronage at the heart of Italy in the 17th century, and how it created extraordinary music and spectacle.... breaking the bank in the process.

Donald Macleod and his guest Robert Quinney, Director of the Choir of New College, Oxford, explore Frescobaldi's story alongside some of the other great musicians of is time, who fell into his orbit.

Today, Donald and Robert look at Girolamo Frescobaldi’s discovery of his own agency – rejecting households whose wooing of him wasn’t sufficiently enticing, as successful composers across Europe were beginning to assert their own worth.

Partite Sopra Ciaccona - Corrente
(arr. K. Buhl-Mortensen, A. Christensen and M. Westheimer)
Kristian Buhl-Mortensen, baroque guitar
Monica Westheimer, harpsichord

Il primo libro delle fantasie:
Fantasia prima, sopra un soggietto
Fantasia seconda, sopra un soggietto solo
Francesco Tasini, organ

Francesco Soriano: Missa Nos autem gloriari oportet:
Gloria
Regensburg Vokalsolisten
Josef Kohlhäufl, director

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: Tu es Petrus a 6
Westminster Cathedral Choir,
Martin Baker, conductor

Fiori musicali: Messa della Domenica:
Canzon post il Comune
Bergamasca
Ton Koopman, organ

Toccate e partite d'intavolatura di cimbalo et organo, libro primo:
Toccata quarta
Balletto prima
Corrente del balletto
Passacagli
Richard Lester, harpsichord

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Partite Sopra Ciaccona - Corrente

    Performer: Kristian Buhl-Mortensen. Performer: Monica Westheimer. Music Arranger: Kristian Buhl-Mortensen. Music Arranger: Monica Westheimer.
    • CLASSICO : CLASS CD-125.
    • CLASSICO.
    • 11.
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Fantasia prima, sopra un soggietto

    Performer: Francesco Tasini.
    • TACTUS : TC580607.
    • TACTUS.
    • 1.
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Fantasia seconda, sopra un soggietto solo

    Performer: Francesco Tasini.
    • TACTUS : TC580607.
    • TACTUS.
    • 2.
  • Francesco Soriano

    Missa Nos autem gloriari oportet: Gloria

    Ensemble: Regensburger Vokalsolisten. Director: Josef Kohlhäufl.
    • TYXart : TXA15058.
    • TYXart.
    • 2.
  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Tu es Petrus a 6

    Choir: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Director: Martin Baker.
    • HYPERION : CDA-67785.
    • HYPERION.
    • 8.
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Messa della Domenica: Canzon post il Comune; Bergamasca

    Performer: Ton Koopman.
    • ERATO : 4509-96544-2.
    • ERATO.
    • 17.
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Toccata quarta

    Performer: Richard Lester.
    • NIMBUS : NI5870.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 3.
  • Girolamo Frescobaldi

    Balletto prima

    Performer: Richard Lester.
    • NIMBUS : NI5870.
    • NIMBUS.
    • 4.

Broadcast

  • Wed 20 Sep 2023 12:00

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.