Interrupted Cadences
Chance encounters, lucky escapes and unexpected opportunities that changed the history of Western classical music. John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently.
Collection items
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Interrupted Cadences - Falling on their feet
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. Falling on their feet. From the sixteenth century to the nineteenth… Audio
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Stravinsky and the Spanish 'flu
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. In the Spanish 'flu epidemic millions died, but one survived to become one… Audio
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Verdi's Chance Meeting
4 Dec 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. Verdi's chance meeting. In 1841 Verdi decided to compose no more. But a… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Brahms falls asleep
Nodding off caused a war in Germany whose repercussions are still being felt. John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out… Audio
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Weber and the Wine Bottle
A story of poison, heroism, stupidity and the future of opera. John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Schubert's foolish summer
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. Mixing in the wrong company would prove fatal for the great Viennese… Audio
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A World without Salieri
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. He changed the musical world, but he would have been no-one if it hadn't… Audio
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Gluck and friends: a happy meeting
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. The opera reform we attribute to Gluck was actually the result of five… Audio
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How the 'London Bach' came to London
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. When Mozart arrived in London at the age of eight he needed someone to teach… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Lully's Luck
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out differently. What lucky meeting in Florence brought to Paris the man who would be… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Britten
9 Mar 2016What if …? John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Crossing the Atlantic in 1942 meant dodging U-boats… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Schoenberg
2 Mar 2016What if …? John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. In 1915 Schoenberg's regiment suffered enormous losses on… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Wagner
24 Feb 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Wagner only just escaped being arrested for treason in 1849. What would… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Schumann
17 Feb 2016What if …? John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck became engaged in 1837. What… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Berlioz
10 Feb 2016What if …? John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. What if Berlioz had never seen Harriet Smithson play… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Beethoven's last summer
3 Feb 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Beethoven's last summer. What if he had indeed taken his life at the… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Mozart
27 Jan 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. The young Mozart had two lucky escapes. What if he'd succumbed to… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - JS Bach
20 Jan 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. JS Bach was only third choice, after Telemann and Graupner, for the… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Galilei
13 Jan 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Had Vincenzo Galilei not courageously challenged established thinking… Audio
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Interrupted Cadences - Handel
6 Jan 2016John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently. Handel suffered a massive stroke on 13 April 1737. What if he had not… Audio
John Drummond explores critical moments in the history of Western music when things might well have turned out very differently.