The Music Show

Can you tell the history of the world in fifty pieces of music? No, but BBC Radio 3 presenter and writer Tom Service has given it a red hot go in A History of the World in 50 Pieces: The Classical Music That Shapes Us. He joins Andy to talk through the surprising stories behind some of those pieces, from Handel to Happy Birthday. 
Music heard in the show:
Title: Overture from The Marriage of FigaroArtist: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo MutiComposer: Mozart, Wolfgang AmadeusAlbum: Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro K492Label: Warner Classics
Title: Psalm 130: ‘Du fond de l'abîme’Artist: Ann Murray, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, Yan Pascal TortelierComposer: Boulanger, LiliAlbum: Faust et HélèneLabel: Chandos
Title: “Gente, Gente!”, and “Questo giorno di tormenti” from The Marriage of FigaroArtist: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo MutiComposer: Mozart, Wolfgang AmadeusAlbum: Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro K492Label: Warner Classics
Title: Scena II. Ruggier de danni asprissimi, from La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'AlcinaArtist: Huelgas-Ensemble, Paul Van NevelComposer: Caccini, FrancescaAlbum: Caccini, F: La liberazione di Ruggerio dall'isola di AlcinaLabel: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
Title: Fuera, Fuera! Haganles lugar!Artist: Florilegium, Arakaendar Bolivia Choir, Ashley SolomonComposer: Chavarria, Roque Jacinto deAlbum: Bolivian Baroque Volume 3Label: Channel Classics
Title: Gruppen, for 3 Orchestras (extracts)Artist: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Bruno Maderna, Michael GielenComposer: Stockhausen, KarlheinzAlbum: Gruppen, PunkteLabel: BMC
Title: The Rumble, America from West Side StoryArtist: Leonard Bernstein; Kiri Te Kanawa; José Carreras; Tatiana Troyanos; Kurt Ollmann; Marilyn HorneComposer: Bernstein, LeonardAlbum: Leonard Bernstein Conducts West Side StoryLabel: Deutsche Grammophon
Title: MbubeArtist: Solomon Linda’s Original Evening BirdsComposer: Linda, Solomon Album: Single, 1939Label: Gallo
Title: WimowehArtist: The WeaversComposer: Linda, SolomonAlbum: The Weavers at Carnegie HallLabel: Vanguard
Title: The Lion Sleeps TonightArtist: The TokensComposer: Linda, Solomon; Peretti, Hugo; Creatore, Luigi; Weiss, George David; Stanton, AlbertAlbum: The Lion Sleeps TonightLabel: RCA Victor
Title: The Lion Sleeps TonightArtist: Billy Eichner and Seth RogenComposer: Linda, Solomon; Peretti, Hugo; Creatore, Luigi; Weiss, George David; Stanton, AlbertAlbum: The Lion King (2019)Label: Walt Disney Records
Title: The Lark AscendingArtist: Tasmin Little, BBC Philharmonic, Andrew DavisComposer: Vaughan Williams, RalphAlbum: The Lark AscendingLabel: Chandos
Title: America: A Prophecy, Op. 19 Artist: Susan Bickley, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Thomas AdèsComposer: Adès, ThomasAlbum: Adès: America A ProphecyLabel: Warner Classics
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Tegan Nicholls

All The Grateful Dead are one of the iconic bands of the last century, not just for their music, but for their extended tours, which saw their fans follow them across America and create a very special sort of travelling community. Mischa Richter shares stories from the road and explores his new documentary Summer Tour.
Don Walker talks basement recordings, lessons from Nashville, and his new album Love Songs, plus he shares a memory of Glenn A Baker.
And in a church in Germany, an organ is 25 years into a 639 year performance of John Cage's piece As Slow As Possible. The notes change rarely, only every couple of years, and one of those changes has just happened. Director of the John Cage Trust Jeffrey Lependorf tells Andy what it felt like to be there as an A natural was added to the sound. 
Summer Tour is screening as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival
Don Walker is on tour in October - dates here
Music heard in this program:
Title: As Slow As PossibleArtist: John CageComposer: John CageAlbum: Live Performance
Title: The Wheel (Live in Chicago - 1976)Artist: Grateful DeadComposer: Jerry Garcia; Robert HunterAlbum: So Many RoadsLabel: Grateful Dead Records
Title: Dark Star (Live At the Fillmore West)Artist: Grateful DeadComposer: Jerry Garcia; Robert HunterAlbum: Live/DeadLabel: Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records
Title: LuckArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don Walker, Thomas Busby, Jason IsbellAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Breakfast in ParisArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Could You Still Be HereArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Fly AwayArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Tegan Nicholls

Anita O'Day was a jazz singer who lived 'the jazz life'. She's been compared to people like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald: an incredible singer, storyteller, and a deeply troubled drug user and alcoholic.  Despite the turmoil of her personal life, she's one of the most precise singers of her generation, on the beat and right in tune for every note. 
Author James Gavin, who knew O'Day, returns to The Music Show with his fresh biography, Cool Heat: Anita O’Day and Her Dangerous Jazz Life.
Music heard in the show: 
Title: Let Me Off UptownArtist: Gene Krupa Orchestra, Roy Eldridge, Anita O’DayComposer: Bostic, Earl; Evans, ReddAlbum: Let Me Off UptownLabel: Okeh
Title: Tea For TwoArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Youmans, VincentAlbum: Anita O’Day At Mister Kelly’sLabel: Verve
Title: What Is This Thing Called Love?Artist: Anita O’DayComposer: Porter, ColeAlbum: Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter with Billy MayLabel: Verve
Title: Angel EyesArtist: Anita O’Day, Johnny MandelComposer: Brent, Earl; Dennis, Matt Album: Waiter, Make Mine BluesLabel: Verve
Title: Don't ExplainArtist: Anita O’Day, Johnny MandelComposer: Holiday, Billie; Herzog, Arthur Jr.Album: Travelin' LightLabel: Verve
Title: Boogie Blues Artist: Anita O’Day, Gary McFarland OrchestraComposer: Krupa, Gene; Biondi, RayAlbum: All the Sad Young MenLabel: Verve
Title: Old Devil MoonArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Harburg, Yip; Lane, BurtonAlbum: Mello'dayLabel:  GNP Crescendo
Title: In A Mellow ToneArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Ellington, Duke; Gabler, MiltAlbum: In A Mellow ToneLabel: DRG
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Emrys Cronin and Ross Richardson

American composer William Basinski's very long and much celebrated avant-garde electronic work The Disintegration Loops was born from the gradual decay of magnetic tape. It was created over a month in August and September 2001, during which time Basinski witnessed the collapse of the World Trade Centre from his New York apartment. 25 years later, the piece is being presented in its entirety in Melbourne, with Basinski hosting a sleepover of sorts as part of the Now or Never Festival.
Will Swenson has been part of many Broadway revival casts - from Hair to Les Misérables to Assassins - but playing Neil Diamond in his prime is a different sort of revival. He joins Andy to talk about the jukebox musical A Beautiful Noise, and getting the real Neil's blessing.
And we remember Glen Hansard, the Irish musician, actor and co-composer of the Oscar-winning film Once and its stage adaptation, who has died at the age of 56. 
Plus it's National Poetry Month and The Music Show launches Middle of the Air for 2026, our competition in partnership with Red Room Poetry. Throughout August entries are open to submit a poem, which may be chosen by newly-announced partner artists Missy Higgins and Ziggy Ramo to transform into two new songs. 
Music heard in this program:
Title: DLP 6Artist: William BasinskiComposer: William BasinskiAlbum: The Disintegration Loops IVLabel: 2062
Title: CratersArtist: Missy HigginsComposer: Missy HigginsAlbum: The Second ActLabel: Eleven
Title: BanambaArtist: Ziggy RamoComposer: Guyala Bayles, Lewis Mitchell, Macario De SouzaAlbum: Human?Label: Impressed Recordings
Title: Crunchy Granola SuiteArtist: Neil DiamondComposer: Neil DiamondAlbum: Hot August NightLabel: MCA Records
Title: I Am... I SaidArtist: Neil DiamondComposer: Neil DiamondAlbum: StonesLabel: MCA Records
Title: Kentucky WomanArtist: Will SwensonComposer: Neil DiamondAlbum: Live Performance
Title: What Happens When The Heart Just StopsArtist: The FramesComposer: Glen Hansard & The FramesAlbum: For The BirdsLabel: Little Big Music
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Emrys Cronin & Ross Richardson

The latest in our Music Now & Then series with composer Liza Lim, who first appeared on The Music Show in its early years when she was in her mid twenties, where both her youth and the 'difficulty' of her music were remarked upon. 
As her opera The Oresteia is remounted by Sydney Chamber Opera and ELISION Ensemble, Andy speaks with Liza on stage about revisiting works and ideas over more than thirty years. 
The Oresteia is staged at Sydney's Carriageworks 24-31 July.
Music heard in the show:
Title: The Oresteia: The Furies; Positions of a memory theatre (Cassandra’s Dream Song); Athena’s TrumpetArtists: Jeannie van de Velde, Julie Edwardson, Deborah Kayser, Andrew Muscat-Clark, Tyrone Landau, Grant Smith (singers), Elision Ensemble/Sandro GorliComposer: Lim, LizaAlbum: Mother TongueLabel: BR Klassik
Title: The Compass, II. – Artist: William Barton (digeridoo), Carin Levine (flute), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Christoph PoppenComposer: Lim, LizaAlbum: Musica Viva Vol. 47Label: BR Klassik
Title: A Sutured World, IV. Simon Says. Alle Vögel fliegen hochArtist: Nicolas Altstaedt (cello), Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Edward GardnerComposer: Lim, LizaAlbum: Musica Viva Vol. 47Label: BR Klassik
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Harvey O’Sullivan, Mickey Grossman and Ann-Marie Debettencor