A Thousand Pictures ... of Classical Music

Hi! My name’s Scott Wilson. I’m a conductor and in the A Thousand Pictures podcast I’m going to share my passion for classical music with you. Maybe you’ve heard some of the fantastic orchestral scores from films or video games and thought, I wonder what else is out there? Or perhaps you played an instrument at school and miss the music of your childhood? And I know there a

The ‘Pines of Rome’ by Ottorino Respighi is a favourite piece of mine, featuring a huge orchestra building from nothing to one of the most climactic endings in all music! It’s a spectacular celebration of the sound of an orchestra! In this episode I share insights into this piece and I discuss ‘What is music?’ and ‘What led to the invention of the orchestra?’ This epi

‘La Mer’ (French for ‘The Sea’) is one of the most evocative pieces ever composed. The composer Claude Debussy conjures up images and sensations of the sea, creating some of the most beautiful sounds an orchestra can produce. In this episode I share insights into this piece, I continue to explore the question ‘What Is Music?’ and we discover the instruments of the Percu

‘Symphony no. 10’ by Dmitri Shostakovich has a rawness that strikes straight at the core of the listener. It’s full of intense emotion fuelled by the composer’s experience of living under Stalin’s regime. In this episode I share insights into the piece, introduce the instruments of the brass section, and discuss how emotion is communicated in music. This episode features

The ‘Piano Concerto in G’ by Maurice Ravel is so astonishingly beautiful that time can appear to become suspended for a listener. The melody is somehow magical, transporting you to another place. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I discuss the Woodwind section of the orchestra, and begin to uncover how music works by answering the question ‘What is a Melody?’

‘Symphony no. 7’ by Beethoven is considered to be a masterpiece. And wonderfully, its solemn march was chosen as the music for the climactic scene of ‘The King’s Speech’! It communicates perseverance and determination to overcome adversity. In this episode I share insights into the piece, I continue our journey to uncover how music works by answering the question ‘What

‘Candide Overture’ by Leonard Bernstein is a fantastic piece. Fun for the listener and virtuosic for the orchestra, it bursts with energy and excitement. In this episode I share insights into the piece and I discuss the ‘feel’ of music by exploring the role of the Time Signature. Also I answer the question, ‘What is an Overture?’. This episode features ‘Candide Overtu

In the ‘Four Sea Interludes’ by Benjamin Britten you’re standing on the cliffs of the English Channel and a storm is raging around you. Waves are crashing, wind is hurtling, and rain is drenching you from all angles! In this episode I share insights into the piece, I answer the question ‘What is rhythm?’, and we continue to explore the different types of pieces played by

The piece ‘Of A Sad Evening’ by the composer Lili Boulanger is harrowing. Its desolate atmosphere conveys the tragedy of its composer’s life: she would die at 24, shortly after composing this piece. For a listener, it’s intense and powerful. In this episode I share insights into the piece, we continue to discover the different types of pieces orchestras play, and I answer t

The ‘Cello Concerto’ by Elgar is the most famous piece for solo cello accompanied by an orchestra. The beautiful, rich sound of the cello is captivating. But, we also sense loneliness: the cellist seems to be searching for something. In this episode I share insights into the piece and I answer the questions ‘What is a Concerto?’ and ‘What is Texture?’. This episode feat