Joanna Lumley & The Maestro

Episodes page 1 of 2

1. Trailer

   5 Jan 2023 · 1:41 · Trailer

   Joanna Lumley and her husband Stephen Barlow invite you into their home for a fascinating, funny journey into their shared love of music.

2. The Music Room

   17 Jan 2023 · 35 min · S1 E1

   Why does music make us feel such emotion? Joanna Lumley and her husband Stephen Barlow invite you into their music room to discuss the big questions of life, music and marriage. In this first episode we take a tour…

3. Mozart or Beethoven?

   24 Jan 2023 · 37 min · S1 E2

   It’s the battle of the heavyweights! Stephen couldn’t live without Mozart, while Joanna thinks Beethoven is the most sublime composer who ever lived. In this episode we get to the bottom of an age-old debate, who’s…

4. What Does A Conductor Do?

   31 Jan 2023 · 35 min · S1 E3

   Joanna Lumley has a few questions about her husband’s profession. As well as being a composer and pianist, Stephen Barlow is a conductor - but what does that actually mean? What is it that a conductor actually does? Do…

5. Puccini Unbound

   7 Feb 2023 · 31 min · S1 E4

   Sex, death, betrayal: all the good stuff. Puccini has it all. If you’re a total beginner or an opera aficionado, this episode is about the amazing operas of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, the glorious melodies and…

6. The Birth of the Symphony

   14 Feb 2023 · 41 min · S1 E5

   In this episode Joanna Lumley and her husband Stephen Barlow tackle a biggie - the Symphony. We’ve probably all heard these types of composition - usually involving full orchestras and four distinct movements - but…

7. The British Greats (Part 1)

   21 Feb 2023 · 32 min · S1 E6

   The 18th century saw Great Britain referred to as “Das Land ohne Musik” - the land without music by continental Europeans. Quite the damning reviews. But why? And more importantly, is it true? Joanna and Stephen launch…

8. The Good, The Bad And The Film Music…

   28 Feb 2023 · 36 min · S1 E7

   From 'Jaws' to 'Genevieve', 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Bond', every brilliant movie has to have a great theme tune. But who were the composers who wrote these iconic pieces of music? In this episode, Joanna and Stephen…

9. The Voice: Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Doris Day

   7 Mar 2023 · 37 min · S1 E8

   Who is the finest singer of all time? And what makes a legendary voice? Is it technique, style, phrasing or simply magic? This week Joanna and Stephen discuss their favourite singers, find out why do we fall in love…

10. What’s Wrong With Opera?

    14 Mar 2023 · 35 min · S1 E9

    Why does Opera make some people (maybe you?) run for the hills? In this episode Joanna and Stephen dig down into the big questions… Like, when did Opera become posh? How did it evolve from musical drama? And can it be…

11. Songbirds

    21 Mar 2023 · 34 min · S1 E10

    Some extraordinary songs transport us to another time or dimension. This week our classical duo explore compositions which move us to our very core by taking a tour through the evolution of the song itself. Diving into…

12. The British Greats (Part 2): From Hendrix to Handel

    28 Mar 2023 · 37 min · S1 E11

    Having previously fallen down a wormhole in Part 1, Joanna and Stephen start with Jimi Hendrix’s illustrious Mayfair neighbour, George Friedrich Handel (albeit 200 years apart) exploring the legacy of this German-born…

13. So, You Think You Can Sing?

    4 Apr 2023 · 33 min · S1 E12

    Opera is to ordinary singing what Olympians are to dog walkers. It takes years of dedication, practice and coaching to develop a fully rounded and mature operatic voice. So, how well do you know your mezzo soprano from…

14. Ade Edmondson: Learning Lines, The A303 and Being Forced to Listen to Classical Music

    25 Apr 2023 · 31 min · S2 E1

    Ade Edmondson joins Joanna and Stephen to kick off season two! The actor, comedian and musician discusses his own complicated relationship with classical music, his jack-of-all-trades mentality to learning instruments…

15. Your Questions: Patsy, Broken Batons & The Future Of Conductors

    27 Apr 2023 · 10 min · S2 E2

    We’ve turned the tables! Welcome to a mini episode where you get to ask Joanna & The Maestro your absolutely fabulous musical questions.

16. Anthems

    2 May 2023 · 24 min · S2 E3

    Love them or hate them, everyone has one. In this episode, we’re discussing National Anthems. In Japan they sing of generations reigning eight thousand years. The French sing of slaughtering enemies until their ‘blood…

17. Sex, Death & Pythagoras?

    4 May 2023 · 10 min · S2 E4

    What did Joanna and Stephen play at their wedding? Why does everyone die in opera? And what the heck does Pythagoras have to do with music?

18. Stripping The Score

    9 May 2023 · 32 min · S2 E5

    Have you ever wondered how a conductor deciphers the individual musical parts and melodies from a whole opera score? In this episode, Stephen and Joanna deconstruct Richard Strauss’ monumental opera, Salome - a score…

19. Stick Or No Stick, Deadly Composers & Interpreting The Score

    11 May 2023 · 12 min · S2 E6

    What drove 16th century composer, Carlo Gesualdo, to commit homicide? To baton or not to baton? And how do composers really interpret a score?

20. Turning the Tables: Joanna’s Life as a ‘Moving Target’

    16 May 2023 · 33 min · S2 E7

    In this episode the Maestro turns the tables on Joanna and asks her questions about her life, her career as an actress and how she became a diarist for the Times. Joanna talks about why she wanted to become an actress,…

21. Virgins, Nicknames & How To Train Your Maestro…

    18 May 2023 · 11 min · S2 E8

    Its question time again! This week Joanna and Stephen discuss your questions on nicknames for operas and where to start with listening to them. Stephen also reveals how one becomes a Maestro…

22. Arnold Schoenberg: The Man who Changed Music

    23 May 2023 · 27 min · S2 E9

    Captain, We Hit A Schoenberg! Did Arnold Schoenberg break Classical music? Widely considered the greatest composer of the 20th century, Schoenburg’s innovations in ‘atonality’ (a term he detested throughout his life)…

23. We All Love a Disaster

    25 May 2023 · 11 min · S2 E10

    What happens when it all goes wrong? What’s the most embarrassing thing that can happen to a conductor? Conducting with your flies down? And have Joanna or Stephen ever dozed off during a show? Got questions for…

24. The Art of the Possible: Musicals, Shows and Operas…

    29 May 2023 · 30 min · S2 E11

    We need to talk about musicals. The most popular ones tour up and down the country and play to packed out theatres 8 times a week. No need for state-backing here! So why can’t opera do the same? In this episode, Joanna…

25. DA-DA-DA-DAAAAAHHHHHH

    1 Jun 2023 · 10 min · S2 E12

    This week our intrepid classical crusaders tackle questions like; if Joanna and Stephen were pieces of music, what would they be? Where should you start when it comes to collecting CDs or vinyl? And is Beethoven's 5th…

26. Sean Rafferty: Celidhs, Studio Emergencies and the Musical Sublime

    6 Jun 2023 · 30 min · S2 E13

    Joanna and Stephen invite another guest into their home. Classical music aficionado Sean Rafferty discusses his lifelong love of music, and our trio discuss learning to play music, the culture of arts in Ireland and…

27. Opera - Just For The Posh?

    8 Jun 2023 · 8:50 · S2 E14

    Another round of your brilliant questions. Joanna and Stephen tackle a big one, is opera just for the upper class? (Spoiler alert: It isn’t). Plus, if you could be any composer in the world, who would you be? And…

28. Mark Kermode: Scores, Cinema and The Sound of The Exorcist…

    13 Jun 2023 · 36 min · S2 E15

    Mark Kermode, Britain’s most loved film critic, is Joanna and Stephen's special guest, discussing his favourite soundtracks, composers and we go on a deep dive into the music of ‘The Exorcist’ - Mark's ‘gateway drug’…

29. Modern Classical Music - Just For ‘Smarty Pants’?

    15 Jun 2023 · 9:06 · S2 E16

    This week Joanna and Stephen dive into the inbox to tackle your questions, like: What music makes them cry? Is modern classical too ‘clever’? And what does the maestro hear when he listens to music? Got a question for…

30. Welcome To The English School

    20 Jun 2023 · 27 min · S2 E17

    Have you ever wondered how musical styles become synonymous with certain countries, regions and places? What is it about the Italian school that defines it from, say, the Nordic or the French school? In this episode…

31. The Coronation (Part 1)

    22 Jun 2023 · 14 min · S2 E18

    Joanna and Stephen spill the beans on the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. As favoured guests, they tell us about their favourite moments from inside Westminster Abbey on the special day.

32. STRAUSS PARTY!

    27 Jun 2023 · 39 min · S2 E19

    In this episode we dive into the life and works of Richard Strauss, one of Stephen’s favourite composers. Joanna and Stephen take a tour through his ‘ultra-modern’ operas Elektra and Salome and also chat about his…

33. The Coronation (Part 2)

    29 Jun 2023 · 12 min · S2 E20

    Joanna and Stephen return to your questions about the King’s coronation. They discuss the old and new compositions and commissions from the day and the breathtaking conductorship of Andrew Nethsingha and Sir Antonio…

34. The King of Instruments

    4 Jul 2023 · 32 min · S2 E21

    They were the most complex machines ever constructed (before the industrial revolution). The best are said to have “bite” and the biggest has over 33,000 pipes. We’re talking about the organ - aka “The King of…

35. Dogs Riding Horses & Music For Your Funeral

    6 Jul 2023 · 11 min · S2 E22

    Do all classical pieces have to be long? Apparently not. Are there some brief classical hits? Yes indeed. Stephen and Joanna also discuss whether composers ever write music for their own funerals. Plus, a listener is…

36. Interval Please

    11 Jul 2023 · 29 min · S2 E23

    It’s hard work talking about classical music all day. Perhaps we need an interval - no - not that kind of interval! In this episode Stephen explains how intervals are the building blocks of music, and Joanna reveals…

37. Getting THE FEAR & The First Ever Opera

    13 Jul 2023 · 16 min · S2 E24

    This mini episode sees Stephen having flashbacks to the most challenging piece of music he’s ever had to play, Joanna asks about composers who've been lost in time, and we investigate the first ever real opera... Got…

38. Welcome back to Joanna Lumley & The Maestro Season 3

    14 Nov 2023 · 0:34 · Trailer

    Joanna & The Maestro are overjoyed to be back, and this time they're bringing some friends with them. In a brand new series Joanna Lumley and composer and conductor Stephen Barlow once again invite listeners into their…

39. Rob Brydon: Springsteen, Miles Davis and paying homage to The King

    21 Nov 2023 · 31 min · S3 E1

    We're back! Starting a new series with comedian, actor and Welsh icon Rob Brydon who discusses the poetry of Bruce Springsteen, his life on stage and a burgeoning love for jazz. Sharing stories about early life in…

40. Bonus Brydon: Mashups, Richard Burton and 'The Swinging Doors'

    23 Nov 2023 · 10 min · S3 E2

    We enjoyed speaking to Rob Brydon so much that we kept the tape rolling after the interview finished – much to our joy. In this extra mini-episode, Rob runs through the 'schlocky' teen movie he’ll never forget and how…

41. Rule Breakers: Gesualdo, Beethoven and Stravinsky

    28 Nov 2023 · 33 min · S3 E3

    Which three composers tore up the rule book and changed music forever? Joanna and Stephen begin this episode with the cold-blooded murderer, Carlo Gesualdo - a dreadful man who composed sacred music. Known for…

42. Unsung Heroes: Charles Koechlin and Magic of The Jungle Book

    30 Nov 2023 · 15 min · S3 E4

    This week's mini episode comes to you as a pair. Stephen and Joanna discuss their favourite 'unsung heroes' - this time focusing on the strange and absorbing late works of Charles Koechlin. 'Les Bandar-Log' is part of…

43. Aled Jones: Teenage Choirs, Richard Branston and the Music of Everything

    5 Dec 2023 · 28 min · S3 E5

    One of the UK's most loved vocalists and broadcasters, Aled Jones, sits down with Joanna and Stephen to discuss the moment he unearthed a trove of unreleased music from his childhood. In this candid conversation, Aled…

44. Unsung Heroes: Lili Boulanger, Prodigy meets Tragedy

    7 Dec 2023 · 17 min · S3 E6

    This week's mini episode continues our theme of 'unsung heroes'. And today we're diving into the works of another prodigious French composer, Lili Boulanger, celebrating the flourish, colour and romance of her music.

45. Stephen Fry and the Virtuosity of Classical Music

    12 Dec 2023 · 34 min · S3 E7

    Today, Joanna and the Maestro are joined by the actor, writer and national treasure, Stephen Fry. The trio discuss Stephen’s deep love for classical music, which began in childhood with the soft sounds of Schubert,…

46. Great Conductors, Musical Signatures and Whizz Kids

    14 Dec 2023 · 14 min · S3 E8

    How do great conductors like Furtwängler and Haitink command an orchestra? Do some conductors have a signature sound? And how did meeting the driver of The Flying Scotsman in Woolworths almost derail Stephen's musical…

47. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan on the making of 'Maestro'

    19 Dec 2023 · 30 min · S3 E9

    This week, Joanna and the Stephen are joined by Hollywood royalty. On the eve Netflix's worldwide release of 'Maestro' - a new biopic about the world renown conductor Leonard Bernstein - Bradley Cooper and Carey…

48. Child Prodigies, The Jocundity of Rossini and The Big Snare Drum

    21 Dec 2023 · 11 min · S3 E10

    Joanna and Stephen fire up the email inbox in the week's mini episode, diving into listeners' questions on everything from how conductors convey depth and complex emotions; how to coax a child prodigy and how not…

49. Bonus Christmas Ken Bruce

    23 Dec 2023 · 11 min · S3 E11

    Did you think we'd forgotten to get you a Christmas present? Far from it! Joanna was Ken Bruce's special guest on Greatest Hits Radio, so we thought we'd slip a little extra episode under your tree in the shape of…

50. Merry Christmas From Joanna & the Maestro

    26 Dec 2023 · 45 min · S3 E12

    Christmas has landed and The Music Room is in full reverberation. From carols to ditties, oratorios and Wham! the Maestro and Joanna leave no stone unturned in this Christmas special.