Round of applause, please! YolanDa, Hugh and Simon evaluate the pros and cons of applause, sharing their experiences both in the concert hall and beyond. Why do we clap, when should we clap, and what’s the etiquette? Together they cover pieces where people clap when they shouldn’t, pieces where it simply feels wrong to show your appreciation by clapping, and rock and jazz concerts where it’s common to clap every few minutes. But this episode isn’t just about putting your hands together - they also discuss whether fish should be allowed in concert halls and the simplistic beauty of painting a shed. Plus, there’s fierce competition to work out who has the best-sounding clap in the end-of-episode quiz…

#PitchMeClassical

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When asked to name a classical composer, why does everyone always say Mozart? He’s one of classical music’s most famous composers (perhaps THE most famous), but does he deserve his reputation, and is he the G.O.A.T.*? YolanDa, Mark and Alice discuss Mozart’s high points and low points, his best pieces and his worse, and how he writes for different instruments. They also touch on what’s special about him and whether other composers are more deserving of fame. Plus, this episode’s quiz reveals strong opinions on which of his three names would make the best name for a pet…

*Mark has now learnt a new acronym.

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Welcome to Pitch Me Classical! Saxophonist and presenter YolanDa Brown and players from the London Philharmonic Orchestra pitch their thoughts on some of classical music’s most-asked questions, with plenty of chit-chat and laughter along the way.

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YolanDa Brown takes us through some of the best bits of Series 7. Why do trumpets transpose, and do they enjoy it? How has recording film music changed over the years? And what does retirement look like for orchestral musicians? 

Plus, singer Brindley Sherratt shares his top tips on preparing to sing an operatic role.

With trombonist Mark Templeton, violinist Minn Majoe, horn player Mark Vines, tuba player Lee Tsarmaklis, double bass player Simon Carrington, trumpeter Anne McAneney, bass Brindley Sherratt, clarinettist Thomas Watmough, conductor Ed Gardner, composer Colin Matthews, violinist Geoffrey Lynn, oboist Joan Graham, and bassoonist Gareth Newman.

That’s it for now from LPO Offstage. Thanks for joining us along the way and stay tuned as we’ll be back soon with a brand new podcast.

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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YolanDa Brown sits down with three former LPO members - violinist Geoff Lynn, bassoonist Gareth Newman, and oboist Joan Graham - to explore retirement. 

When they retire, some musicians sell their instruments and never play a note again. Others reduce the amount of performing they’re doing to make more time for teaching. The former LPO members chatting to YolanDa today all approached retirement in very different ways.

Geoff, Gareth and Joan tell YolanDa what they miss about their orchestral years, share the pits and troughs of their careers, and share hints and tips for anyone who might be thinking about their retirement whether it’s decades away or fast approaching.

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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YolanDa Brown joins composer Colin Matthews, Principal Conductor of the LPO Edward Gardner and flautist Juliette Bausor to revisit Gustav Holst’s most famous work, The Planets.

Faber recently published a new facsimile edition of Holst’s The Planets, edited by Colin Matthews, and today’s episode explores its significance and the unique insights that the original handwritten manuscript can give us. 

Colin, Ed and Juliette also talk to YolanDa about their favourite and least favourite movements, their thoughts on the speed you should play the big tune in ‘Jupiter’, and tips on how best to achieve the famous choral fade at the end of Neptune.

Plus, what happened musically when Pluto lost its status as a planet… 

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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Today we’re dimming the lights, turning off our phones and filling up a giant bucket of popcorn to get the lowdown on music for film and TV.

Film score production has changed a lot in recent years, and LPO musicians timpanist Simon Carrington and tuba player Lee Tsarmaklis have seen it all; from Elmer Bernstein’s skilful, old school approach, to the meticulous modern day techniques of click tracks and multitrack recording.

Simon and Lee tell YolanDa about the film scores which soundtrack their earliest cinema outings and describe the joyful and awe-inspiring experiences playing the music of the legendary John Williams.

Plus, Lee and Simon reveal the soundtracks they wish they could have played on.

Be sure to listen to the Spotify playlist that accompanies this episode to inject some Hollywood dazzle into your day: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6UuJau7Ew5d58hx4PbcO8g?si=b9970b912009443b

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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Today we’re going deep in the music of Wagner - and specifically The Ring cycle, his collection of 4 monumental operas: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung 

Even if you haven’t seen these live, you’re probably aware that these are absolute behemoths of the opera house - with heroism, love, death, gigantic orchestras and big tunes that need big voices. Bass Brindley Sherratt is tackling the role of Hagen in Götterdämmerung, and he explains how memory, text and costume are just some of the challenges he grapples with.

Wagner wrote some stunning brass parts, and trombonist Dave Whitehouse explains the novelty of playing the bass trumpet in Götterdämmerung, and violinist Fiona Higham explains how to crack the string player’s code when tackling Wagner’s music. 

Plus, how lifting weights can be a great training programme for a 6 hour opera.

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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Today, another one of our top episodes from the archive… YolanDa Brown joins organist and conductor Anna Lapwood, piccolo player Stewart McIlwham and violinist Martin Höhmann to take a close look at Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No.3 - his organ symphony. 

They discuss the challenges of communicating with the conductor from the organ, how to get the perfect tempo so those mammoth chords have maximum impact, and how the flutes and violins manage the difficult offbeat rhythms. 

Anna also reveals how she’s able to practise on concert hall organs, gives some social media tips for musicians who want to share their own musical journeys, and our listener question zooms in on organ ‘stops’. 

Plus, what it’s like to actually be inside a 32-foot organ pipe… 

If you have any questions you’d like to put to the musicians, please email [email protected], and you might be featured in Series 7!

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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YolanDa Brown sits down with contrabassoonist Simon Estell and clarinettist Tom Watmough for a deep dive into Brahms’ Four symphonies

Brahms’ symphonies are right at the beating heart of orchestral repertoire for very good reason: audiences love their romanticism and drama, and players can’t get enough of those gorgeous melodies. But how do you keep the music fresh when it’s played so often? Tom and Simon reveal how every conductor creates new challenges for the orchestra, and how Brahms was inspired by the musicians he worked with.

Plus, what’s your favourite Brahms symphony? Simon and Tom discover that’s a very difficult question to answer.

If you have any questions you’d like to put to the musicians, please email [email protected], and you might be featured in Series 7!

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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YolanDa Brown talks to trumpeter Anne McAneney and cellist Francis Bucknall and explores Stravinsky’s Firebird. 

The Firebird is a hugely popular work, but what makes it so enduring? Anne, Francis and YolanDa discuss its story, Stravinsky’s revolutionary writing, and how to keep the music sounding fresh on stage and in recordings. They also mention a number of related works and why Stravinsky’s music lends itself so well to education projects. 

Plus, they reveal what changes when a piece is being recorded, and the extra layer of difficulty that comes with being filmed. 

If you have any questions you’d like to put to the musicians, please email [email protected], and you might be featured in Series 7!

Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 

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