Dukas and Allegri

Donald Macleod explores two more of the greatest “one-hit wonders” in classical music.

Composers Paul Dukas and Gregorio Allegri are both remembered for just a single work. Together with guest Sarah Willis, Donald Macleod explores the reasons for this phenomenon.

Classical music is littered with composers who are famous for just a single piece of music. In a special week of Composer of the Week programmes, Donald Macleod is joined by Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis to explore ten of these composers and examine episodes from their lives, alongside their compositions – both their popular hits and some of their less familiar music. They also try to isolate why certain works have captured the popular imagination of audiences around the world.

Paul Dukas and Gregorio Allegri are composers with very little in common, separated by nearly three centuries. However they are both largely remembered for just one of their works. In Tuesday’s programme, Donald and Sarah explore their lives and the stories behind their single hits.

Dukas: La Peri Fanfare
Ulster Orchestra
Jan Pascal Tortelier, Conductor

Dukas: L’apprenti sorcier
Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
Kent Nagano, Conductor

Dukas: Ariane et Barbe-bleu, Act III: Adieu
Marilyn Schmiege, Mezzo-Soprano (Ariane)
Cynthia Buchan, Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Buchan (Selysette)
Mitsuko Shirai, Soprano (Melisande)
Francine Laurent, Soprano (Bellangere)
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Gary Bertini, Conductor

Allegri: Canzone Scamfortina
Musica Flexanima
Fabrizio Bigotti, Conductor

Allegri: Missa ‘Che fa oggi il mio sole’: Agnus Dei
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers, Conductor

Allegri: Miserere
Tenebrae
Nigel Short, Conductor

Produced by Sam Phillips, for BBC Wales