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Press rewind on a century of the BBC with an epic eight-hour soundscape: seismic events, cultural landmarks, unforgettable voices and BBC history intertwined with classical music.

The world enters a new millennium and we see events that will rock the world for years to come: the Boxing Day Tsunami, 9/11, 7/7, the war in Iraq and a global financial crisis. The Large Hadron Collider is switched on and the iPhone is launched, Hilary Mantel begins the Wolf Hall books and Doris Lessing is awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. And Barack Obama is inaugurated president. As ever, music offers commentary, comfort and commemoration: we hear new works by Max Richter, Unsuk Chin and Gabriel Prokofiev, and experience the exuberance of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra at the BBC Proms.

For more information about what you’re hearing, visit bbc.co.uk/soundscapeofacentury

Archive:

2000 BBC news – the Millennium begins
2001 BBC news President Bush
2001 BBC Proms Leonard Slatkin announces Barber's Adagio
2001 Blue Planet (BBC)
2004 BBC Young Musician - Nicola Benedetti
2003 BBC news. Items on the Iraq War
2005 BBC news 7/7 attacks in London
2004 BBC news Boxing Day Tsunami
2008 BBC news large Hadron Collider switched on
2011 Steve Jobs: Billion Dollar Hippy (BBC)
2004 Strictly Come Dancing (BBC)
2005 The Apprentice (Talkback)
2007 BBC news Doris Lessing
2009 Open Book : Hilary Mantel
2008 BBC news financial crisis in America
2012 BBC news Barack Obama speaks after winning presidential election

48 minutes

Last on

Sun 30 Oct 2022 17:04
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Eric Whitacre

    Lux Aurumque

    Music Arranger: Joby Burgess. Ensemble: Joby Burgess Marimba Quartet.
    • Eric Whitacre: Marimba Quartets.
    • Signum Classics.
    • 101.

  • Karl Jenkins

    The Armed Man - A Mass For Peace - V. Sanctus

    Lyricist: Karl Jenkins. Lyricist: Trad.. Choir: National Youth Choir. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Jenkins.
    • The Armed Man & Other Selected Works.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.
    • 5.

  • Steve Reich

    WTC 9/11 I. 9/11

    • Reich : WTC 9/11, Mallet Quartet, Dance Patterns.
    • Nonesuch.
    • 1.

  • Samuel Barber

    Adagio for Strings

    Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.

  • George Fenton

    Blue Whale (The Blue Planet)

    Orchestra: BBC Concert Orchestra. Conductor: George Fenton.
    • The Blue Planet - Music from the BBC TV Series.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 4.

  • James McMillan

    From Ayrshire (Like a Very Fast Reel)

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: James McMillan.
    • Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
    • Decca (UMO).
    • 9.

  • Max Richter

    On the Nature of Daylight

    Performer: Louisa Fuller. Performer: John Metcalfe. Performer: Philip Sheppard. Performer: Chris Worsey.
    • FAT CAT.
    • CD1304.

  • John Adams

    Doctor Atomic - opera: Act 1, sc.3; Batter my heart

    Performer: Gerald Finley. Performer: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Performer: John Adams.
    • Nonesuch.
    • 7559793107.

  • Jonny Greenwood

    Popcorn Superhet Receiver:, Pt. 3

    Performer: Aukso Orchestra. Performer: Marek Moś.
    • Nonesuch.
    • 075597961812.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Mambo from West Side Story

    Performer: Simon Bolivar National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. Performer: Gustavo Dudamel.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Dance of the Knights (Romeo and Juliet)

    Performer: The Cleveland Orchestra. Performer: Lorin Maazel.
    • Decca.
    • 452 9702.

  • Gabriel Prokofiev

    Concerto for Turntables No. 1: I. Introduction (GrimEye)

    Performer: Mr. Switch. Performer: Ural Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Alexey Bogorad.
    • Signum.
    • SIGCD628.

  • Unsuk Chin

    Cello Concerto - Movement III

    Performer: Alban Gerhardt. Performer: Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Myung-Whun Chung.
    • Universal.
    • 00028948110766.

  • Thomas Adès

    The Tempest - opera in 3 acts: Act 1 sc.5; Five fathoms deep

    Performer: Cyndia Sieden. Performer: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Performer: Thomas Adès.
    • Warner.
    • 6952342.

  • Jennifer Higdon

    Concerto for violin and orchestra [2008]; 3rd movement; Fly Forward

    Performer: Hilary Hahn. Performer: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Vasily Petrenko.
    • DG.
    • 4778777.

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Oct 2022 17:04
    BBC Radio 3