Three hours of classical sparkle
Sarah Walker with three hours of classical music to reflect, restore and refresh, whether you’re about to tackle a to-do list, or you’re taking some time out with tea and a book.
It’s International Women’s Day! Today, Sarah celebrates music by women composers, from nostalgic film music by Rachel Portman to a sonorous oboe melody in Ruth Gipps’ Song for Orchestra and an uplifting orchestral Benediction by Margaret Bonds.
There’s also a chance to hear the whole of Louise Farrenc’s soaring first symphony, and music from Caroline Shaw’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Partita for 8 Singers is today’s Choral Reflection.
Also, we travel back to medieval times with Kassia and Hildegard of Bingen…
A Tandem Production for ĢƵ Radio 3.
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Music Played
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Cécile Chaminade
Flute Concertino, Op 107
Performer: Sharon Bezaly. Orchestra: Residentie Orkest. Conductor: Neeme Järvi.- Great Works for Flute & Orchestra.
- BIS.
- 7.
-
Karen Tanaka
Water Dance I
Performer: Signe Bakke.- Lindberg Lyd.
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Hildegard of Bingen
O Virtus Sapientie Alio Modo
Music Arranger: Stevie Wishart. Choir: Sinfonye. Conductor: Stevie Wishart.- Decca (UMO).
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Fanny Mendelssohn
Ouverture (arr for orchestra)
Music Arranger: JoAnn Falletta. Conductor: JoAnn Falletta. Orchestra: The Women’s Philharmonic.- The Women's Philharmonic.
- Musical Concepts.
- 1.
-
Agathe Backer-Grøndahl
3 Morceaux, Op 15, arr for brass ensemble (2nd mvt, 'Au Bal')
Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Music Arranger: Jarle Storlokken. Ensemble: tenThing.- She Composes Like A Man.
- Lawo Classics.
- 10.
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Rachel Portman
Main Title (Chocolat Soundtrack)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: David Snell.- Chocolat (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
- Sony Classical.
- 2.
-
Elfrida Andrée
Symphony No 2 (4th mvt)
Conductor: Gustaf Sjökvist. Orchestra: Stockholm Symphony Orchestra.- Sterling Records.
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Caroline Shaw
Partita for 8 Singers (2nd mvt, Sarabande)
Lyricist: Sol LeWitt. Conductor: Brad Wells. Ensemble: Roomful of Teeth.- Roomful of Teeth.
- New Amsterdam Records.
- 1.
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Agnes Tyrrell
Fantasiestück No 2, WoO
Performer: Kyra Steckeweh.- CPO.
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Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen
Violin Concerto in B flat major, Op 3 No 1
Performer: Zefira Valova. Ensemble: Il Pomo d’Oro.- 貹é.
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Anna Thorvaldsdottir
Heyr þú oss himnum á [Hear us in the Heavens]
Choir: Schola Cantorum Reykjavicensis. Conductor: Hörður Áskelsson.- Meditatio: Music for Mixed Choir.
- BIS.
- 110.
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Margaret Bonds
Montgomery Variations (No 7, 'Benediction')
Conductor: Kellen Gray. Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra.- African American Voices II.
- Linn Records.
- 07.
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Hania Rani
Glass
Performer: Anna Lapwood.- Firedove.
- Sony Classical.
- 14.
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Ethel Smyth
String Quartet in E minor (2nd mvt)
Ensemble: Mannheim String Quartet.- CPO.
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Florence Price
Symphony No 1 in E minor (3rd mvt, 'Juba Dance')
Orchestra: Chineke! Orchestra. Conductor: Roderick Cox.- Decca Music Group Ltd.
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Jennifer Higdon
Blue Cathedral
Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Robert Spano.- Rainbow Body.
- Telarc.
- 4.
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Kassiani
I en polles amarties [The Fallen Woman]
Ensemble: VocaMe.- Byzantine Hymns of the first female composer of the Occident.
- Christophorus.
- 10.
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Louise Farrenc
Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op 32
Conductor: Christoph König. Orchestra: European Soloists, Luxembourg.- Naxos.
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Ethel Yeats
Dawn of Spring
Performer: Elena Urioste. Performer: Tom Poster. -
Sophia Corri Dussek
Harp Sonata in C minor, Op 2 No 3 (3rd mvt, Rondo-Allegro)
Performer: Judy Loman.- Harp Showpieces.
- Naxos.
- 3.
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Meredith Monk
Ellis Island
Performer: Katia Labèque. Performer: Marielle Labèque. Performer: Bryce Dessner. Performer: David Chalmin.- Universal Music Division Decca Records France.
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Isabella Leonarda
12 Sonatas, Op 16, Sonata Settima
Ensemble: Cappella Strumentale Del Duomo Di Novara.- Tactus.
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Lucy Walker
O Nata Lux
Choir: VOCES8.- Nightfall.
- Decca Music Group Ltd.
- 12.
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Ruth Gipps
Song for Orchestra, Op 33
Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Orchestra: ĢƵ National Orchestra of Wales.- Chandos.
Broadcast
- Sun 8 Mar 2026 09:00ĢƵ Radio 3