Private Passions - Richard Alston

Michael Berkeley talks to choreographer Richard Alston, artistic director at The Place in London, who is celebrating his sixtieth birthday this autumn, with a special programme focusing on his work for male dancers, with pieces using music by Philip Glass and Hoagy Carmichael. Richard's musical choices range from devotional works by Bach, Handel, Purcell and the Sufi tradition to songs by Frank Sinatra and Cole Porter. M Berkeley The Wakeful Poet (Music from Chaucer) (pub OUP) Beaux-Arts Brass Quintet BBQ BBQ 003 T10 1. Britten Billy’s ballad (from Billy Budd, Act 4 [original 4 Act version]) Thomas Hampson (Billy), Hallé Orchestra/Kent Nagano Billy Budd ERATO 3984-21631-2 CD2 T12 2. Handel O Lord whose mercies numberless (from Saul, Act 1, scene 5) James Bowman (alto), The King’s Consort/Robert King HYPERIONA66797 CD1 T8 4. Traditional Sufi Qawwali Maulah Ali Maulah Ali (Manqabat in Raga Bhairvi) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan NAVRAS NRCD7502 CD2 T1 5. Frank Sinatra In the wee small hours of the morning (Mann/Hilliard) Frank Sinatra CAPITOL CDP7985212 T19 6. Madeleine Peyroux This is heaven to me (Reardon/Schweikert) (from Careless Love) Careless Love ROUNDER 9823583 T12 7. Fred Astaire After You Who? (Cole Porter, from The Gay Divorce) Night and Day NAXOS 8.190519 T17 8. Purcell Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford/Simon Preston ARCHIV 459 487-2 CD2 T2 9. Saint-Saens Piano Concerto no 5, (3rd movement, Molto Allegro) Pascal Rogé (piano), Royal PO/Charles Dutoit DECCA 417 351-2 CD2 T7 10. Bach Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben (St Matthew Passion, Part 2) Christine Schäfer (soprano), Robert Wolf (flute), Concentus musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt DAS ALTE WERK 8573 81036-2 CD2 T20