S2.E23. A Polish minuet by Paderewski, virtuosity with Saint Saens 2nd Piano Concerto, Englishnes with Vaughan Williams English Folksong Suite, and joyous Bach in 5th Brandeburg.

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Welcome back to Perfect Pitch with Nick Healy Hutchinson and his fresh approach to the world of classical music. Whether you're an expert or a beginner, old or young, Perfect Pitch has something for everyone.

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It's often observed that if only politicians have pursued other interests or skills before embarking on a political life, their success in that field might be greatly improved by their previous life experiences. In that context, the third Prime Minister of Poland, Ignacio Padreski, whose birthday falls on the day of this podcast, November the 18th, set the bar quite high. He was an extremely gift appearanist, and in that capacity had access with the demand that he was playing to most influential people, especially in the United States. It's no exaggeration that the diplomatic powers were considerably smoothen by his talent, helping him to achieve his aim of an independent opponent. And when that didn't go too well, he was then able to go back to performing full-time and replenish his coffers after about eight years on the top job. His signature, by the way, appears on the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. Despite a heavy workload, he still managed to compose a fair amount, and his homeland is ever present in the music. There's no denying it's a catchy little tune. Paderevsky's minuet in G is played here by Anna Lippyak. But a composition which played him so much in his popularity that he would not allow it to be played while he was alive, for fear of his light-hearted nature damaging his reputation. He was more than a competent composer, despite Mazorsky's withering assessment that uh you will fool no one with your protection uh well, as I think I said before, he's fooled to uh of his five kind of competitors. Containing so many different stars that it takes Tokovsky to come up with the immortal line it starts with Bark and ends off of Bachelor. Ever maybe but a little on character. It's certainly flourishing and effervescent. But it also has a good deal of menace about it, which I think you struggle to find in the music of his fellow countrymen. Let's listen to the ending now. The third movement played by another Frenchman with a French orchestra. Marc Andre Hamelin and l'Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse. Rafe Baum Williams captured the spirit of Englishness better than most, if indeed anyone. He really wasn't interested in holding onto the German traditions which filtered their way into other British composers. His real life was the Tudor and Stuart music, as well as the English folk song. And it was this combination which informed the music effect at the update of Second World War. With the death of Didia, Algar, and it's deaf and the whole formula found itself at the very heart of English music. In a long life, it's hardly surprised that this music can compass a support compass. But for the moment, let's stick with that love of English folk song in the perfectly titled English folk song sweet. People often ask what is it that makes English music sound English. What is it, for example, that makes the sound of the English countryside which it seems to evoke? A love of the traditional folk song is certainly one element of the floor. But another peculiarly English trait is a close affinity with a military brass band. The suite was, in fact, originally written for that purpose. And although Vaughan Williams later orchestrated it, you'll notice that the brass is never too far away. The three-part suite, now one of his most popular works is played here by the Academy of Sir Martin in the Fields conducted by Neville Marin.

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I think that's a fifty center.

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Although in Stakovsky's words, we did not start with Barker today, we can end with him. The standard feature of Barker's a favorite band of a concerto written in the 1710s is the way the harpse chord is used. Up until now, it was very much in an accompanying role for other total instruments. In particular, the violin to the age. All the total concerts are given to the harpsichord, as well as all the moments of the other. But although the harpsichord had been used with other instruments before by other composers, concerto can make a fairly decent claim to be the first concerto of the keyboard. It is especially clear in the final moment. Violin and fruit play their part certainly. But ultimately it's not about them. And that point is particularly well borne out when it's played on the piano, as it is here by Mari Pariah with the Academy of St. Martin in the field.

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