S2.E2O=EPISODE 100! Grieg Symphonic Dances, Mozart Cassation, Schubert Piano Trio, Beethoven Violin Concerto.

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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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If you've been kind enough to be a regular listener over the last couple of years, you are now listening to the 100th episode of Perfect Pitch. I can hardly believe it. But over that time, we listened to more than 250 different pieces of music from about 90 different composers. Wherever this finds you, believe me when I say how thrilled I am that you tune in Greeks of four symphonic dances written at the end of the 19th century, but based on Norwegian dances. Which makes you wonder why he didn't simply call them that. The first one refers to the Halling, a dance normally performed by men alone, involving all manner of high kicks and jumps, clipped as the ladies. A peaceful middle section is bookended by a lively opening and equally uplifting conclusion. Different composers can leave different marks on you when the music stops. With Greek, it's really very simple. It almost always just leaves you feeling good. The first of Greek's all symphonic dances is played here by the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Raymond Leppard. That's Hayton's military symphony, I know, but he's getting some coverage next week. But there are a couple. So let's listen to them now. A cantation, apart from requiring careful pronunciation, is the term given to a light-hearted piece of music of the 18th century for a smaller group of players and quite often performed outside. The one hundredth work listed in Mozart's catalogue, it is first in that format. There are eight parts in a piece and we're going to listen to the opening march. His integrations seem untouched by human labour. Untouched by human labour is precisely how this feels. I wonder if the writing of a violin concerto is viewed as some kind of pinnacle in a composer's career. Because it's extraordinary how many of the great composers only wrote one. Without conferring, I came up with 13 between Beethoven and Morton, and I'm sure there'll be several more. But that might have something to do with the fact that the teenager German audiences prefer them to be longer than he felt necessary. Of all the violent competitors, not just the one-time Beethoven's technical buttons. Its first performance native was underwhelming. And it was hardly played for another 40 years. How times have changed? Lasting about three quarters of an hour, it wouldn't be a minute too long. Maybe that's for the simple reason that it's the first one I ever heard on a live performance. It would be a crime to listen to just one part. So we'll listen to the flow movement, which goes straight into the rombo finale performed here by Yanke Janssen with a London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pato Yeti. The flow movement is another reminder of the sweet and tender likeness which can come from Beethoven's hand. And it's a likeness which occurs to the playful finale. So there's none of the seriousness or attack you might hear in other concertos. And maybe this concerto as a whole answers that question as to why he didn't write another one. Yes, I suppose it's possible Beethoven may have been a bit peeved by the initial reaction. But honestly, why would you feel the need to embark on another after this?

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