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Alois Hába: Expanding the Scale

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore shine new light on the 'modern' music of the 20th century. This week, Kate explores the microtonal music of Czech radical Alois Hába.

Kate Molleson and Gillian Moore present BBC Radio 3's series exploring the pivotal 'modern' musical works of the 20th century, the groundbreaking composers who created them, and the radical cultural and artistic movements which gave rise to them. In this episode, Kate explores the microtonal music of the Czech radical Alois Hába, leading to a performance of his String Quartet No. 5 from 1923. Along the way, we’ll find a Russian composer leaving his country because of his belief in the importance of abandoning equal temperament; discover why microtones might qualify as anti-bourgeois; and find a model for modern music in the Czech language itself.

Produced by Sam Phillips
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 3

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7 days left to listen

59 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 Feb 202621:00
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Alois Hába

    String Quartet no.5, op.15

    Performer: Hába-Quartett.
    • Alois Haba - Complete String Quartets.
    • Neos Music.

  • Bessie Smith

    Down Hearted Blues

    • Empress Of The Blues.
    • Charly Records.

  • Alois Hába

    Music in Quarter-Tones for Violin Solo, Op.9b - IV Moderato

    Performer: Dan Auerbach.
    • The Devil's Trill - Music for Violin and Piano by Mozart, Brahms, Hába and Tarti.
    • MSR CLASSICS.

  • Alois Hába

    String Quartet no.5, op.15

    Performer: Hába-Quartett.
    • Alois Haba - Complete String Quartets.
    • Neos Music.

  • Alois Hába

    Guitar Sonata Op.52 - II. Scherzando

    Performer: Christophe Dejour.
    • Tales of Fate.
    • NAXOS.

  • Ferruccio Busoni

    The Seven Elegies - V. Die Nachtlichen Waltzer

    Performer: Marc‐André Hamelin.
    • Busoni: Late Piano Music.
    • HYPERION.

  • Richard Heinrich Stein

    Zwei Konzertstücke for Cello and Piano, Op. 26

    Performer: Joshua Pierce. Performer: Dave Eggar.
    • Pierce Plays Microtonal Masterpieces by Cage, Hovhannes, Ives, Ohana, Penderecki.
    • MSR Classics.

  • Ivan Wyschnegradsky

    Preludes in Quarter-Tone System - V.

    Performer: Steffen Schleiermacher. Performer: Josef Christof.
    • Wyschnegradsky & Ives - Quarter-Tone Pieces.
    • hat.

  • Walter Smetak

    Musica dos Mendigos

    Performer: Walter Smetak.
    • Smetak.
    • BUH RECORDS.

  • Leos Janáček

    Speech Melodies - V tom brezovském poli

    Performer: Iva Bittová. Performer: Martin Oprsál.
    • Iva Bittová Classic.
    • Supraphon.

  • Elsa Barraine

    Pogromes

    Orchestra: WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne. Conductor: Elena Schwarz.
    • Symphonies 1 & 2, Illustration symphonique, Musique funebre.
    • CPO.

  • Alois Hába

    String Quartet no.5, op.15

    Performer: Hába-Quartett.
    • Alois Haba - Complete String Quartets.
    • Neos Music.

  • Pascale Criton

    Circle Process for Tuned Violin in 1-16th Tones

    Performer: Silvia Tarozzi.
    • Virgin Violin.
    • i dischi di angelica.

Broadcast

  • Sun 8 Feb 202621:00
    BBC Radio 3