Other News

A bonus track for those of you who like carols. Here is the daddy of modern carols, the great John Rutter. Music critics have said he overdoes 'tunes'. Yep, he does. Thankfully.

The café will close for the Christmas break on Tuesday, 23 December at 2:00 pm and will reopen as usual on Monday, 5 January. 

The café team would like to take this opportunity to wish all their customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

A Christmas classic...

Written for the Russian film Lieutenant Kijé in 1934, it has become synonymous with the festive season, though in fact it depicts a cart being pulled by horses in the summer. Christmas wasn't big in the Soviet Union.

You often hear it without the first, slower 30 seconds or so, but here it is in full. Well worth the wait.

You know those songs from your early childhood that you liked at the time, but suspect were probably a bit rubbish. So after years of silence you nervously play them again and..

Turns out they were actually a bit fab. This video is from a Dutch tv show.

Roy Wood is best known for Wizard's I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday, as well as being a member of the Move and ELO - and for being very underrated (it turns out).

What's that sound? Yes, it's Christmas waiting round the corner. So here is an early taster from one of Tchaikovsky's three ballet score masterpieces.

Joe is probably best known for this pop song and It's Different for Girls but in fact he has spent much of his career in the world of jazz and classical music. Then again Paul McCartney got the idea for the trumpet in Penny Lane from Bach's Brandenberg Concerto No.2.

Full Song of the Week list

One of music's most honourable traditions is getting your own back on the ex who is ghosting you. Over to David and Bernard.

Great live version here as well.

Ol' Blue Eyes, the Great American Songbook and a train journey.

What did I do? I thought about you. 

Happy weekend.

Happy Halloween

The great man theory of history is back in vogue: the idea that it is individuals not wider forces that shape the world, both by their own actions and the way they influence others. In music, Beethoven has long been a member of the club. Here's why (it starts very quietly).

Conducted by Paavo Järvi with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen

Full list of Songs of the Week