Music Monday; When Classical meets Modern and Words meet Music

I've had a request to play some "serious" music - so I am - but, of course, with a slightly different spin! Instead of playing something by an established classical artist I'm going to play something by the runner-up in the 2007 X Factor, Rhydian . A Welsh baritone, Rhydian, is one of a few classical artists who have successfully crossed over into mainstream music. Since his appearance on the X Factor he has already had two bestselling albums! Below is his take on O Fortuna, a movement of  a cantata  by the German composer Carl Orff who set the words of a 13th century poem to music in the 1930s in what was to become Carmina Burana.



Well I think that's utterly marvellous; the voice, the music, the drama! When all those ingredients come together the result is thoroughly intoxicating.

And if you fancy some more self indulgence, check out BBC Radio 3 on iplayer where you can hear The Art of Friendship. The show is an exploration of friendship using classical and contemporary music and poems and prose read by the hugely talented Robert Lindsay and the lovely Diana Quick who you may remember as Julia Flyte in Brideshead Revisited.

The show is a real treat; so remind yourself what friends are for and tune on in!