Neil Hannon
Michael Berkeley talks to singer-songwriter Neil Hannon, frontman of The Divine Comedy, about his life, career and musical passions from Puccini to Kate Bush.
Neil Hannon is a singer, songwriter and the driving force behind the band The Divine Comedy, which he founded in 1989. Along with hit singles such as National Express, and 12 albums with the band, his music appears in an impressively varied range of settings – including original songs for the recent film Wonka, a chamber opera inspired by Tolstoy for Covent Garden, and the theme tune for the sitcom Father Ted.
Neil talks to Michael Berkeley about growing up in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland with a bishop for a father, writing his first pop song when he was 14, and how, as a self-described "pathetic twerp", he managed to make it in the pop world. His typically wide-ranging musical passions include works by Puccini, Stravinsky, Chopin and Ravel, alongside tracks by Michael Nyman, Kate Bush and Scott Walker.
Producer: Graham Rogers
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Music Played
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Giacomo Puccini
Chi il bel sogno di Doretta (La rondine)
Singer: Kiri Te Kanawa. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Pritchard.- A Room with a View [Soundtrack].
- EMI.
- 7.
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Igor Stravinsky
Petrouchka (Scene 1)
Orchestra: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.- Stravinsky: Petrouchka; Pulcinella Suite [Great Performances].
- Sony Classical.
- 1.
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Frédéric Chopin
Nocturne in E flat major, Op 9 No 2
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.- Chopin: The Solo Piano Works: Ashkenazy.
- London.
- 2.
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Kate Bush
Cloudbusting
Singer: Kate Bush.- Noble & Brite Limited.
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Michael Nyman
Prawn-watching (A Zed and Two Noughts)
Ensemble: Michael Nyman Band. Conductor: Michael Nyman.- The Essential Michael Nyman Band.
- Decca Music Group Ltd..
- 4.
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Neil Hannon
Our Mutual Friend
Ensemble: The Divine Comedy. Conductor: Joby Talbot.- Absent Friends.
- Parlophone UK.
- 7.
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Maurice Ravel
String Quartet in F (1st mvt)
Ensemble: Paganini Quartet.- BNF.
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Nino Rota
La Dolce Vita - opening credits
Orchestra: Orchestra Carlo Savina. Conductor: Carlo Savina.- CAM.
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Scott Walker
Montague Terrace (In Blue)
Singer: Scott Walker. Conductor: Wally Stott.- Scott.
- UMC (Universal Music Catalogue).
- 2.
Broadcast
- Sun 28 Jan 2024 12:00±«Óătv Radio 3
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