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3 piano superstars in the studio: Jon Batiste and the Labeque sisters

Tom Service has 3 piano superstars in the studio! Katia & Marielle Labeque talk about their incredible 55-year careers, and musician Jon Batiste talks about his new Mozart project.

Tom Service with guests, stories and the perfect classical soundtrack for the weekend!

Tom welcomes pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque to the studio to talk about their incredible lives in music and to play together on the studio piano. The Labeques' new compilation '55' marks their 55 years recording career, which started as teenagers in 1970 when Olivier Messiaen asked them to go into the studio to record his music. They talk to Tom about a musical journey together that spans Mozart to Poulenc to Emahoy to Part, countless world premieres, and how they continue to push boundaries today collaborating with artists like Bryce Dessner.

Also in the studio is the multi-award winning bandleader, singer, composer and pianist Jon Batiste. He's in London for a series of concerts reflecting all the different sides of his musical personality - and he plays live in the studio and chats to Tom about his new album Black Mozart that sees some of Mozart's work through the lens of his jazz and gospel background.

And our Creators series continues with the Grammy and BAFTA award winning conductor and composer Austin Wintory. Best known for his work in video games, his much loved score to the game Journey made history when it was the first game score nominated for a Grammy. Austin tells Tom the story behind his music for Journey and looks forward to his upcoming London concert.

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3 hours

Last on

Sat 27 Jun 202609:00
BBC Radio 3

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20/06/2026

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.1 in C major Op.21 (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Potsdam Chamber Academy. Conductor: Antonello Manacorda.
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 4.

  • Arvo Pärt

    Estonian Lullaby

    Choir: Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Orchestra: Tallinna Kammerorkester. Conductor: Tõnu Kaljuste.
    • Arvo Pärt: Adam's Lament.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 7.

  • Antonio Vivaldi

    Clarinet concerto no.3 in F major 'Il Mezzetino' (3rd mvt)

    Music Arranger: Andreas N. Tarkmann. Performer: Martin Fröst. Orchestra: Concerto Köln.
    • Vivaldi.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 15.

  • Claude Debussy

    Suite Bergamasque (Passepied)

    Performer: Behzod Abduraimov.
    • Inferno.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 6.

  • Sergey Rachmaninov

    3 Symphonic dances Op.45 (no.2)

    Orchestra: Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest. Conductor: Karina Canellakis.
    • Rachmaninoff: The Bells & Symphonic Dances.
    • PENTATONE.

  • Günter Neumann

    Ach, wie schön, man singt immer tiefer

    Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter. Orchestra: Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin. Conductor: Adam Benzwi.
    • Berlin! Berlin! Berlin! Kabarett und Exil.
    • BIS.
    • 5.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony no.35 in D major K.385 'Haffner' (4th mvt)

    Orchestra: Ensemble Resonanz. Conductor: Riccardo Minasi.
    • Mozart: Haffner-Akademie.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 12.

  • Johannes Hieronymus Kapsberger

    Intro / Toccata no.6 (Libro primo d'intavolatura di lauto)

    Composer: Rolf Lislevand. Performer: Rolf Lislevand.
    • Libro primo.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 3.

  • Bernardo Gianoncelli

    Corrente con le sue spezzate

    Performer: Rolf Lislevand.
    • Libro primo.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 4.

  • Kevin Puts

    Marimba Concerto (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Ji Su Jung. Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Kevin Puts: Marimba Concerto, The City & Oboe Concerto No. 2 "Moonlight".
    • Naxos.
    • 3.

  • Antonín Dvořák

    String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 77 - 2nd mvt Scherzo

    Ensemble: Seattle Chamber Music Society.
    • Seattle Chamber Music Society.

  • George Frideric Handel

    Lascia ch'io pianga (Rinaldo)

    Singer: Sandrine Piau. Ensemble: Les Paladins. Conductor: Jérôme Corréas.
    • ALPHA.

  • Francis Poulenc

    Concerto for 2 pianos in D minor (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Katia Labèque. Performer: Marielle Labèque. Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Seiji Ozawa.
    • Poulenc/Milhaud: Concerto in D minor for 2 Pianos/Scaramouche etc..
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Fanny Mendelssohn

    Lieder ohne Worte Op.8 (no.1)

    Performer: Katia & Marielle Labèque.
    • BBC recording.

  • Olivier Messiaen

    Visions de l'Amen

    Performer: Katia & Marielle Labèque.
    • DG.

  • Bryce Dessner

    Concerto for 2 pianos (3rd mvt)

    Performer: Katia & Marielle Labèque. Performer: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie.
    • DG.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Le jardin feerique (Ma mere l'oye)

    Ensemble: Katia & Marielle Labèque.
    • BBC recording.

  • Gioachino Rossini

    Petite messe solennelle (Cum Sancto Spiritu)

    Choir: Chorus of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 8.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    America (West Side Story)

    Music Arranger: Renaud Guieu. Ensemble: Les Phil'Art'Cellistes.
    • Saphir.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony no.2 in D major Op.43 (3rd & 4th mvts)

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7.
    • Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • 7.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Improvisations from Black Mozart

    Composer: Jon Batiste. Performer: Jon Batiste.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg concerto no.5 in D major BWV.1050 (1st mvt)

    Orchestra: Gli Incogniti. Director: Amandine Beyer.
    • Bach from Italy: The Vivaldi & Marcello Influences.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 8.

  • Thomas Adès

    L'embarquement (Arcadiana Op.12)

    Ensemble: Danish String Quartet.
    • Adès, Nørgård, Abrahamsen: Music for String Quartet.
    • ECM New Series.
    • 5.

  • Franz Schubert

    Fantasy in C major D.760 'Wandererfantasie' (4th mvt)

    Music Arranger: Franz Liszt. Performer: Lukas Geniušas. Orchestra: Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen. Conductor: Modestas Pitrėnas.
    • Schubert/Liszt: Wanderer Fantasy - Tchaikovsky: Concert Fantasy.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 6.

  • Juan García de Zéspedes

    Ay que me abraso

    Choir: La Capella Reial de Catalunya. Ensemble: Tembembe Ensamble Continuo. Ensemble: Hespèrion XXI. Conductor: Jordi Savall.
    • El Nuevo Mundo: Folías Criollas.
    • Alia Vox.
    • 20.

  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in D major Kk.430

    Performer: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • D. Scarlatti: Sonatas: Alexandre Tharaud.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 7.

  • Edvard Grieg

    Holberg Suite Op.40 (Prelude & Rigaudon)

    Orchestra: Australian Chamber Orchestra. Director: Richard Tognetti.
    • BIS.

Broadcast

  • Sat 27 Jun 202609:00
    BBC Radio 3