Once Upon A Time... Music from Eastern Europe

Available for 29 days

As part of the BBC's 'Once Upon a Time...' week, Elizabeth Alker introduces music inspired by the fairy tale with a focus on Eastern Europe and the writings of Alexander Afanasyev and the Russian fairy tale. Also in today's programme further highlights from lutenist Thomas Dunford recorded specially for the programme at LSO St. Luke's. Including: Mikhaïl Glinka Overture – Ruslan & Lyudmila BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Yan Pascal Tortelier (conductor) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Suite from 'The Tale of Tsar Saltan', Op. 57 Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Budapest Domonkos Héja (conductor) From LSO St. Luke’s - Thomas Dunford and Friends: Johann Sebastian Bach Chaconne in D minor Thomas Dunford (lute) Ludwig van Beethoven 7 Variations on ‘Bei Männern’ from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, WoO. 46 Anastasia Kobekina (cello) Elisabeth Brauss (piano) Igor Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Alpesh Chauhan (conductor) From LSO St. Luke’s - Thomas Dunford and Friends: John Dowland King of Denmark's Galliard Can She Excuse My Wrongs Thomas Dunford (lute/voice) Benjamin Britten Lachrymae, Reflections of a song by Dowland, Op. 48 Ryszard Groblewski (viola) Zurich Chamber Orchestra Duncan Ward (conductor) Stanislaw Moniuszko Fantasy Overture - Bajka (Fairy Tale) Munich Radio Orchestra Mihhail Gerts (conductor) Josef Suk Pohadka (Fairy Tale), Op. 16 Czech Philharmonic Orchestra Jakub Hrusa (conductor) The BBC’s ‘Once Upon a Time…’ week celebrates fairytales and storytelling in partnership with the British Library. On BBC Radio 3 Edith Bowman explores fairytales and fantasy in 'Sound of Cinema', actors Pearce Quigley and Lydia Wilson delve into the worlds of princesses, frogs, and spells in 'Words & Music', Sara Mohr-Pietsch charts a course to Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf in 'Music Map', and Elizabeth Alker presents music inspired by enchanted lands, magical creatures, and timeless tales, in 'Classical Live' and 'Unclassified'. Just search ‘Once Upon a Time…’ in BBC Sounds. The British Library’s major new exhibition Fairy Tales runs from 27th March – 23rd August 2026.