Private Passions

BBC Radio 3

5,0 (4)
MUSICA
OGNI MESE

Guests from all walks of life discuss their musical passions and talk about the influence music has had on their lives.

4 GG FA

Alison Weir

The best-selling writer Alison Weir knows precisely what sparked her interest in history: at the age of 14 she read what she calls a ‘really trashy novel’ about Katherine of Aragon – and a lifelong passion began. Since then she has written 38 books, selling more than three million copies around the world. Her non-fiction titles include biographies of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth of York. She has also written many historical novels – including a book about each of Henry VIII’s six wives. In her most recent novel, The Cardinal, she focuses on the rise and fall of Thomas Wolsey, who enjoyed a prominent and powerful role in the court of Henry VIII. Alison's music choices include Bach, Beethoven, Ravel and Purcell.

49 min
21/12/2025

Pam Ayres

Michael Berkeley’s guest is the poet Pam Ayres, who shares the music that matters most to her, including some seasonal favourites. It’s now 50 years since Pam first won a vast national audience on the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, with poems including her much-loved wintry verse 'Sling another chair leg on the fire, Mother!' Her musical choices include Rachmaninov, Elgar and Johnny Mathis.

55 min
23/11/2025

Louise Penny

The Canadian crime fiction writer Louise Penny has sold more than 18 million books around the world – and she was a late starter: she was 45 when her first book appeared, after working for two decades as a broadcaster and journalist. Success as a fiction writer came quickly: her first novel Still Life won numerous awards, and introduced Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, who works in rural Quebec. Louise has just published her 20th book featuring Gamache: in The Black Wolf, he’s taking on a powerful conspiracy attempting to make Canada the 51st state in a fight over natural resources. Louise's music includes works by Beethoven, Michael Nyman, Bach and Neil Young. Presenter Michael Berkeley Producer Clare Walker

53 min
16/11/2025

Lea Ypi

Lea Ypi, a professor of political theory at the London School of Economics, grew up in Albania under communism, when it was the last Stalinist outpost in Europe. She was 10 years old when the Berlin Wall fell, and a year later she saw the collapse of communism in Albania. Statues of Stalin and Enver Hoxha, the country’s leader for 40 years, were toppled. Democratic elections followed - but so did civil unrest. Lea wrote about these turbulent years in her book Free, which won prizes and widespread acclaim: 'essential - just as much for Britons as Albanians' according to one critic. She has delved further into her family history, looking into the past of her grandmother, in her book Indignity. Lea's musical choices include Beethoven, Wagner, Dizdari and Bach.

53 min
09/11/2025

Hugh Bonneville

Hugh Bonneville is one of the most familiar faces on British TV and film. You might know him as the Earl of Grantham from Downton Abbey, or the long-suffering Mr Brown in the Paddington films, or the baffled Ian Fletcher in the London Olympics sitcom Twenty Twelve and its BBC-centred sequel W1A. Hugh was captivated by acting from an early age, staging his own plays at home and even making the tickets to sell to his family. More recently he’s has branched out into writing, with a memoir Playing Under the Piano and a children’s book Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room, which is inspired by some of the events of his childhood. Hugh's selection of music includes works by Beethoven, Strauss, Elgar and Faure. Presenter: Michael Berkeley Producer: Clare Walker

48 min
02/11/2025

Annabel Croft

Annabel Croft first picked up a tennis racquet at the age of nine. Within six years, she’d become the youngest British player to compete in the Wimbledon main draw for almost a century. At the age of 17, she won the junior championships at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open, and at 18 she was the British number one. Then – aged 21 – she retired from tennis and moved into broadcasting. She was soon back at the world’s major tennis tournaments, this time as a commentator and reporter. In 2023 her competitive spirit found a new outlet: she took part in Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One and came fourth. Her musical choices include works by Pachelbel, Handel, John Rutter and Prokofiev. Presenter Michael Berkeley Producer Clare Walker

56 min
26/10/2025

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer

The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer is the seventh Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Prior to his political career, he was a barrister and served as Director of Public Prosecutions. He was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2015 and became Labour leader in 2020. A former Guildhall School of Music scholar, Sir Keir Starmer is a flautist but also played piano, recorder, and violin in his youth. He shares his love of music including works by Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich and Brahms. Presenter: Michael Berkeley Producer: Clare Walker

52 min
19/10/2025

Hollie McNish

Hollie McNish has been writing poems about – as she puts it – ‘anything and everything’ since she was seven years old. Her work now reaches audiences of millions, through her books, performances and short videos, making her one of the UK’s most widely shared poets. In 2017 she won the Ted Hughes Award for her book Nobody Told Me, a collection of poetry and diary entries that she kept from the moment she discovered she was pregnant until her daughter was three. She has published six other collections, including her most recent, Virgin, which explores how one six letter word holds such power. Her choices include music by Telemann, Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-George, Nina Simone and Tchaikovsky. Presenter Michael Berkeley Producer Clare Walker

53 min

Elenco completo (482)

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4 valutazioni

My happy place

19/12/2023

Voicetiger

I’m so pleased I came across this. A pure delight, many thanks!
This broadcasting deserves 8 star, at least.

22/04/2020

Fabricedc

As usual the BBC is maestro of broadcasting, in every single aspect. But when you discover this kind of “radio-movie”, covered of extraordinary passion, you do feel you’ re playing in a different league. Thanks Sir Michael Berkeley, thanks Jane, thanks BBC.