So, Hear Me Out – the classical music podcast

Using the examples of Mica Levi's score for the 2013 film 'Under the Skin' and the soundtrack from the video game 'Soulcalibur II', Gillian and Linton explore whether film soundtracks and video game scores should be considered true classical music. Episode highlights:00:00 Introduction01:55 Debating the legitimacy of film and video game scores06:16 Exploring Mica Levi's score for 'Under the Skin'14:48 The genius of live Instruments and synthesised sounds23:16 Healing Winds from Soulcaliber II26:26 The evolution of game music35:51 The role of orchestras in game musicFeatured music:Mica Levi's Under the Skin (2014)Junichi Nakatsuru, Yoshihito Yano, Asuka Sakai, Rio Hamamoto, Ryuichi Takada, and Junichi Takagi's Soulcalibur 2 (2002)Get in touch:📩 Send your classical questions to ⁠podcasts@southbankcentre.co.uk⁠Get updates on ⁠Instagram⁠Follow us on ⁠TikTok⁠⁠Subscribe to The Tonic newsletter⁠ for articles, video and audioAnd don’t forget to subscribe, like and comment, wherever you get your podcasts.Credits:Produced by Connor GaniExecutive Producers Emily Dicks and Phil SmithSound Mix by Solomon KingA Reduced Listening production for Southbank Centre

Can music provide hope when freedom has been taken away? Ethel Smyth’s March of the Women rang out as a rallying cry for imprisoned suffragettes, its rhythms defiant and unifying. Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, composed and first performed in a Nazi POW camp in 1941, fused faith, birdsong, and dazzling visions of colour into music that offered hope and transcendence to prisoners and guards alike.Gillian Moore and Linton Stephens explore how these works — and many others — testify to the resilience of creativity. Gillian also recalls her own encounters with music behind bars, where moments of song broke down walls both physical and emotional.Episode highlights00:00 Welcome to So Hear Me Out02:03 Exploring music's role in prisons03:42 Personal experiences with music in prisons08:33 Introducing Ethel Smyth's March of the Women11:33 The impact and legacy of March of the Women21:12 More notable music behind bars22:38 The iconic title and its significance23:14 Introduction to Olivier Messiaen24:24 The Quartet for the End of Time: background and composition24:57 A unique orchestration and instrumentation27:55 Messiaen's religious and natural inspirations29:14 The First Movement: Abyss of the Birds32:27 Synesthesia and Messiaen's colorful music39:27 The first performance in the prison camp40:56 The emotional heart of The Quartet…44:46 Music as emancipation and resistance46:23 Closing thoughts and farewellFeatured music:Quartet for the End of Time (1941) Olivier MessiaenMarch of the Women (1910) Ethel Smyth

Linton and Gillian explore how classical music has been used to challenge power, uplift marginalised voices, and fuel social movements. From radical sounds to revolutionary ideas, we discover how music becomes activism.Linton introduces Julius Eastman’s Gay Guerrilla, a defiant and deeply moving work that reclaims the idea of the ‘guerrilla’ as a symbol of queer resistance. The piece is raw, repetitive, and electrifying – built to reflect both personal struggle and collective power.Gillian guides us through Frederic Rzewski’s The People United Will Never Be Defeated, a towering set of 36 variations based on a Chilean protest anthem. Together Gillian and Linton unpack how Rzewski weaves political messages into classical form, creating a composition that bridges generations and geographies of resistance.Throughout this episode, the hosts consider how music amplifies stories too often silenced, and how these works continue to speak to today’s social and political realities. This is classical music as you’ve never heard it – urgent, unflinching, and unafraid to raise its voice.Listen now for an exploration of music that dares to speak out and still echoes today.Episode highlights:00:00 Welcome to So Hear Me Out01:02 Today's big question: How is classical music protest music?02:33 Anne Hathaway and Les Misérables03:16 Exploring protest and resistance in classical music04:31 Julius Eastman's Gay Guerrilla06:23 Analyzing the music and techniques of Gay Guerrilla25:01 Frederic Rzewski's The People United Will Never Be Defeated29:25 Musical variations and political messages41:08 The power of music in activism42:06 Closing thoughts and farewellFeatured worksGay Guerrilla, Julius EastmanThe People United Will Never Be Defeated, Frederic RzewskiGet in touch📩 Send your classical questions to podcasts@southbankcentre.co.ukGet updates on Instagram ⁠@southbankcentre⁠Follow us on TikTok ⁠@southbank.centre⁠Subscribe to ⁠The Tonic newsletter⁠ for all of our articles, video and audioAnd don’t forget to subscribe and comment, wherever you get your podcastsCreditsProduced by Connor GaniExecutive Producers Emily Dicks and Phil Smith Sound Mix by Solomon KingA Reduced Listening production for Southbank Centre

Kicking off with the worst classical music jokes we could find, Linton and Gillian dive into the hidden humour of the classical world — from Haydn’s cheeky Surprise Symphony to Ravel’s mischievous opera L’enfant et les sortilèges.Q: Why did the pianist keep banging her head against the keys?A: Because she was playing by ear.(We’re sorry. It only gets slightly better from here.)Expect orchestral pranks, singing teacups, and musical punchlines you didn’t see coming. But it's not all laughs — our hosts also unpack how humour intersects with performance, culture, and the sometimes tricky territory of what was funny then vs. now.Key takeaways:Classical music can have a wacky side that often surprises us with humour and playfulness, just like that unexpected punchline in a bad dad joke. Haydn's Symphony No. 94, famously known as the Surprise Symphony, is a perfect example of how classical music can throw in a cheeky twist that catches listeners off guard, making us chuckle in our seats. Ravel’s opera, 'L'Enfant et les Sortilèges', showcases a whimsical world where inanimate objects come to life, proving that classical music can be both visually and musically hilarious at the same time. Classical music can transcend the serious label it's often given, revealing its potential for laughter and joy, and encouraging us to open our minds to its comedic elements. By exploring pieces like Haydn’s and Ravel’s works, we discover that humour in classical music isn't just a modern invention; it's been sneaking into compositions for centuries, waiting for us to find it. The discussion highlights how knowing the context of a piece can enhance our appreciation of its humour, transforming a simple melody into a delightful journey of wit and charm. Episode highlights:00:00 Introduction03:17 The worst classical music jokes07:26 Exploring humour in classical music09:39 The origins of Colette's libretto and Ravel's adaptation30:17 The Genius of Haydn: humour in classical music37:41 Closing thoughts and farewellFeatured worksSurprise Symphony (1791) Joseph HaydnL’enfant et Les Sortileges (1925) Maurice Ravel👉 Subscribe now to So Hear Me Out and don’t miss an episode.Get in touch📩 Send your classical questions to podcasts@southbankcentre.co.ukGet updates on Instagram @southbankcentreFollow us on TikTok @southbank.centreSubscribe to The Tonic newsletter for all of our articles, video and audioAnd don’t forget to subscribe and comment, wherever you get your podcastsCreditsProduced by Connor GaniExecutive Producers Emily Dicks and Phil Smith Sound Mix by Solomon KingA Reduced Listening production for Southbank Centre

So Hear Me Out is a brand new podcast from London’s Southbank Centre, exploring the big questions around classical music — and why it still matters today.Join hosts Linton Stephens (musician, broadcaster and Deputy Artistic Director of Chineke! Orchestra) and Gillian Moore (writer, broadcaster and Artistic Associate at Southbank Centre) as they challenge assumptions, unpick controversies, and share fresh ways of listening to the music you thought you knew.Each episode starts with a question — from “can classical music be laugh-out-loud funny?” to “is it okay to borrow styles from other cultures?” — and opens the door to two hand-picked pieces of music. Some you’ll recognise instantly, others might be brand new to you, but all will spark new perspectives.Expect surprising connections, plenty of feeling (not just theory), the occasional detour to Gillian’s piano, and a warm invitation into the classical world — no PhD required.In this trailer, you’ll get a taste of what’s to come, including John Williams’ Star Wars score and Luciano Berio’s revolutionary Symphonia.So whether you’re a Mahler obsessive or you just stumbled in looking for lo-fi beats — welcome. You’re in the right place.👉 Subscribe now to So Hear Me Out and don’t miss an episode. Get in touch:📩 Send your classical questions to podcasts@southbankcentre.co.ukGet updates on Instagram @southbankcentreFollow us on TikTok @southbank.centreSubscribe to The Tonic newsletter for all of our articles, video and audioAnd don’t forget to subscribe and comment, wherever you get your podcasts