Classic FM is hosting its second National Listening Day today to encourage its audience to experience new aspects of the music played.
The Global station has teamed up with the Royal Philharmonic Society to tell the stories behind some classical greats.
The idea is for listeners to to take a more active listen to the music played and to experience new aspects of music they may never have noticed before. Classic FM presenters will tell the stories behind the music, suggest what to listen out for and encourage people to engage with a wide range of music from the last 500 years.
Among the highlights across the day, John Suchet will tell the story behind Beethoven's most famous symphony. That will air on the morning show which John is covering this week for Simon Bates – the slot that the former ITN news anchor will take over full-time in the New Year.
Mark Forrest will feature Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture – a piece of music which famously paints a picture of a Scottish landscape and which was first performed in England at an RPS concert. Margherita Taylor features British composer Frederick Delius depicting a summer evening in music and John Brunning will highlight exactly how the Russian composer Alexander Glazunov's managed to portray falling autumn leaves in his ballet music for The Seasons.
Classic FM’s Managing Director Darren Henley told RadioToday.co.uk: "More people in the UK listen to classical music through Classic FM than any other medium – and our aim is to help people get as much as they possibly can out of their listening experience."