Tom Service on the classical music that shapes us

Can you tell the history of the world in fifty pieces of music? No, but BBC Radio 3 presenter and writer Tom Service has given it a red hot go in A History of the World in 50 Pieces: The Classical Music That Shapes Us. He joins Andy to talk through the surprising stories behind some of those pieces, from Handel to Happy Birthday.

Music heard in the show:

Title: Overture from The Marriage of Figaro

Artist: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo Muti

Composer: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Album: Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro K492

Label: Warner Classics

Title: Psalm 130: ‘Du fond de l'abîme’

Artist: Ann Murray, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, Yan Pascal Tortelier

Composer: Boulanger, Lili

Album: Faust et Hélène

Label: Chandos