Golden Age: MILOŠ At Blenheim Palace
Sony Music Entertainment and Masterworks present a 4th Floor Creative Production ‘Golden Age: MILOŠ At Blenheim Palace’ starring Miloš Karadaglić, the superstar musician who has led today’s classical guitar revival.
Directed by Laurence Warder, Golden Age: MILOŠ at Blenheim Palace will have its world premiere television broadcast on Sky Arts (Freeview Channel 36) on 22 April at 8pm and available thereafter on demand. Sony Music Vision is the distributor. The film features MILOŠ performing a programme of Baroque music from his recent album including pieces by Bach, Boccherini, Couperin, Handel, Marcello, Rameau, Scarlatti, Vivaldi & Weiss, in the stunning setting of Blenheim Palace.
Baroque music is characterized by its grandeur, ornamental melodies & intricate textures, and in Golden Age: MILOŠ at Blenheim Palace, viewers can enjoy exquisite performances complemented by the stunning and contextually accurate setting of Blenheim Palace, one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture, built over 300 years ago and awarded World Heritage Site status in 1987.
His recent album, ‘Baroque’, heralded a new milestone in MILOŠ’ career. He commented, “Since the very beginning of my life as a musician, I have been deeply inspired by the incredible variety and electrifying energy of the baroque repertoire. This golden era of music is mysterious and extraordinary, flamboyant, often endlessly lyrical, ultimately timeless. And yet within the classical guitar context, apart from J.S. Bach, I believe we have only ever managed to touch the surface. This very thought inspired me to, over the years, try and dig deeper, go beyond the obvious, experiment, collaborate and transcribe, to open a new door of possibilities for my instrument and its own baroque voice. It was wonderful to make this film in the stunning baroque surroundings of Blenheim Palace.”
MILOŠ’s own transcription of Bach’s monumental Chaconne sits at the heart of the film, anchoring the richly varied constellation of baroque composers’ masterpieces. MILOŠ particularly wanted to present the guitar across a wide range of European influences, and not merely within the more familiar Spanish context. He has selected luminescent works by nine composers here, the majority of which have never been played on solo guitar before.
There is plenty of light and shade within the music, reflecting baroque’s unique chiaroscuro character. Works such as Alessandro Marcello’s Adagio from ‘Oboe Concerto in D Minor’; Domenico Scarlatti’s ‘Sonata in D minor’; the Menuet from George Frideric Handel’s ‘Suite in B-Flat Major’; Jean-Philippe Rameau’s The Arts and the Hours or François Couperin’s Les Barricades mystérieuses offer more introspective moments, while Antonio Vivaldi’s movements from La Notte and Boccherini’s Fandango from ‘Quintet No. 4 in D Major’ provide fireworks of thrilling virtuosity.
MILOŠ worked very closely with Jonathan Cohen on all the orchestral transcriptions, as well as with Michael Lewin, the eminent British guitarist and lutenist with whom he studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and with whom he now shares a wonderful creative collaboration.
Since his incredible breakthrough in 2011, when his debut album held the no. 1 position in the UK Classical charts for a breathtaking 28 weeks, MILOŠ has built an impressive international career by performing solo recitals and concertos at most of the world’s leading concert venues. His six studio albums have sold the equivalent of over half a million copies and conquered the classical album charts in multiple territories, earning him a Classical BRIT, Echo Klassik and two Gramophone Awards. Not to mention worldwide critical acclaim, BBC Music Magazine included him in “Six of the Best Classical Guitarists of the Past Century” and The New York Times cited him as “one of the most exciting and communicative classical guitarists today.” His wide variety of musical influences and repertoire, ranging from baroque to contemporary music, via the Beatles and beyond, has helped MILOŠ build a loyal international fanbase and introduce his instrument to a whole new generation of listeners. His long list of musical collaborators ranges from Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Lisa Batiashvili, Alison Balsom, and Jess Gillam, to Tori Amos, Gregory Porter and Anoushka Shankar. He was the first-ever classical guitarist to perform a sold-out solo show at the Royal Albert Hall, where he returned last summer playing to a capacity audience. He has presented on both BBC and Sky TV and has his own series of educational books “Play Guitar with Miloš” published by Schott Music. In 2023 he launched the “Miloš Karadaglić Foundation”- based in Porto Montenegro – this philanthropic organisation aims to act as a regional hub of influence by empowering artistic excellence though various educational opportunities, partnership and close mentorship.
Golden Age: Milos at Blenheim Palace
Boccherini: Quintet No. 4 in D Major, G 448: IV. Fandango
Handel: Suite in B-Flat Major, HWV 434: IV. Menuet
Scarlatti: Sonata in D Minor, K. 32
Marcello: Concerto in D Minor: II. Adagio
Bach: Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: Chaconne
Vivaldi: Trio Sonata in C Major, RV 82: II. Larghetto
Weiss: Passacaglia
Rameau: The Arts and the Hours
Couperin: Les Barricades mystérieuses
Vivaldi: Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV 439 “La Notte”: VI. Allegro
Creative Team
MILOŠ KARADAGLIĆ
EDITOR JOHNNY RICHARDS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ADAM SINGODIA
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS CASSANDRA GRACEY SARAH THWAITES LAURENCE WARDER
PRODUCED BY VICKY KANJI-SMITH
DIRECTED BY LAURENCE WARDER
Watch a sneak peak of ‘Golden Age: MILOŠ at Blenheim Palace’ with this beautiful video of Handel’s Menuet (arr. Michael Lewin).
Link to view the film available on request and photos are available here.
ENDS
