Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps that it's a long time ago, right?

It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream van plays music when it's out of ice cream.

Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds.

This is the BBC.

So, you've succumbed. You heard the Arts and Ideas podcast calling to you like that pie in the fridge.

Well, my name's Matthew Sweet and I'm here to tell you that really there's no need to feel guilty.

Give in to your desires. We all need ideas. We all need the arts. And you're going to get them right here, right now, after this short message.

Did you know that Mozart was so infuriating he was called a clown and a knave and given a kick-up the behind by the Archbishop of Salzburg's steward?

Or that Chikovsky's family censored his diaries to hide the fact he was gay.

Ever hear of J.S. Bach, the street brawler?

The Composer of the Week podcast introduces you to the human side of the men and women

who created our greatest classical music.

Subscribe to Composer of the Week with me, Donald McLeod, wherever you get your podcasts.

There's a treasure trove of music and stories waiting for you to explore, and a new composer to discover, well, every week.

On Friday the 2nd of December, 1955, the Labour MP Christopher Mayhew, a former major in wartime intelligence, was filmed by a BBC documentary

crew. He was sitting in an armchair in the corner of his living room. Beside him was a small

occasional table and a lamp with a tasseled shade. Pretty soon his relationship with this room,

these objects and the people around him, was transformed. So too was his relationship with this room, these objects, and the people around him, was transformed.

So, too, was his relationship with Friday the 2nd of December, 1955.

Christopher Mayhew reported that he was moving somewhere beyond time and space.

I am moving at this moment from one time into another time and back again.

And I'm not so conscious, I'm free of removing myself in space.

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