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, it's 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 a download from the BBC. For more information and our terms of use, go to BBC.co.uk slash radio three.

Tonight, as part of the BBC's Baroque Spring, my guests and I will reject the Renaissance and mock mannerism, as we ask what it means to think Baroque.

We'll be assisted by the chisels of David Estelle, the woodcarver who dared to take on the missing bits of Grinling Gibbons' work at Hampton Court.

So pour yourself a nice steaming cup of Rococo, and join us in an exploration of the Baroque, then and now.

For the English, the Baroque is a bit like sex.

They don't like to talk about it, but there's a heck of a lot of it around.

Just ask the great 18th century architect, Sir John Vanbrough. Or better still, drive a few miles

from the heart of Newcastle and feast your eyes on one of his greatest creations, Seton de laval,

the astonishing country house that he built there in the early 1700s. The house reopens later this month

after an unlikely alliance of grassroots supporters and top international architects raise the funds

for a major national trust restoration. Now the structure has been restored as a jewel of the

English Baroque. And Nightwaves has had a sneak preview

from two experts, Anthony Gerhardy of York University

and Mark War of the National Trust.

I'm standing in front of the north front of Seton-Delaville Hall,

which is one of the most remarkable and distinct and original buildings in British architectural history.

It was designed by an architect called Sir John Vamber, and Vamber is one of three architects who we associate with the English Baroque.

It is different from other National Trust properties.

We're not in a secluded private landscape.

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