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Words and Music Episodes

  1. The Tudors

    From Shakespeare to Hilary Mantel, Byrd and Tallis to Britten.

  2. Happiness

    Helena Bonham Carter and Tim McInnerny with readings on the pursuit of happiness.

  3. Building and Sound

    Prose and poems inspired by architecture and music recorded for and in particular places.

  4. Two-tone

    Inspired by the musical fusion in 70s Coventry, we celebrate the mix of black and white.

  5. Bees

    Poetry and prose abuzz with apiarian delights, read by Sartaj Garewal and Verity Henry.

  6. Pictures at an Exhibition

    A programme celebrating the inspiration we find in galleries and museums as they re-open.

  7. Napoleon

    Simon Russell Beale and Natalie Simpson with readings from fact and fiction about Napoleon

  8. The Trumpet

    Poetry and prose about the trumpet, with readings by Madeleine Potter and Joseph Ayre.

  9. Coming of Age

    Josh O'Connor and Lydia Wilson with readings from Shakespeare to a bar mitzvah poem.

  10. 150 Years of The Royal Albert Hall

    Josie Lawrence and Petroc Trelawny with readings and music performed at the London venue.

  11. Theatre

    Rory Kinnear and Indira Varma pull open the curtains for a celebration of acting

  12. Twelve

    Twelve jury members, Norse gods, eggs, tone composition, bar blues and Force 12.

  13. Money

    Jonathan Keeble and Emily Pithon with readings from Trollope to Larkin and Imtiaz Dharker.

  14. Fruit and Vegetables

    From Nigel Slater to Nina Simone's Forbidden Fruit and Handel's Ruddier than the Cherry.

  15. The 1920s

    From the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Gatsby to the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

  16. Audre Lorde's World

    Jade Anouka and Lorde鈥檚 children read Lorde's work, from her poems to her cancer diaries.

  17. Light in the Darkness

    From Philip Pullman and music inspired by the aurora borealis to candlelight in poetry.

  18. The Body

    From tattoos to massage, pregnancy to posture devices, excavations to emotional outbursts.

  19. Razor Sharp

    From clam shells to barbers, sharp words to sharp notes.

  20. Crip Creativity

    Music from Beethoven to Evelyn Glennie. Readings of Milton, Alice Walker and Sue Townsend.

  21. Magic Numbers

    Sule Rimi and Alibe Parsons find beauty and wisdom in digits, numerals, and counting.

  22. This Haunted Land

    Readings from Donne, MR James, Mary Karr. Music includes The Wicker Man, Britten & Bartok.

  23. Latin America: Spears, Jaguars and Eagles

    The Spanish colonisation of the Americas depicted by indigenous peoples and the invaders.

  24. Wordsworth's World

    Noma Dumezweni reads from Dorothy's journals - Roger Ringrose reads her brother's poems.

  25. Getting Together

    Poets and novelists reflect on time spent in groups. Read by Souad Faress and Raj Ghatak.

  26. Everyday Heroism

    Doctors, nurses, teachers, parents.

  27. Animal Kingdom

    Actors Emily Bruni and Nicholas Farrell read poems on lambs, cats, pigs and a donkey

  28. The Black Sun

    Inspired by Robert Oppenheimer's work on the first atomic bomb and the fall-out from that.

  29. The Power of Music

    Readings by Clarke Peters and Maggie Service in the run up to 100 years of the 蜜芽传媒 Singers

  30. Looking Back on Childhood

    Poets and writers reflect on their childhoods. Read by Rebecca Lacey and Abraham Popoola.

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