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But Is It Music? (1945-1989)

How the crisis of writing music in a post-war world was met in different ways by the likes of Britten, Bernstein, Cage, Boulez, Stockhausen, and Reich.

We discover how the crisis of writing music in a post-war world was met in very different ways by the likes of Britten, Bernstein, Cage, Boulez, Stockhausen, Maxwell Davies, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop, Tavener, Reich, Adams and Glass. Tavener plays badminton whilst drunk, Cage defends his 4'33" of 'silence' and Delia Derbyshire, co-creator of the Doctor Who theme tune, reveals how British techno music has its roots in the bowels of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½.

1 hour

Last on

Wed 12 Oct 2016 01:00

Clip

Music Played

  • Unknown

    'Peter Grimes' archive track

  • John Cage

    4m33s

  • John Cage

    A Dreamer That Remains, Do Not Loiter

    Performer: Joe Kubera.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Ain't Got No Tears Left

    Performer: Leonard Bernstein.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    America

  • John Cage

    Audiology Experiment

  • John Tavener

    Celtic Requiem

    Performer: London Sinfonietta Chorus.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Chichester Pslams

    Performer: Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Poznan Philharmonic Choir. Performer: Tölzer Knabenchor.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Choir rehearsal

    Performer: Children's School Choir in Suffolk.
  • Unknown

    Choral singing

  • Steve Reich

    Clapping Music

    Performer: Steve Reich and other.
  • Michael Tippett

    Concerto for Double String Orchestra

    Performer: London Sympony Orchestra.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Cool, Fugue: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

    Performer: NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC COLUMBIA WIND ENSEMBLE.
  • Steve Reich

    Corver Piano Counterpart

    Performer: London Steve Reich Ensemble.
  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    De Assumtione Beatae Mariae Virginis

  • Ron Grainer

    Doctor Who

    Music Arranger: Delia Derbyshire. Performer: The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop.
  • Delia Derbyshire

    Electronic sound

    Performer: Electronic machinery.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Eolat

  • Peter Maxwell Davies

    Excerpt from 'O Magnum Mysterium'

    Performer: The Cirencester Grammar School Orchestra.
  • William Walton

    Facade (Fanfare)

    Performer: Melos Ensemble.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Four Sea Interlude from 'Peter Grimes'

    Performer: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • Annette Tucker

    Get Me To The World On Time

    Composer: Jill Jones. Performer: The Electric Prunes.
  • John Adams

    Grand Pianola Music

    Performer: San Francisco Opera, Ballet and Symphony Orchestras.
  • Steve Reich

    Harlem Riots

  • Karlheinz Stockhausen

    Helikopter-Streichquartett

    Performer: Arditti Quartet.
  • ³§â€ÍÖ³æ±è°ù±ð²õ²õ

    Hey Music Lover

  • Karlheinz Stockhausen

    Kontakte

  • Philip Glass

    Koyaanisqatsi - The Grid

    Performer: De Ruiter. Performer: Western Wind.
  • Philip Glass

    Kundun - Projector

  • Edward Elgar

    Land of Hope and Glory

  • Pierre Boulez

    Le Marteau san maitre

    Performer: Aurèle Nicolet. Performer: Serge Collot. Performer: Anton Stingl.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Mambo: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

    Performer: New York Philharmonic Columbia Wind Ensemble.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Multiples

    Performer: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra.
  • Steve Reich

    Music for 18 Musicians

    Performer: Steve Reich and others.
  • John Stafford Smith

    National Anthem of Great Britain

  • Pierre Boulez

    Notations pour Piano

    Performer: Elisabeth Laurence. Performer: Members L'Ensemble Intercontemporain. Performer: Chen Pi-hsien. Performer: Bernhard Wambach.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Oft in the Stilly Isles

  • Leonard Bernstein

    On The Town

    Performer: New York Philharmonic Columbia Wind Ensemble.
  • The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop

    Oscillation

    Performer: Electronic machinery.
  • Philip Glass

    Pearl's Girl

  • Benjamin Britten

    Performance from Peter Grimes

    Performer: English Opera Group.
  • John Cage

    Piano Composition

  • John Cage

    Piano excerpt from 'La Bacanal'

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Piano excerpt from 'The Age of Anxiety'

    Performer: Leonard Bernstein.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Piano excert from 'Peter Grimes'

    Performer: Benjamin Britten.
  • Steve Reich

    Piano Phase

    Performer: London Steve Reich Ensemble.
  • Pierre Boulez

    Pli Selon Pli (Improvisation sur Mallarme)

  • The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop

    Quatermass and the Pit

    Performer: The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Rehearsal excerpt from 'The Building of the House'

    Performer: East Anglian Choirsand English Chamber Orchestra.
  • Delia Derbyshire

    Rhythmic clicking

  • Steve Reich

    Sextet (v2)

    Performer: London Steve Reich Ensemble.
  • John Dankworth

    Signature tune of 'Tomorrow's World'

    Performer: Johnny Hawksworth Orchestra.
  • The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop

    Signature tune of 'Workshop'

    Performer: The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop.
  • Delia Derbyshire

    Signature tune to 'Who Is...'

    Performer: Delia Derbyshire. Performer: The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop.
  • John Tavener

    Singing with piano at party

  • Leonard Bernstein

    Something's Coming

    Performer: Jose Carreras & New York Scratch Orchestra.
  • Karlheinz Stockhausen

    Gesang Der Jünglinge

  • Karlheinz Stockhausen

    Stimmung

  • Pierre Boulez

    Sur Mallarme No. 2

    Performer: The New Ensemble & Halina Lumomska.
  • Philip Glass

    Symphony No. 3

    Performer: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Symphony Orchestra.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    Symphony No. 5

    Performer: London Symphony Orchestra.
  • Leonard Bernstein

    The Age of Anxiety

    Performer: Leonard Bernstein & Orchestra.
  • The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop

    The Artist Speaks

    Performer: The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radiophonic Workshop.
  • Benjamin Britten

    The Spacious Firmament on High

    Performer: City of London Sinfonia.
  • John Tavener

    The Whale

    Performer: London Sinfonietta.
  • Benjamin Britten

    Those Who Pass the Borough

  • The Trumpeteers

    Trumpets - Gloriana Fanfare

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Rebecca Front
Producer Sophie Deveson
Director Sophie Deveson
Executive Producer Jonty Claypole
Production Coordinator Grace Brassington

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