 
                
                        Writers and the ѿý
Henry Goodman and Grace Cookey-Gam read from authors including George Orwell, Sue Townsend, Penelope Fitzgerald, Jonathan Coe and James Fenton and music commissioned by the ѿý.
From wax discs to colour TV and Marshall McLuhan's "global village", a comedian's audition for the "Deputy Head of Variety" to advice on how to read a poem on radio: to go alongside the celebration of the anniversary of ѿý drama marked at this year's Contains Strong Language Festival, today's programme takes its cue from fictional depictions of the corporation and references to specific programmes. Actors Henry Goodman and Grace Cookey-Gam read texts by authors who worked at the ѿý including George Orwell who between 1941-1943 was a Talks Producer on what was then the 'Eastern Service' and gives us here his views about poetry on the radio; PH Newby, the first winner of the Booker Prize and a former controller of the Third programme and Penelope Fitzgerald, who worked at the ѿý during the Blitz when she was in her twenties. Other extracts from novels include Sue Townsend's Adrian Mole, Gordon Burns's The North of England ѿý Service, Jonathan Coe's new book Bournville and an imagined Queen's Speech from Alan Bennett. There are archive extracts featuring John Gielgud and an unusual voice for the shipping forecast, poems written by Roger McGough, Wendy Cope and Elizabeth Burns and music commissioned by the ѿý, plus pieces by Britten, Debussy, Fauré, Chopin, Bach, Bart Howard, Django Reinhardt and American rock from the 1960s.
Producer: Juan Carlos Jaramillo
Readings:
'A for Announcer' by Eleanor Farjeon (from 'The ABC of the ѿý')
'Bournville' by Jonathan Coe (excerpt)
‘The North of England Service’ by Gordon Burns (excerpt)
'Three Rooms' by Jo Hamya (excerpt) 
Shipping forecast, read by Alan Bennett on ѿý Radio 4
'Listening to Bach’s B Minor Mass in the kitchen' by Elizabeth Burns
'Poetry and the Microphone' by George Orwell (excerpt)
'Sonnet 18' by William Shakespeare
'Lessons' from Ian McEwan (excerpt)
'A is for The Archers and Adultery' by Wendy Cope
'Human Voices' by Penelope Fitzgerald (excerpt)
'The Whistling Woman' by AS Byatt (excerpt)
‘Going Out Live’ by Mark Lawson (excerpt)
‘Feelings have changed’ by P.H. Newby (excerpt)
'Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾' by Sue Townsend (excerpt)
'Afterwards' by Thomas Hardy
'The Uncommon Reader' by Alan Bennett (excerpt)
'To Poetry Please' by Roger McGough
Last on
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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    Georgia MannIntroduction to the programme, read by Georgia Mann Eleanor FarjeonA for Announcer, from The ABC of the ѿý, read by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:01 00:01William WaltonOrb and Sceptre March Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.- EMI - CDM 565584-2.
- 13.
 ![]() 00:02 00:02William WaltonOrb and Sceptre March Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.Jonathan CoeBournville (excerpt), read by Henry Goodman ![]() 00:05 00:05William WaltonOrb and Sceptre March Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Adrian Boult.- EMI - CDM 565584-2.
- 13.
 ![]() 00:06 00:06Spike Hughes & His Dance OrchestraTap Your Feet - Topic  888003695641.
- 1.
 ![]() 00:07 00:07Spike Hughes & His Dance OrchestraTap Your Feet Gordon BurnsThe North of England Service (excerpt), read by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:10 00:10Erich Wolfgang Korngold4 Shakespeare Songs, Op.31, When birds do sing Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter. Performer: Bengt Forsberg.- DG - 4596312.
- 18.
 ![]() 00:11 00:11Erich Wolfgang KorngoldWhen Birds do Sing, Op.31 no.4 Singer: Anne Sofie von Otter. Performer: Bengt Forsberg.![]() 00:13 00:13Trad.Song of the Birds (El Cant del Ocells) Music Arranger: Pau Casals. Performer: Sheku Kanneh‐Mason. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mirga Gražinytė‐Tyla.- Decca - 4832948.
- 3.
 ![]() 00:14 00:14Traditional CatalanEl cant del ocells (Song of the Birds) Performer: Sheku Kanneh‐Mason. Orchestra: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mirga Gražinytė‐Tyla.![]() 00:15 00:15ѿý Sound EffectsBirds singing Performer: Unknown.- ѿý.
- 1.
 Jo HamyaThree Rooms (excerpt), read by Henry Goodman ![]() 00:16 00:16Claude DebussyLa Mer, I. De laube à midi sur la mer (Transcribed for four-hand piano) Performer: Alexander Melnikov. Performer: Olga Pashchenko.- Harmonia Mundi - HMM902302.
- 4.
 ![]() 00:17 00:17Claude DebussyDe l'aube à midi sur la mer (La Mer) Performer: Alexander Melnikov. Performer: Olga Pashchenko.ѿýѿý Radio 4 Shipping Forecast, read by Alan Bennett ![]() 00:21 00:21ѿý Sound EffectsBig Ben chimes and bongs Performer: Unknown.- ѿý.
- 1.
 ![]() 00:22 00:22Johann Sebastian BachMass in B minor (BWV 232) Pt.2, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Et in terra Pax Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.- Archiv - 415514-2.
- 4.
 ![]() 00:23 00:23Johann Sebastian BachGloria (Mass in B minor) Elizabeth BurnsListening to Bachs B Minor Mass in the kitchen, ready by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:26 00:26Johann Sebastian BachMass in B minor (BWV 232) Pt.2, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Et in terra Pax Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach. Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Choir: Monteverdi Choir. Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists. Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.- Archiv - 415514-2.
- 4-5.
 George OrwellPoetry and the Microphone (excerpt), read by Henry Goodman ![]() 00:29 00:29John DowlandMy Lady Hunsdon's Puffe Performer: Nigel North.- Naxos - 8557586.
- 19.
 ![]() 00:30 00:30John DowlandMy Lady Hunsdon's Puffe Performer: Nigel North.William ShakespeareSonnet 18, read by Sir John Gielgud ![]() 00:32 00:32Doris DayFly Me to the Moon (In Other Words) - Sony - USSM16401319.
- 2.
 ![]() 00:33 00:33Doris DayFly me to the Moon Ian McEwanLessons (excerpt), read by Henry Goodman Wendy CopeA is for The Archers and Adultery, ready by Wendy Cope ![]() 00:36 00:36Gabriel FauréPavane Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.![]() 00:36 00:36Gabriel FauréPavane for orchestra (with chorus ad lib) (Op.50) Orchestra: Orchestre de Paris – Philharmonie. Choir: Chœur de l'Orchestre de Paris. Choir: Chœur de l'Orchestre de Paris. Conductor: Paavo Järvi. Conductor: Paavo Järvi.- Virgin Classics - 070921 2.
- 10.
 Penelope FitzgeraldHuman Voices (excerpt), ready by Henry Goodman ![]() 00:41 00:41Django Reinhardt & Stéphane GrappelliEchoes of France - La Marseillaise - Dreyfus Jazz - 3700551702534.
- 18.
 ![]() 00:42 00:42Django ReinhardtEchoes of France - La Marseillaise ![]() 00:44 00:44Big Brother & the Holding CompanyPiece of My Heart - Columbia - G0100006701846.
- 4.
 ![]() 00:45 00:45Janis JoplinPiece of my Heart AS ByattThe Whistling Woman (excerpt), ready by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:47 00:47Big Brother & the Holding CompanyPiece of My Heart - Columbia - G0100006701846.
- 4.
 ![]() 00:48 00:48Frédéric ChopinMazurka for piano (B.16`2) in B flat major [1826] Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.- London - 4437382.
- 23.
 ![]() 00:49 00:49Frédéric ChopinMazurka in B flat major (1826) Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.Mark LawsonGoing Out Live (excerpt), read by Henry Goodman ![]() 00:51 00:51John AdamsShort Ride in a Fast Machine Orchestra: San Francisco Symphony. Conductor: Edo de Waart.- Elektra - 7559791442.
- 4.
 ![]() 00:52 00:52John AdamsShort Ride in a Fast Machine Orchestra: San Francisco Symphony. Conductor: Edo de Waart.P.H. NewbyFeelings have changed (excerpt), ready by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:57 00:57Ron GrainerDoctor Who Theme (Series 8) Orchestra: ѿý National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Ben Foster. Conductor: James Shearman.- Silva Screen Records - SILCD-1460.
- 1.
 Sue TownsendAdrian Mole aged 13 ¾ (excerpt), ready by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 00:58 00:58Ron GrainerDoctor Who theme Orchestra: ѿý National Orchestra of Wales. Conductor: Ben Foster.Thomas HardyAfterwards, ready by Jeremy Irons ![]() 00:59 00:59Jon LordAfterwards - Avie - AV2190.
- 10.
 ![]() 01:00 01:00Jon LordAfterwards ![]() 01:02 01:02Benjamin BrittenGloriana - symphonic suite Op.53a: Courtly dances: March & Coranto Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.- Chandos - CHAN10658.
- 3.
 ![]() 01:03 01:03Benjamin BrittenMarch and Coranto (Courtly Dances - Gloriana) Orchestra: ѿý Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.Alan BennettThe Uncommon Reader, ready by Henry Goodman ![]() 01:06 01:06Dan McGrath / Josh PhillipsStrictly Come Dancing Performer: Sacre.- Union Square Music - 0698458951489.
- 11.
 Roger McGoughTo Poetry Please, read by Grace Cookey-Gam ![]() 01:06 01:06Dan McgrathStrictly Come Dancing ![]() 01:08 01:08Howard SkemptonLento Orchestra: ѿý Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Mark Wigglesworth.- NMC - NMCD005.
- 1.
 Broadcasts- Sun 23 Oct 2022 17:30ѿý Radio 3
- Sun 1 Oct 2023 17:30ѿý Radio 3
 
 
            