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In Conversation

From Jane Austen, Toni Morrison and Hollie McNish come shared intimacies and difficult conversations, while musical dialogues abound from Beethoven to Ella Fitzgerald.

From chamber music by Beethoven and Isabella Leonarda to the call and response of Jean Daetwlery鈥檚 dialogue between alphorn and piccolo, and the jazz greats Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker: we are celebrating conversation this week, and not just in the way musicians are attuned to each other, listening and responding to every change of harmony and rhythm, but also through words exchanged and overheard.
The poets George Herbert and Margaret Cavendish delight in the dialogue poetic form, pitting man against death; joy against discretion. And in Genesis Abraham doesn鈥檛 just commune with God, he challenges Him too.
There are conversations teasing, eavesdropped and ghostly from the pens of Jane Austen, Emily Bronte and Toni Morrison. But it鈥檚 the missed intimacies of close friends that Hollie McNish regrets, and the 鈥榮weet nonsense talking鈥� that Caleb Femi brings alive. There are gossip mongers plotting in Britten鈥檚 Peter Grimes, and a grapevine for Marvin Gaye.
Writers and composers also communicate across the ages, Max Richter shares a tune with Vivaldi, Mozart is infused with Mambo, and the poet Jean Sprackland has the last word in her response to DH Lawrence.
The readers are Gemma Whelan and Clarke Peters.

Producer: Katy Hickman

READINGS:
The Art of Conversation, Catherine Blyth
To Women, As Far as I鈥檓 Concerned, DH Lawrence
Feelings, Jean Sprackland
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Genesis, King James Bible
A Dialogue-Anthem, George Herbert
Beloved, Toni Morrison
Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
On Talking, Kahlil Gibran
Nests in Elms, Michael Field
The Club of Queer Trades, GK Chesterton
Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney
Dialogue between joy and discretion, Margaret Cavendish
Here Too Spring Comes to Us with Open Arms, Caleb Femi
my friends are scattered, Hollie McNish
A Time to Talk, Robert Frost

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 12 Jan 2025 18:00
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:01

    Francis Poulenc

    Sonata for flute and piano Op. 164, Presto giocoso

    Performer: Sharon Bezaly. Performer: Ronald Brautigam.
    • Bezaly & Brautigam: Masterworks for Flute and Piano.
    • BIS-SACD-1729.
    • Tr3.

  • Catherine Blyth

    Extract from The Art of Conversation, How Talking Improves Lives,John Murray,2008, read by Gemma Whelan

  • 00:04

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    Quintet in E-Flat Major for Piano and Wind Quartet, Op. 16 - 2. Andan

    Performer: Sir Andr谩s Schiff. Performer: Heinz Holliger. Performer: Eduard Brunner. Performer: Radovan Vlatkovi膰. Performer: Klaus Thunemann. Performer: Klaus Thunemann.
    • Beethoven: Septet; Quintet for Piano & Wind Quartet.
    • Decca Music Group 00028948340040.
    • Tr8.
  • 00:08

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    鈥楶a, pa, pa(Papageno)鈥�, Act II, The Magic Flute

    Performer: Michael Kraus (Baritone), Lotte Leitner (Soprano), Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Georg Solti (conductor).
    • Mozart: Die Zauberflote.
    • Decca Music Group 28943321020.
    • S2 Tr19.

  • DH Lawrence

    To Women, As Far as I鈥檓 Concerned,from Answering Back: Living poets reply to the poetry of the past, Picador, 2007; read by Clarke Peters

  • 00:11

    Edgar Olivero

    Pa Pa Pa (inspired by the Papageno/Papagena duet from Mozart's The Magic Flute)

    Performer: Sarah Willis. Ensemble: The Sarahbanda.
    • Mozart y Mambo - Cuban Dances.
    • Alpha 878.
    • Tr14.

  • Jean Sprackland

    Feelings, from Answering Back, Picador, 2007; read by Gemma Whelan

  • 00:13

    Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan

    Baby It's Cold Outside

    • The Greatest Collection.
    • Pacific AW8494617.
    • Tr11.
  • 00:15

    Ed Sheeran

    Bad habits arr. for string quartet (Inspired by Bridgerton)

    Composer: Fred again... Composer: Johnny McDaid. Composer: Music Lab Collective. Music Arranger: Elspeth Mackay. Ensemble: Music Lab Collective.
    • Music Lab Collective.
    • Decca Classics.
    • 1.

  • Jane Austen

    Extract from Pride and Prejudice, Everyman鈥檚 Library 1906 edition, read by Gemma Whelan

  • 00:16

    Music Lab Collective

    Bad Habits (arr. String quartet), inspired by 'Bridgerton'

    • Decca (UMO) Online release on Music Lab Collective's YouTube channel.
    • Tr1.
  • 00:18

    Arvo P盲rt

    and I heard a voice

    Choir: Ars Nova Copenhagen. Conductor: Paul Hillier.
    • Choral Concert: Ars Nova Copenhagen (鈥nd鈥�).
    • Naxos 8.574281.
    • Tr14.

  • King James Bible

    Extract from Genesis 18.20-33 read by Clarke Peters

  • George Herbert

    A Dialogue-Anthem, from The Complete Poetry, Penguin Classic, 2015, read by Gemma Whelan and Clarke Peters

  • 00:25

    George Butterworth

    6 Songs from A Shropshire Lad', 'Is my team ploughing?'

    Singer: Ian Bostridge. Performer: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Requiem: The Pity of War.
    • Warner Classics 0190295661564.
    • Tr6.
  • 00:27

    B茅la Bart贸k

    Bartok: Concerto for O rchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (3rd mvt) Adagio

    Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fritz Reiner.
    • Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra/ Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta/ Hungarian Sketches.
    • RCA Victor 09026 61504 2.
    • Tr8.

  • Toni Morrison

    Extract from Beloved, Picador, 1987, read by Clarke Peters

  • Emily Bronte

    Extract from Wuthering Heights,1847, read by Gemma Whelan

  • 00:34

    Marvin Gaye

    I Heard It Through The Grapevine

    • In the Groove.
    • Motown.
    • 4.
  • 00:36

    Benjamin Britten

    Peter Grimes, Act 2, "Fool to let it come to this! People!... No I will speak!

    Singer: Jean Watson. Singer: Peter Pears. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Choir: Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Conductor: Benjamin Britten. Conductor: Benjamin Britten.
    • Britten: Peter Grimes Label: DECCA 4145772.
    • CD2 Tr5.
  • 00:42

    Isabella Leonora

    Sonata Duodecima for Violin Solo and Basso Continuo in D minor, 1. Adagio

    Ensemble: Bizzarrie Armoniche.
    • Donna Baroche.
    • Naive.
    • 11.

  • Kahlil Gibran

    Extract from On Talking, from The Prophet, 1923,read by Clarke Peters

  • 00:44

    Einojuhani Rautavaara

    Concerto for Birds & Orchestra, Op. 61 "Cantus Arcticus", I. The Bog

    Orchestra: Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Leif Segerstam.
    • Finland 100: A Century of Finnish Classics.
    • Ondine ODE1300-2Q.
    • S3 Tr9.

  • Michael Field

    Nests in Elms, from Wild Honey from Various Thyme,Franklin Classics,1907, read by Gemma Whelan

  • GK Chesterton

    Extract from The Club of Queer Trades,1905, read by Clarke Peters

  • 00:51

    Charlie Parker-Dizzy Gillespie Quintet

    Salt peanuts

    • Atmosphere.
    • Sinetone AMR 8719497472758.
    • Tr4.
  • 00:54

    Georges Bizet

    Carmen, Act II, Nous avons en tete une affaire

    Singer: Teresa Berganza. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • 111 Years Of Deutsche Grammophon The Collector's Edition Vol.2.
    • Deutsche Grammophon; 4779142.
    • S2 Tr6.

  • Sally Rooney

    Conversations with Friends,Faber,2017, read by Gemma Whelan

  • Johann Strauss II

    Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op 214, for piano

    Music Arranger: Georges Cziffra. Performer: Yuja Wang.
    • Fantasia.
    • Deutsche Grammophon 00028947900528.
    • Tr10.

  • Margaret Cavendish

    Dialogue between joy and discretion, 1653, read by Gemma Whelan and Clarke Peters

  • 01:03

    Max Richter

    Spring from The Four Seasons, Recomposed

    Composer: Antonio Vivaldi. Performer: Daniel Hope. Orchestra: Konzerthaus Kammerorchester Berlin. Conductor: Andr茅 de Ridder.
    • Recomposed By Max Richter, Vivaldi - The Four Seasons.
    • Deutsche Grammophon 481-0044.
    • Tr2.

  • Caleb Femi

    Here Too Spring Comes to Us with Open Arms,from Poor, Penguin Random House 2020 read by Clarke Peters

  • 01:07

    Wiley

    Eskimo (Interlude)

    Performer: Wiley.
    • Treddin鈥� On Thin Ice.
    • XL Recordings XLDL178 EMI Music.
    • Tr4.
  • 01:08

    A Tribe Called Quest

    Can I Kick It?

    • The Anthology.
    • Jive 0523842.
    • Tr4.

  • Hollie McNish

    My friends are scattered across cities now,from Lobster: And Other Things I鈥檓 Learning to Love, Fleet, 2024, read by Gemma Whelan

  • 01:11

    Jean Daetwyler

    Dialogue avec la nature for Alphorn, Piccolo and Orchestra

    Performer: Jozsef Molnar. Performer: Miroslav Kral. Orchestra: Slovensk谩 filharm贸nia. Conductor: Urs Schneider.
    • Alphorn Concertos.
    • NAXOS 8.555978.
    • Tr4.

  • Robert Frost

    A Time to Talk,from Mountain Interval, publ. Henry Holt, 1916, read by Clarke Peters

Broadcast

  • Sun 12 Jan 2025 18:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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