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A Swiss journey

As Eurovision comes from Switzerland - today's Words and Music hears from composers and writers who have been inspired by the country's landscapes from Rossini to Anita Brookner.

This year鈥檚 Eurovision Song Contest was staged in the Swiss city of Basel. To mark the event, the theme of today鈥檚 Words and Music is Switzerland. It鈥檚 a country whose dramatic landscapes have provoked equally heartfelt responses. We鈥檒l hear the philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau getting emotional as he returns to his native Geneva after a long time abroad. The Victorian art critic John Ruskin going weak at the knees over the na茂ve simplicity of the Swiss Alpine cottage. Mary Shelley鈥檚 description of a thunderstorm in the mountains as Doctor Frankenstein pursues his monstrous creation. And Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig on the breathing space afforded by Swiss neutrality in times of war. We鈥檒l also hear the enthusiastic reports of tourists to the region, from the early days of Thomas Cook onwards. The Alps have inspired composers just as much. Mendelssohn, Schumann, Wagner and Tchaikovsky all scaled the heights in music, and there鈥檚 a rich Swiss folk tradition of accordions, Alphorns and yodelling to contend with too. The readers are Ellie Piercy and Peter Wight, the programme was made in consultation with Sean Williams, Senior Lecturer in German & European Cultural History at the University of Sheffield.

Producer: Luke Mulhall

Readings:

Jemima Morrell, Miss Jemima鈥檚 Diary, read by Ellie Piercy

William Wordsworth, 鈥淥n hearing the 鈥楻anz des Vaches鈥� on the top of the Pass of St. Gothard鈥�
The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth.

Jean-Jaques Rousseau, Julie, or the New Heloise, Letters of Two Lovers who Live in a Small Town at the Foot of the Alps, trans. Philip Stewart and Jean Vach茅, read by Ellie Piercy

Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain, read by Peter Wight

John Ruskin, The Poetry of Architecture read by Peter Wight

Richard Wagner, Beethoven, read by Peter Wight

Jeremias Gotthelf, The Cheese Dairy in Cattlejoy, read by Ellie Piercy
Anita Brookner, Hotel du Lac, read by Ellie Piercy

Johannes Spyri, Heidi, read by Peter Wight

Leslie Stephen, The Playground of Europe, read by Peter Wight

Friedrich Schiller, William Tell, read by Ellie Piercy

Carl Spitteler, Our Swiss Standpoint, read by Peter Wight

Stefan Zweig, The World of Yesteryear, read by Peter Wight

Robert Musil, Letter, Robert Musil to Kurt Pinthus on 30.10.1941, read by Peter Wight

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, read by Ellie Piercy

17 days left to listen

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 May 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

    Schwyzer枚rgeli-Trio Liebi

    Dr Fiesta br枚nnt

    Performer: Schwyzer枚rgeli-Trio Liebi.
    • Popul盲re Musik aus der Schweiz.
    • Koch Universal 09002723235296.
    • Tr 57.

  • Jemima Morrell

  • 00:03

    Felix Mendelssohn

    String Symphony No. 9 in C Major, MWV N9: III. Scherzo - Trio pi霉 lento "Switzerland"

    Performer: Jean-Fran莽ois Paillard.
    • Schubert: Rondo for Violin and Strings, D. 438 & German Dances, D. 90 - Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 9.
    • Warner Classics 190295162726.
    • Tr 4.

  • William Wordsworth

    鈥淥n hearing the 鈥楻anz des Vaches鈥� on the top of the Pass of St. Gothard鈥�, read by Peter Wight

  • Jean-Jaques Rousseau

    Julie, or the New Heloise, Letters of Two Lovers who Live in a Small Town at the Foot of the Alps, trans. Philip Stewart and Jean Vach茅, read by Ellie Piercy

  • 00:12

    Hans-Jurg Sommer

    Alpsommer: Chilbi

    Performer: Matthias Kofmehl. Ensemble: Niziol Quartet.
    • Alphorn Impressionen.
    • CMD Records.
    • 3.

  • Thomas Mann

    The Magic Mountain, read by Peter Wight

  • 00:14

    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Manfred Symphony in B Minor, Op. 58: II. Vivace con spirito

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.
    • Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony.
    • Sony Classical G010005367569W.
    • Tr2.

  • John Ruskin

    The Poetry of Architecture read by Peter Wight

  • 00:21

    Franz Schubert

    Der Alpenj盲ger, Op. 37 No. 2, D. 588

    Singer: Hermann Prey. Performer: Gerald Moore.
    • Icon: Hermann Prey.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 3.

  • Richard Wagner

    Beethoven, read by Peter Wight

  • 00:28

    Pfister

    Fantaisie instrumentale sur le ranz des vaches

    Performer: Yves Rechsteiner. Ensemble: Alpbarock.
    • Simelib盲rg: M茅lodies & danses anciennes de Suisse allemande.
    • Alpha Classics.
    • 12.

  • Jeremias Gotthelf

    The Cheese Dairy in Cattlejoy, trans. Sean Williams, read by Ellie Piercy

  • 00:32

    Ferenc Farkas

    Concertino rustico: III. Allegro vivace

    Performer: Jozsef Molnar. Ensemble: Capella Istropolitana. Conductor: Urs Schneider.
    • Alphorn Concertos.
    • Marco-Polo 8.223101.
    • Tr8.

  • Anita Brookner

    Hotel du Lac, read by Ellie Piercy

  • 00:37

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    Variations on a Swiss Theme

    Performer: Nicanor Zabaleta.
    • 18th Century Harp Music (Digitally Remastered).
    • EMG Classical 888003105188.
    • Tr2.

  • Johanna Spyri

    Heidi, read by Peter Wight

  • 00:41

    Melanie Oesch

    Matura-Jutz (Naturjodel)

    Performer: Oesch's die Dritten.
    • Wurzeln und Fl眉gel.
    • Universal Music 00602537869992.
    • Tr7.

  • Leslie Stephen

    The Playground of Europe, read by Peter Wight

  • 00:45

    Gioachino Rossini

    William Tell: Overture

    Orchestra: Orchestra of La Scala, Milan. Conductor: Riccardo Muti. Conductor: Riccardo Muti.
    • Rossini: Guglielmo Tell.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd. 00028942239128.
    • S1 Tr1.

  • Friedrich Schiller

    William Tell, read by Ellie Piercy

  • 00:51

    Richard Wagner

    Die Walk眉re: Prelude to Act 3 "Hojotoho!, Hojotoho!" (Walkyries)

    Orchestra: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Barenboim. Singer: Birgitta Svend茅n. Singer: Eva Johansson. Singer: Eva-Maria Bundschuh. Singer: Hebe Dijkstra. Singer: Hitomi Katagiri. Singer: Linda Finnie. Singer: Ruth Floeren. Singer: Shirley Close.
    • Die Walkure (Bayreuth, 1991).
    • Warner Classics.
    • 40.

  • Carl Spitteler

    Our Swiss Standpoint, read by Peter Wight

  • 00:54

    Mario Batkovic

    Heidi & Goat Peter

    Performer: Mario Batkovic.
    • Mad Heidi.
    • INVADA Records INV302D.
    • Tr2.

  • Stefan Zweig

    The World of Yesteryear, read by Peter Wight

  • 01:00

    Richard Strauss

    An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: The Ascent

    Orchestra: Royal Flemish Orchestra. Conductor: Edo de Waart.
    • An Alpine Symphony.
    • Royal Flemish Philharmonic.

  • Robert Musil

    Letter, Robert Musil to Kurt Pinthus on 30.10.1941, read by Peter Wight

  • 01:02

    Trad.

    Le ranz des vaches

    Choir: Ch艙ur des Armaillis de la Gruy猫re. Conductor: Maurice Murith.
    • Gruy猫re - Chansons du Pays.
    • CVW Disques 65690.
    • Tr18.

  • Mary Shelley

    Frankenstein, read by Ellie Piercy

  • 01:07

    Robert Schumann

    Manfred Overture

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Rafael Kubel铆k.
    • Schumann: The 4 Symphonies; Overtures Opp.81 "Genoveva" & 115 "Manfred".
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG) 00028947786214.
    • Tr10.
  • 01:07

    Robert Schumann

    Manfred Overture Op.115

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Rafael Kubel铆k.
    • Schumann: The 4 Symphonies; Overtures Opp.81 "Genoveva" & 115 "Manfred".
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Sun 18 May 2025 18:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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