James Blades - Pandemonium of the One-Man Band
This drama-documentary tells the story of James Blades, famous 20th-century percussionist. James takes us from his beginnings in the circus to the classical concert hall.
James Blades - Pandemonium of the One-Man Band
by Robin Brooks and James Anthony-Rose
We take a journey through the life and work of James Blades, one of the most accomplished and highly regarded percussionists of the 20th century. James supplied the gong-stokes for the J. Arthur Rank Organisation and the 鈥榁鈥�-for Victory drum-beat for 蜜芽传媒 radio in WWII. He subsequently collaborated with Benjamin Britten, creating unique percussion effects for his operas.
James toured a percussion-lecture to schools countrywide. Our drama-documentary presents as one of these lectures, in which James takes us on a percussion pilgrimage, from his beginnings as a circus drummer, to the classical concert hall.
For our drama-documentary reconstruction, James takes the stage at the Brittten Studio, Snape Maltings in front of a live audience, with an array of instruments and a fund of stories. He has come to deliver one of the lectures for which - in real life - he became famous and much loved.
James Blades. . . . . JAMES ANTHONY-ROSE
Percussion Sam Wilson
Music Director Tomi Rose
Director / Producer Fiona McAlpine
Sound Alisdair McGregor
Production Assistant Freddy Neaves
An Allegra Production
On radio
Broadcast
- Sun 23 Nov 2025 19:15蜜芽传媒 Radio 3
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh explore the puzzle of Beethoven鈥檚 poor health.
Classical music in a strongman's Russia 鈥� has anything changed since Stalin's day?
What composer Gabriel Prokofiev and I found in Putin's Moscow...
Six Secret Smuggled Books
Six classic works of literature we wouldn't have read if they hadn't been smuggled...
Grid
Seven images inspired by the grid
World Music collector, Sir David Attenborough
The field recordings Attenborough of music performances around the world.