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Joy and Sorrow

The emotions of a life cycle in readings from Charlotte Bronte, Nick Hornby, Khalil Gibran by Patrick Baladi and Charlotte Martin + singer Olivia Chaney & jazz sax from Xhosa Cole.

At the Birmingham Hippodrome, singer Olivia Chaney and jazz saxophonist Xhosa Cole performed music reflecting the joys and sorrows of life, alongside recordings of compositions by Bach, Respighi and Purcell; with readings from the actors Patrick Baladi and Charlotte Martin taking us from reflection on his baby daughter in a poem by Ted Hughes to a sense of loneliness as the snow falls in a poem by Robert Frost.

Recorded at the 2022 Contains Strong Language Festival.
Producers: Ruth Thomson and Nick Holmes

Readings:
Khalil Gibran On Joy and Sorrow
Ted Hughes Full Moon and Little Frieda
Carol Ann Duffy In Mrs Tilcher’s Class
Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre
Emily Dickinson Wild Nights!
Louis MacNeice Flowers in the Interval III
Nick Hornby High Fidelity
Robert Frost Desert Places

44 minutes

Last on

Sun 30 Nov 202518:30
BBC Radio 3

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Music Played

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

  • Khalil Gibran

    On Joy and Sorrow (from The Prophert, read by Patrick Baladi)

  • 00:01

    Olivia Chaney

    I wish

    Performer: Olivia Chaney.
    • Circus of Desire, self-released on oliviachaney.com.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.

  • Ted Hughes

    Full Moon and Little Frieda, read by Patrick Baladi

  • 00:05

    Karl Suessdorf

    Moonlight in Vermont

    Performer: Xhosa Cole and Steve Saunders.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.

  • Carol Ann Duffy

    In Mrs Tilcher’s Class, read by Charlotte Martin

  • 00:09

    Clair Omar Musser

    Etude in C major Op6 no10

    Performer: Evelyn Glennie. Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.
    • Rhythm Song.
    • RCA Victor RD60242.
    • Tr1.

  • Charlotte Bronte

    Extract from Jane Eyre, read by Charlotte Martin

  • 00:13

    Olivia Chaney

    Bogeyman

    Performer: Olivia Chaney.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.
  • 00:16

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concertos no 5 in D major BWV.1050

    Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Ensemble: Academy of Ancient Music. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood. Conductor: Christopher Hogwood.
    • Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 Florilegium Series.
    • L'Oiseau-Lyre 414 187-2.
    • CD2 Tr1.

  • Emily Dickinson

    Wild Nights - Wild Nights! Read by Charlotte Martin

  • 00:23

    Olivia Chaney

    Roman Holiday

    Performer: Olivia Chaney.
    • Shelter, Tr1, Nonesuch Records 7559-79305-2.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.

  • Louis MacNeice

    Flowers in the Interval III, read by Patrick Baladi

  • 00:29

    Ottorino Respighi

    Italiana Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 3

    Ensemble: I Solisti Veneti. Conductor: Claudio Scimone.
    • Respighi Dances Suyites Nos 1 & 3 and Orchestral Works.
    • Warner Classics 0809274869425.
    • Tr1.

  • Nick Hornby

    Extract from High Fidelity, read by Patrick Baladi

  • 00:33

    Xhosa Cole

    Andy’s Shuffle

    Performer: Xhosa Cole.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.

  • Robert Frost

    Desert Places, read by Charlotte Martin

  • 00:40

    Henry Purcell

    O Solitude

    Performer: Olivia Chaney.
    • Shelter, Tr7, Nonesuch Records 7559-79305-2.
    • LIVE PERFORMANCE.

Broadcast

  • Sun 30 Nov 202518:30
    BBC Radio 3

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