Craft and Traditions

Available for over a year

Presented by Sara Mohr-Pietsch Sara investigates the state of early music instrument building in the UK, amid concerns from some of today's makers about a missing generation of traditional craftspeople. With harpsichord builder Andrew Wooderson, maker of viols Shem Mackey, and Richard Earle, a player and maker of baroque oboes. Introducing a new series on Music Matters exploring dialects and languages around the British Isles and how they influence music-making, Sara talks to the English folklore expert Steve Roud, and finds out about songs in the Scots language from singer Steve Byrne. The composer and vocalist Jennifer Walshe muses on the delights and horrors of Christmas musical kitsch. And Sara visits the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery for a new exhibition, From Ear to Ear to Eye, which uses sound, music and listening to reflect on stories across the Arab world. Two of the featured artists, Jumana Manna and Haig Aivazian, introduce their work and share their passion for exploring oriental musical cultures.