Light in the Darkness
From the candlelight in a Hanukkah poem and John Donne's Nocturne to St Lucy to a midwinter visit to Maeshowe. Music by Mahler, Nielsen, Hildur Gudnadottir, Arvo Part, Brian Eno.
From Philip Pullman's fictional north to an account of seeing the aurora borealis, the candlelight in a Hanukkah poem and John Donne's Nocturne to St Lucy to a midwinter visit to Maeshowe by poet Kathleen Jamie - we look at ideas about light and darkness at this time of year in nature, art, belief and traditional storytelling. With music from composers including Mahler, Ligeti, Nielsen, Hildur GudnadΓ³ttir, Arvo Part, Johann Johannsson and Brian Eno.
Producers: Kevin Core and Paul Frankl
Last on
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:00Arvo PΓ€rt
De Profundis
- ECM 8319592.
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John Donne
A Nocturnal on St Lucy's Day read by Ray Fearon
John Lewis Stempel
The Running Hare ready by Ray Fearon
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00:03Whitacre
Lux Arumque
Performer: Eric Whitacre Singers.- Decca 2743209.
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00:06Maurice Ravel
Le Lever du Jour (Daphnis et Chloe)
Ensemble: Les SiΓ¨cles. Conductor: FranΓ§oisβXavier Roth.- Harmonia Mundi 5280DI.
Tiffany Francis
A Journey into the Wild Night ready by Stella Gonet
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00:10Steven Price
Aurora Borealis (from Gravity)
Performer: Studio Orchestra.- Silva Screen SILCD1441.
Philip Pullman
Northern Lights read by Stella Gonet
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00:01Claude Debussy
Clair de Lune (Suite Bergamasque)
Orchestra: Leopold Stokowski Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leopold Stokowski.- EMI 698556 2.
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00:16Einojuhani Rautavaara
Melancholy (Cantus Arcticus)
Orchestra: Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Conductor: Hannu Lintu.- Naxos 8554147.
Jack London
To Build a Fire read by Ray Fearon
Dinah Craik
An Aurora Borealis read by Stella Gonet
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00:21James McMillan
Oh Radiant Dawn
Performer: Apollo 5 Choir.- VC Records VCM123.
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00:26William Grant Still
Aspiration (Afro-American Symphony)
Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Karl Krueger.- Bridge BRIDGE 9086.
Barack Obama
Speech on the anniversary death of Martin Luther King read by Ray Fearon
Kathleen Jamie
Darkness and Light read by Stella Gonet
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00:38Peter Maxwell Davies
An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise for orchestra and bagpipes
Performer: George McIlwham. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Peter Maxwell Davies.- Naxos 8.572352.
RS Thomas
The Other read by Ray Fearon
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00:41Ralph Vaughan Williams
Pastoral Symphony
Orchestra: HallΓ©. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.- Halle CDHLL7540.
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00:53Brian Eno
Emerald and Stone
Performer: Brian Eno.- Warp WARPCD207.
Gillian Clarke
Snow (Christmas in Wales) read by Stella Gonet
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00:55Charles Ives
The Unanswered Question
Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas.- CBS MK42381.
Robert Frost
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening read by Ray Fearon
Traditional
Inuit Poem read by Stella Gonet
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01:04Tanya Tagaq
As the Day Goes By
Performer: Tanya Tagaq.- Amboworld ?Β AMBOCD02.
Carol Ann Duffy
Demeter read by Stella Gonet
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01:07Carl Nielsen
Helios Overture
Orchestra: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: EsaβPekka Salonen.- CBS CD 42093.
Cormac McCarthy
The Road read by Ray Fearon
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01:11Roy Harris
Symphony No.3 (finale)
Orchestra: Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.- DG CD 42093.
John Donne
A Nocturnal on St Lucyβs Day read by Ray Fearon
John Lewis Stempel
The Running Hare ready by Ray Fearon
Tiffany Francis
A Journey into the Wild Night ready by Stella Gonet
Broadcasts
- Sun 13 Dec 2020 17:30ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
- New Year's Day 2024 17:00ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
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