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Building and Sound

With writings by Caleb Femi, Marwa al-Sabouni, Susanna Clark, Thomas Hardy, Andrew Marvell and Elizabeth Bishop and a soundscape ranging from Hildegard of Bingen to Iain Chambers.

According to Goethe, "Architecture is frozen music鈥�. If that鈥檚 the case, then today's programme will be putting some heat under that architecture and seeing what emerges. This exploration of buildings and sound features music written for specific places and music that incorporates the sounds of buildings - Hildegard of Bingen鈥檚 plainsong exploits the natural reverb of churches and cathedrals, an Iain Chambers composition uses the sounds of Brutalist architecture in Paris, while Valerie Coleman鈥檚 Clarinet Quintet evokes the shotgun house where she grew up in West Louisville, Kentucky. The readings by Marilyn Nnadebe and Henry Goodman take us to the soured utopia of a Peckham estate in the poetry of Caleb Femi; through a vast maze-like fantasy of a house in Susanna Clark's novel Piranesi; and to architect Marwa al-Sabouni鈥檚 reflections on the Great Umayyad mosque in Damascus.

Readings:

Thomas Hardy - Architectural Masks
Emily Dickinson - The props assist the house
Susanna Clarke - Piranesi
William Golding - The Spire
Caleb Femi - Because of the Times
Mark Danielewski - House of Leaves
China Mieville - The Scar
Simon Armitage - Still For Sale
Elizabeth Bishop - Jeronimo's House
Andrew Marvell - Upon Appleton House
Marwa al-Sabouni - Building for Hope
Philip Larkin - Church Going
Peter Porter - Doll's House
John Gould Fletcher - Demolition of the Waldorf-Astoria

Producer: Torquil MacLeod

This episode is part of 麻豆约拍 Radio 3's programming reflecting the London Festival of Architecture which runs online and with events across June https://www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/
Music Matters has looked at buildings and music; Essential Classics is featuring five great pieces of music inspired by buildings in its regular daily slot 鈥淔ive Essentials鈥� at around 11.10 each weekday morning from 21st to 25th Jun; and Free Thinking is looking each weekday evening at 10pm this coming week at aspects of design and architecture ranging from the development of London, to mid century modern design and the re-opened Museum of the 麻豆约拍, to the visions of World Fairs and the writing of Owen Hatherley.

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Tue 2 Jan 2024 17:00
麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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Music Played

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

  • 00:00

    Traditional

    Building Mongolian Ovoos

    Performer: Yan Jin Duo Lu Ma.
    • Naxos World Music NXW76089-2.
    • Tr1.

  • Thomas Hardy

    Architectural Masks, read by Henry Goodman

  • 00:01

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    Castle O'Neill

    Performer: Josef Herzer. Performer: Bertin Christelbauer. Performer: Bernadette Bartos.
    • Naxos 8.574174.
    • Tr17.

  • Emily Dickinson

    The props assist the house, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:04

    Alex Roth

    Bone Palace Ballet

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth. Conductor: Fran莽ois鈥怷avier Roth.
    • Lso Live LSO5092D.
    • Tr5.

  • Susanna Clarke

    Piranesi, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:06

    Will Todd

    You Have Seen the House Built

    Choir: Tenebrae. Ensemble: English Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Nigel Short.
    • Signum Classics SIGCD298.
    • Tr11.

  • William Golding

    The Spire, read by Henry Goodman

  • 00:13

    Thijs van Leer

    La Cathedrale de Strasbourg

    Performer: Focus.
    • Polydor 2460 228.
    • Tr3.

  • Caleb Femi

    Because of the Times, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:20

    Leos Jan谩膷ek

    Sinfonietta for Orchestra V. Andante con moto

    Orchestra: Pro Arte Orchestra of London. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • EMI CDM 7 63779 2.
    • Tr5.

  • Mark Danielewski

    House of Leaves, read by Henry Goodman

  • 00:29

    Valerie Coleman

    Shotgun Houses

    Performer: David Shifrin. Ensemble: The Harlem Quartet.
    • Delos DE3576.
    • Tr8.
  • 00:35

    Brian Eno

    Music For Airports 2/1

    Performer: Brian Eno.
    • Virgin 724386649522.
    • Tr2.

  • China Mieville

    The Scar, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:37

    Iain Chambers

    Concrete Paris 聳 Extract 1

    Performer: Iain Chambers.
    • Bandcamp.
    • Tr1.

  • Simon Armitage

    Still For Sale, read by Henry Goodman

  • 00:40

    Modest Mussorgsky

    Pictures at an Exhibition IV No. 2 The Old Castle

    Orchestrator: Maurice Ravel. Orchestra: Mariinsky Orchestra. Conductor: Valery Gergiev. Conductor: Valery Gergiev.
    • Mariinsky MAR0553D.
    • Tr4.

  • Elizabeth Bishop

    Jeronimo聮s House, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:47

    Simon Holt

    3rd Quartet 聳 Wu Ping聮s nail house

    Performer: JACK Quartet.
    • NMC Recordings NMCD216.
    • Tr2.

  • Andrew Marvell

    Upon Appleton House, read by Henry Goodman

  • 00:52

    dEUS

    The Architect

    Performer: dEUS.
    • V2 Records 0602517656437 - 1765643.
    • Tr6.

  • Marwa al-Sabouni

    Building for Hope, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 00:58

    Hildegard von Bingen

    Laudes de sainte Ursule: XX. Antienne 聯Et ideo puelle iste聯

    Ensemble: Ensemble Organum. Director: Marcel P茅r猫s.
    • harmonia mundi 8901626DI.
    • Tr20.

  • Philip Larkin

    Church Going, read by Henry Goodman

  • 01:02

    Lydia Kakabadse

    Haunted Houses

    Singer: Clare McCaldin. Performer: Paul Turner.
    • Divine Art DDA25188.
    • Tr10.

  • Peter Porter

    Doll聮s House, read by Henry Goodman

  • 01:08

    Bernhard van den Sigtenhorst Meyer

    Saint-Quentin Op. 12 No.1 Ruinen (聯Ruins聰)

    Performer: Albert Brusee.
    • Toccata Classics TOCC0575.
    • Tr8.

  • John Gould Fletcher

    Demolition of the Waldorf-Astoria, read by Marilyn Nnadebe

  • 01:11

    Traditional

    Building a New House

    Performer: Villagers of Banwen Village.
    • Naxos World Music NXW76090-2.
    • Tr4.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Jun 2021 17:30
    麻豆约拍 Radio 3
  • Tue 2 Jan 2024 17:00
    麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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