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The Tudors

Anton Lesser and Josette Simon perform readings about the Tudor dynasty alongside music for the TV series Wolf Hall, the film A Man for All Seasons and by Byrd, Tallis and Finzi.

From Shakespeare to Hilary Mantel - the Tudors is a period rich in literature, with a king who is said to have composed Greensleeves for his future Queen Anne Boleyn. Today's Words and Music is inspired by the Tudor dynasty who ruled England from Henry VII’s reign in 1485 until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. Theirs was an era of turbulence, from the Wars of the Roses, to the seismic break with Rome under Henry VIII, and the bloody era of protestant executions under Mary I. There is poetry by the key players in the Tudor drama: Thomas Wyatt (who was accused of adultery with Anne Boleyn), Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I herself. And we feature extracts from one of the most compelling modern-day takes on the Tudors: Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. Musically, we’ll hear from the star of this week’s series of Essays, William Byrd; and Thomas Tallis, who walked a dangerous line as a Catholic composer in Elizabeth I's Protestant court, and we'll also hear Tudor inspired music by Donizetti and Benjamin Britten. Our readers are Anton Lesser and Josette Simon.

Producer: Georgia Mann

You can hear three Free Thinking Discussions about the Tudors being broadcast on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3 on Tues 24th, Weds 25th and Thurs 25th May and available to download as Arts & Ideas podcasts.

READINGS:
Pasqualigo Contemporary description of Henry VIII by Venetian diplomat Pasqualigo, written 1515
Shakespeare Extract from Richard II
Miranda Kaufmann Extract from John Blanke: the most famous African in Tudor England, published in ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ History Revealed
Robert Bolt Extract from A Man for all Seasons
Shakespeare Extract from Henry VIII
Hilary Mantel Extract from Wolf Hall
Christopher Marlow The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
Thomas Wyatt Whoso List to Hunt, I Know where is an Hind
John Donne The Good-morrow
Hilary Mantel Extract from Wolf Hall
Sylvia Barbara Soberton Extract from: Medical Downfall of the Tudors: Sex, Reproduction and Succession
Thomas Nash From In Time of Plague Adieu, farewell, earth's bliss
Hilary Mantel Extract from The Mirror and the Light
Elizabeth I Extract from Elizabeth I's "Golden" final speech to parliament, November 30th 1601
Elizabeth I From The Doubt of Future Foes
Kate Williams Extract from Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots Sonnet written at Fotheringay Castle
Fr William Weston Description by Jesuit Fr William Weston of a meeting and mass to celebrate the arrival in England of the Jesuit missionaries Henry Garnet and Robert Southwell
William Byrd Extract from Care for Thy Soul as Thing of Greatest Price
Robert Deveraux, Earl of Essex Essex's Last Voyage to the Haven of Happiness

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 May 2022 17:30
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

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

  • 00:00

    King Henry VIII of England

    Pastime with good company

    Music Arranger: Elgar Howarth. Ensemble: Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
    • Decca 417524-2.

  • Pasqualigo

    Contemporary description of Henry VIII by Venetian diplomat Pasqualigo, written 1515, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:02

    John Dowland

    Lachrimae pavan

    Performer: Nigel North.
    • Naxos 8.556840.

  • Shakespeare

    Extract from Richard II, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:04

    William Byrd

    The Battle arr. Howarth for brass ensemble; 5 The Trumpets

    Music Arranger: Elgar Howarth. Ensemble: Philip Jones Brass Ensemble.
    • Decca 448183-2.

  • Miranda Kaufmann

    Extract from John Blanke: the most famous African in Tudor England, published in ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ History Revealed, read by Josette Simon.

  • 00:05

    Georges Delerue

    From the soundtrack of A Man for All Seasons

    Performer: Studio Orchestra.
    • RCA G010003851066X.

  • Robert Bolt

    Extract from A Man for all Seasons

  • 00:06

    Debbie Wiseman

    Wolf Hall Main Theme

    Performer: Debbie Wiseman.
    • Silva Screen Records SILED1472.
    • Tr 1.

  • Shakespeare

    Extract from Henry VIII, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:10

    Tielman Susato

    Basse danse..; Branle..; Ronde no. 6 and salterello [Danserye, 1551]

    Performer: Early Music Consort of London.
    • Testament SBT1080.

  • Hilary Mantel

    Extract from Wolf Hall, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:11

    Anon.

    Drink to me only with thine eyes (old English air)

    Performer: Opus Anglicanum.
    • Opus Angelicanum OACD 003.

  • Christopher Marlow

    The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:14

    John Dowland

    Time stands still on gazing at your face

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Performer: Anthony Rooley.
    • BIS BISSACD1475.
  • 00:19

    Gerald Finzi

    Music for Love's Labour's Lost - 4. The Hunt

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Vernon Handley.
    • Lyrita SRCD.237.

  • Thomas Wyatt

    Whoso List to Hunt, I Know where is an Hind, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:21

    Gaetano Donizetti

    Anna Bolena, Act 2: "Piangete voi?...

    Singer: Maria Callas. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Nicola Rescigno.
    • Warner GBAYC1400487.
  • 00:25

    Thomas Tallis

    Fantasia a 5

    Performer: Fretwork.
    • Amon RA CDSAR29.

  • John Donne

    The Good-morrow, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:28

    Debbie Wiseman

    Anna Regina

    Performer: Debbie Wiseman.
    • Silva Screen Records SILED1472.

  • Hilary Mantel

    Extract from Wolf Hall, read by Josette Simon

  • Sylvia Barbara Soberton

    Extract from: Medical Downfall of the Tudors: Sex, Reproduction and Succession, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:33

    Anonymous/Henry VIII

    Four consort pieces

    Performer: Musica Antiqua of London.
    • Amon Ra CDSAR 51.

  • Thomas Nash

    From In Time of Plague [Adieu, farewell, earthΒ’s bliss] read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:34

    William Byrd

    Come to me, grief, for ever

    Performer: Consort of Musicke.
    • Decca 475049-2.
  • 00:39

    Debbie Wiseman

    Forgive me

    Performer: Debbie Wiseman.
    • Silva Screen Records SILED1472.

  • Hilary Mantel

    Extract from The Mirror and the Light, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:40

    Benjamin Britten

    Gloriana - symphonic suite (Op.53a) [with tenor solo ad lib], The Tournament

    Orchestra: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Philharmonic. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • Chandos CHAN10658.

  • Elizabeth I

    Extract from Elizabeth IΒ’s Β‘GoldenΒ’ final speech to parliament, November 30th 1601, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:45

    William Byrd

    Oh lord, make thy servant Elizabeth

    Ensemble: Tallis Scholars. Director: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimmell GIMSA592.
  • 00:48

    Max Richter

    My Crown from Mary, Queen of Scots

    Performer: Jane Marshall. Performer: Hugh Webb. Ensemble: London Voices. Performer: Jean Kelly. Performer: Jean Kelly.
    • DG 4836043.

  • Elizabeth I

    From The Doubt of Future Foes, read by Josette Simon

  • 00:51

    Gaetano Donizetti

    Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza from Roberto Devereux

    Singer: Diana Damrau. Choir: Chorus of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia. Orchestra: Orchestra of the Academy of Santa Cecilia, Rome. Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano.
    • Erato 9029528093.
  • 00:56

    William Brade

    Cornish dance; Irish dance; Scottish dance

    Performer: His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts.
    • Hyperion CDH 55406.

  • Kate Williams

    Extract from Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots, read by Anton Lesser

  • 00:58

    John Barry

    Mary's Theme (from soundtrack to Mary, Queen of Scots 1971)

    • Geffen 7789071.
  • 01:01

    Trad.

    Hard Is My Fate

    Performer: Jordi Savall. Performer: Andrew Lawrence‐King.
    • Alia Vox AVSA 9865.

  • Mary, Queen of Scots

    Sonnet written at Fotheringay Castle, read by Josette Simon

  • 01:03

    Anon.

    Lament of Mary, Queen of Scots, On the Approach of Spring

    Performer: Ryland Angel. Ensemble: Parthenia. Music Arranger: Richard Einhorn.
    • MSR Classics MS1490.
  • 01:07

    William Byrd

    Verse (Fantasia in C major no.4) for keyboard (MB.27.28)

    Performer: Simon Preston.
    • Archiv 415675-2.

  • Fr William Weston

    Description by Jesuit Fr William Weston of a meeting and mass to celebrate the arrival in England of the Jesuit missionaries Henry Garnet and Robert Southwell, read by Josette Simon.

  • 01:08

    William Byrd

    Mass for 5 voices, Gloria

    Ensemble: Tallis Scholars. Director: Peter Phillips.
    • Gimell CDGIM208.

  • William Byrd

    Extract from Care for Thy Soul as Thing of Greatest Price, read by Anton Lesser

  • 01:10

    Debbie Wiseman

    Master of Phantoms

    Performer: Debbie Wiseman.
    • Silva Screen Records SILED1472.

  • Robert Deveraux, Earl of Essex

    EssexΒ’s Last Voyage to the Haven of Happiness, read by Anton Lesser

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 Jul 2021 17:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sun 22 May 2022 17:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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