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Electricity

Writings by Naomi Alderman, Ian McEwan, DH Lawrence, Stephen Spender and Polly Atkin. We have pylons, power cuts, surges and sparks with music. Make sure your radio's earthed.

From pylons "tall with prophecy" to the literal darkness of power cuts and the life force of lightning - today's programme hears extracts from writers including Naomi Alderman, Michel Faber, DH Lawrence, Stephen Spender, Gregory Orr and Polly Atkin who have explored electricity as a life-force of energy and the metaphor for the spark of creativity. Music fizzes through the programme, from Bjork, Janacek, Philip Glass, Jeff Beck, Blanck Mass, along with Bob Dylan's electric masterpiece Maggie's Farm and the exquisite electricity of the tragic young American violinist Michael Rabin. Nikolas Tesla, who worked on electric power and induction coils used in radio technology, died on January 7th 1943. As we explore electricity - please make sure your radio is properly earthed. Sparks may fly.

With readers Rosie Cavaliero and Ray Fearon.

Producer: Paul Frankl

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 Jan 2023 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

  • 00:01

    Benjamin John Power

    Chernobyl

    Performer: Blanck Mass.
    • Rock Act ROCKACT58CD.
    • Tr 3.

  • Stephen Spender

    Pylons read by Ray Fearon

  • 00:06

    Jean Sibelius

    The Swan of Tuonela

    Performer: Leopold Stokowski and his Symphony Orchestra.
    • Capitol Records Β– P-8399.
    • Tr 4.

  • Naomi Alderman

    The Power read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • 00:15

    Jeff Beck

    Beck's Bolero

    • EMI Β– CZ 374.
    • Tr 8.

  • Sam Illingworth

    read by Ray Fearon

  • 00:19

    Claudio Monteverdi

    Zefiro Torna

    Performer: Red Byrd.
    • FACTORY FACD336.
    • Tr 10.
  • 00:24

    Leos JanÑček

    String Quartet No.2

    Performer: Hagen Quartett.
    • DG 4276692.
    • Tr 2.

  • Victoria Glendinning

    Electricity read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • 00:28

    ΅ώΒαΓΆ°ω°μ

    Possibly Maybe

    Performer: ΅ώΒαΓΆ°ω°μ.
    • ONE LITTLE INDIAN 193TP7CD.
    • Tr 1.

  • DH Laurence

    Storm in the Black Forest read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • 00:34

    n/a

    Thunderstorm

    Performer: n/a.
    • RYKODISC RCD52085.
    • Tr.

  • Michel Faber

    The Fahrenheit Twins read by Ray Fearon

  • 00:39

    Philip Glass

    New York - Mad Rush

    Performer: Thibault Cauvin.
    • SONY 88985490662.
    • Tr 9.
  • 00:42

    Charles Ives

    Central Park in the Dark

    Orchestra: New York Philharmonic. Conductor: Leonard Bernstein.
    • DG 4791512.
    • Tr 10.

  • Polly Atkins

    Colony Collapse Disorder read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • Aaron Sorkin

    The Farnsworth Experiment read by Ray Fearon

  • 00:47

    Bob Dylan

    MaggieΒ’s Farm

    Performer: Bob Dylan.
    • Columbia Β– C2K 85168.
    • Tr 5.

  • Priscilla Morris

    Black Butterflies read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • 00:00

    Maurice Ravel

    Petit Poucet (Ma Mere Oye)

    Orchestra: Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yannick NΓ©zet‐SΓ©guin.
    • EMI 50999 966342 2 6.
    • Tr 15.

  • Philip K Dick

    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? read by Ray Fearon

  • 00:57

    Vangelis

    Blade Runner (Main Title)

    Performer: Vangelis.
    • EastWest 4509-96574-2.
    • Tr 1.

  • Sylvia Plath

    The Bell Jar read by Rosie Cavaliero

  • 01:03

    FrΓ©dΓ©ric Chopin

    Nocturne No.8 in D flat major op.27 no.2

    Performer: Michael Rabin. Performer: Leon Pommers.
    • TESTAMENT SBT 61471.
    • Tr 4.

  • Gregory Orr

    To Be Alive read by Ray Fearon

  • 01:09

    Cole Porter

    LetΒ’s Do it

    Performer: Ella Fitzgerald.
    • VERVE 423990 2.
    • Tr 1.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Aug 2022 17:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sun 8 Jan 2023 17:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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