Paying Attention
Poets and composers often in their work help us to pay attention and notice the overlooked. In our spotlight today: ideas from Walt Whitman, David Foster Wallace, and Audre Lorde.
From Rachel Carson finding solace in noticing 'the exceeding beauty of the earth', via the deductions of Sherlock Holmes, a dog walk with poet Mark Doty to Joyce Sutphen's advice on How to Listen: today's programme celebrates paying attention to the variety of life. Walt Whitman hears the 'grand opera' of the city, Mr. Darcy can't help but notice Elizabeth Bennett, Audre Lorde speaks her truth to those who might listen, and Taylor Mali fights for his students' Undivided Attention. Our readers are Nathan Osgood and Sarah Slimani and our music ranges from Purcell and Byrd to Sondheim and Erroll Garner.
Producer: Rachel Gill
READINGS:
How To Listen by Joyce Sutphen
Exceeding Beauty of the Earth by Rachel Carson
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman
A Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle
Upstream by Mary Oliver
The Pale King by David Foster Wallace
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Undivided Attention by Taylor Mali
Noticing by William Stafford
A Woman Speaks by Audre Lorde
To Sir With Love by E.R. Braithwaite
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Golden Retrievals by Mark Doty
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:00
Arvo Pärt
Spiegel im Spiegel
Performer: Tasmin Little (violin), Martin Roscoe (piano).- Fratres.
- EMI 5731172.
- 4.
-
Joyce Sutphen
How To Listen, read by Sarah Slimani
Rachel Carson
Extract from ‘Exceeding Beauty of the Earth’, read by Nathan Osgood
00:07Johann Sebastian Bach
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stemme, BWV 645
Performer: Yoâ€Yo Ma. Orchestra: Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Conductor: Ton Koopman.- The Essential Yo-Yo Ma.
- Sony S2K93927.
- 5.
Jane Austen
Extract from ‘Pride and Prejudice’, read by Sarah Slimani
00:11R. Nathaniel Dett
Listen to the Lambs
Performer: Paul Weekes. Choir: London Adventist Chorale. Conductor: Ken Burton.- Steal Away: Spirituals & Gospel Songs.
- Warner Classics 5697072.
- 14.
Walt Whitman
Extract from ‘Song of Myself’, read by Nathan Osgood
00:15David Arnold
Sherlock Suite
Composer: Michael Price. Orchestra: Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Hans Ek.- Agents Are Forever.
- EuroArts Music International 880242677730.
- 7.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Extract from ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’, read by Sarah Slimani
Mary Oliver
Extract from ‘Upstream’, read by Sarah Slimani
00:20Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita
Listen to the Grass Grow
- SOAR.
- bendigedig BENDI2-2.
- 6.
00:25Henry Purcell
Awake and with Attention Hear
Singer: Harry van der Kamp. Performer: Gustav Leonhardt.- Purcell: Anthems & Hymns.
- Sony SK53981.
- 4.
00:21Catrin Finch
Listen to the Grass Grow
Performer: Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita.David Foster Wallace
Extract from ‘The Pale King’, read by Nathan Osgood
00:29Jack Pettis, Billy Meyers, Elmer Schoebel
Bugle Call Rag
Performer: Glenn Miller Orchestra.- I Love Glenn Miller.
- OK Records 885686167120.
- 7.
00:30Glenn Miller Orchestra
Bugle Call Rag
Charles Dickens
Extract from ‘Great Expectations’, read by Sarah Slimani
00:34John Sebastian
Daydream
Performer: The Lovin’ Spoonful.- Very Best of The Lovin’ Spoonful.
- RCA Records Label G010000422243D.
- 1.
Taylor Mali
Undivided Attention, read by Nathan Osgood
00:37Frédéric Chopin
Étude No 1 in C major (12 Études, Op 10)
Performer: Murray Perahia.- Murray Perahia Plays Chopin.
- Sony Classical.
- 1 (CD 4).
00:39John Luther Adams
Strange Birds Passing
Ensemble: NEC Contemporary Ensemble. Conductor: John Heiss.- John Luther Adams: songbirdsongs.
- Mode mode240.
- 10.
William Stafford
Noticing, read by Nathan Osgood
00:45Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Feed the Birds (Tuppence A Bag), from Mary Poppins
Performer: Julie Andrews (singer), The Disney Studio Chorus.- Mary Poppins (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
- Walt Disney Records 00050087394448.
- 12.
00:49Steve Reich
Clapping Music
Performer: LSO Percussion Ensemble.- Reich: Sextet - Clapping Music - Music for Pieces of Wood.
- LSO Live LSO5073D.
- 101.
Audre Lorde
A Woman Speaks, read by Sarah Slimani
E.R. Braithwaite
Extract from ‘To Sir With Love’, read by Nathan Osgood
00:52William Byrd
Vigilate
Performer: The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (director).- A Watchful Gaze.
- Coro COR16195.
- 14.
00:56Jon Lord
To Notice Such Things (6th mvt, Afterwards)
Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Jon Lord. Performer: Cormac Henry. Conductor: Clark Rundell.- Jon Lord – To Notice Such Things.
- Avie AV2190.
- 6.
Arthur Miller
Extract from ‘Death of a Salesman’, read by Sarah Slimani
01:00Joseph Haydn
String Quartet in C major, Op 76 No 3 'Emperor' (4th mvt)
Performer: Calidore String Quartet.- Haydn & Mendelssohn.
- Colburn Calidore 1.
- 4.
01:05Erroll Garner
Watch What Happens
- Magician (Octave Remastered Series).
- Mack Avenue Records MAC1167HR.
- 6.
Mark Doty
Golden Retrievals, read by Nathan Osgood
01:08Stephen Sondheim
Finale: Children Will Listen (Into The Woods)
Performer: Bernadette Peters (singer), Into the Woods Ensemble, Into the Woods Orchestra, Paul Gemignani (conductor).- Into the Woods (Original Broadway Cast Recording).
- Masterworks Broadway G010001726576F.
- 19.
Broadcast
- Sun 21 Jan 2024 17:30Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3