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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

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 Jan 2024 17:30

Music Played

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

  • 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

  • 00:07

    Johann 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

  • 00:11

    R. 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

  • 00:15

    David 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

  • 00:20

    Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita

    Listen to the Grass Grow

    • SOAR.
    • bendigedig BENDI2-2.
    • 6.
  • 00:25

    Henry Purcell

    Awake and with Attention Hear

    Singer: Harry van der Kamp. Performer: Gustav Leonhardt.
    • Purcell: Anthems & Hymns.
    • Sony SK53981.
    • 4.
  • 00:21

    Catrin Finch

    Listen to the Grass Grow

    Performer: Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita.
  • David Foster Wallace

    Extract from ‘The Pale King’, read by Nathan Osgood

  • 00:29

    Jack Pettis, Billy Meyers, Elmer Schoebel

    Bugle Call Rag

    Performer: Glenn Miller Orchestra.
    • I Love Glenn Miller.
    • OK Records 885686167120.
    • 7.
  • 00:30

    Glenn Miller Orchestra

    Bugle Call Rag

  • Charles Dickens

    Extract from ‘Great Expectations’, read by Sarah Slimani

  • 00:34

    John 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

  • 00:37

    Frédéric Chopin

    Étude No 1 in C major (12 Études, Op 10)

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Murray Perahia Plays Chopin.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 1 (CD 4).
  • 00:39

    John 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

  • 00:45

    Richard 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.
  • 00:49

    Steve 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

  • 00:52

    William Byrd

    Vigilate

    Performer: The Sixteen, Harry Christophers (director).
    • A Watchful Gaze.
    • Coro COR16195.
    • 14.
  • 00:56

    Jon 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

  • 01:00

    Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in C major, Op 76 No 3 'Emperor' (4th mvt)

    Performer: Calidore String Quartet.
    • Haydn & Mendelssohn.
    • Colburn Calidore 1.
    • 4.
  • 01:05

    Erroll Garner

    Watch What Happens

    • Magician (Octave Remastered Series).
    • Mack Avenue Records MAC1167HR.
    • 6.
  • Mark Doty

    Golden Retrievals, read by Nathan Osgood

  • 01:08

    Stephen 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 17:30

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