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For love of Bagpuss

Former Blue Peter star Janet Ellis and CBeebie's Mr Bloom, Ben Faulks, are the readers for this nostalgic evocation of the world of Bagpuss

Bagpuss - that much-loved, furry cat - first appeared on TV screens on 12 Feb 1974. There only ever were 13 episodes but it was such a hit with 1970s children that it was re-run many times, entrancing generation after generation. Part of the secret of the Bagpuss attraction were the characters at the heart of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin's series: the yawning, baggy cloth cat of course, but also the wise child Emily, the chattering woodpecker Professor Yaffl (said to be a send-up of the philosopher Bertrand Russell), Gabriel the banjo-playing toad, Madeleine the rag doll and those magic mice. This Words and Music looks to these characters for inspiration.

Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner provided the music for the series and you'll hear some of that alongside compositions by Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Hindemith, Florence Price, Ailbhe McDonagh and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Readings include novels by George Eliot and Roald Dahl, Eleanor Farjeon's poem Cats and Robert Louis Stephenson's To Any Reader, read by the former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis and the CBeebies actor and presenter Ben Faulks - also known as Mr Bloom.

Producer in Salford: Olive Clancy

You can find a Free Thinking discussion about Bagpuss and the other worlds conjured by Oliver Postgate including The Clangers, and Pogles' Wood. With guests including Sandra Kerr and Daniel Postgate. Available on 麻豆约拍 Sounds

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 Feb 2024 17:30
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

  • 00:01

    Oliver Postgate

    Bagpuss opening words

    Performer: Oliver Postgate.
    • Fire Records.
    • 33.
  • 00:02

    Elena Kats鈥怌hernin

    Chat noir

    Performer: Tamara Anna Cislowska.

  • Eleanor Farjeon

    Cats read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:03

    Elena Kats鈥怌hernin

    Chat Noir

    Performer: Tamara Anna Cislowska.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 4.
  • 00:05

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Peter and the Wolf Op 67 IV The Cat

    Performer: Marin Chaputout.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 10.

  • TS Eliott

    The Naming of Cats read by Ben Faulks

  • 00:08

    Robert Smith

    Lovecats

    Performer: The Cure.
    • Polydor.
    • 5.

  • Margaret Atwood

    Cats read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:11

    Aram Khachaturian

    Sounds of Childhood: Cat on a swing

    Performer: Corinna Simon.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 11.
  • 00:13

    John Faulkner

    The Millers Song

    Performer: Sandra Kerr. Performer: John Faulkner.
    • Earth Records.
    • 17.
  • 00:16

    C茅cile Chaminade

    Pastoral Enfantine, Op. 12 (Arr. for Flute and Piano)

    Performer: J眉lide G眉nd眉z.
    • JingleBox M眉zik.
    • 4.

  • Robert Louis Stevenson

    To any Reader read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:17

    C茅cile Chaminade

    Pastoral Enfantine, Op. 12 (Arr. for Flute and Piano)

    Performer: J眉lide G眉nd眉z.
    • JingleBox M眉zik.
    • 4.

  • Roald Dahl

    Matilda read by Ben Faulks

  • 00:20

    Florence Price

    Child Asleep

    Performer: Lara Downes.
    • Flipside Music.
    • 1.

  • George Eliot

    Silas Marner read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:23

    Taylor Swift

    Never Grow Up

    Performer: Taylor Swift.
    • Big Machine Records, LLC.
    • 8.

  • Charles Kingsley

    The Water Babies read by Ben Faulks

  • 00:27

    Emahoy Tsegu茅-Maryam Gu猫brou

    Mothers Love

    Performer: Emahoy Tsegu茅-Maryam Gu猫brou.
    • Mississippi Records.
    • 1.

  • Henry James

    What Maisie Knew read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:30

    Ailbhe McDonagh & Orla McDonagh

    Kites Fly

    • Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd.
    • 1.
  • 00:32

    Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Carnival des Animaux

    Performer: Alexandre Dubrus.
    • Warner.
    • 30.
  • 00:35

    Bruce Klepper

    The Wizard of Oz: The Queen of the Field Mice

    Performer: Bruce Klepper.
    • Burce Klepper.
    • 1.

  • Rose Fylman

    Mice read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:37

    Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner

    We will fix it

    • Earth Records.
    • 13.
  • 00:37

    Oliver Knussen

    Where the wild things are

    Performer: London Sinfonietta.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 44.

  • Kafka

    Fable read by Ben Faulks

  • 00:39

    Jacques Offenbach

    Les Contes d'Hoffmann - Act 2; Les Oiseaux dans la charmille

    Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra. Singer: Jodie Devos.
    • Alpha.
  • 00:41

    Claude Debussy

    Serenade for a Doll (Children's Corner)

    Performer: Carolyn Jones.

  • Kuhli Kohli

    The ragdoll read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:42

    Claude Debussy

    Children鈥檚 Corner: serendade for a doll

    Performer: Carolyn Jones.
    • Independent.
    • 10.

  • Rumer Goden

    The Dolls House read by Janet Ellis

  • 00:45

    The Four Seasons

    Ragdoll

    • Rhino.
    • 6.

  • Hans Christian Anderson

    The Steadfast Tin Soldier read by Ben Foulks

  • 00:49

    Edward Elgar

    Nursery Suite II The Serious Doll

    Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Sir Mark Elder.
    • Halle Concerts Society.
    • 14.
  • 00:52

    Thomas Morley

    The Frog Galliard

    Performer: Julian Bream.
    • Editions Audiovisuel Beulah.
    • 15.

  • Kenneth Graeme

    The Wind in the Willows read by Ben Foulks

  • 00:54

    John Rutter

    The Wind In the Willows: Toads Song

    Performer: Richard Baker.
    • Collegium.
    • 7.

  • Morris Gleitzman

    Toad Rage, read by Ben Foulks

  • 00:58

    Johan de Meij

    Wind in the Willows - Toad

    Performer: R酶dovre Concert Band.
    • Mark Records.

  • Christina Rosetti

    Caterpillar read by Janet Ellis

  • 01:01

    Christian Lindberg

    Woodpeckers Dance

    Performer: Anders Paulsson. Performer: Christian Lindberg.
    • EUROPEAN GRAMOPHONE.
    • n/a.

  • Ted Hughes

    The Woodpecker read by Ben Foulks

  • 01:02

    Trad.

    The Woodpecker Song

    Performer: Glenn Miller Orchestra.
    • Red Cab Records.
    • 11.
  • 01:06

    Amy Beach

    Fugata from Fantasia Fugata

    Performer: Kirsten Johnson.
    • Guild GmbH.
    • 1.

  • Bertrand Russell

    Extract from The New Generation read by Ben Foulks

  • 01:08

    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Lullaby, Op.16 no.1

    Performer: N.F.I.

  • Elizabeth Maddox Roberts

    Woodpecker read by Janet Ellis

  • 01:08

    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Lullaby Op 16

    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
    • 5.

  • Captain Bagpuss

    Captain Bagpuss read by Oliver Postgate

Broadcast

  • Sun 11 Feb 2024 17:30
    麻豆约拍 Radio 3

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