Tuesday 22 March 2011

radio selecter

Having noticed a tendency to post sporadically with random radio links, I thought I'd pick up my Radio (mainly 4) highlights from the preceding week.

This week selection focuses specifically on poetry. Radio 4 has long been the home of intelligent speech but there appears to have been a resurgence of poetry on the station of late, culminating in some brilliant programmes last week.

Garden designers and landscape architects should be aware of Ian Hamilton Finlay and that he has something to do with concrete poetry. This great programme- Make Perhaps This Out Sense Can You- profiles the life and work of Bob Cobbing, founder of the movement, including some great readings.

The Company of Poets revealed that Angela Carter wrote a great deal of poetry, though it was never published. Contributions Salman Rushdie and Andrew Motion contribute to an intriguing insight the writer's character, as well as recognising how much of her poetry explored many of the themes (the contemporary gothic, feminism) that characterised her acclaimed prose.

Poetry doesn't have quite the same reputation in the UK that it enjoys in the rest of the world: in some countries, being a poet can lead to incarceration. BBC World Service programme How My Country Speaks addressed this in its profile file of Irina Ratushinskaya. Ratushinskaya is a Russian poet imprisoned in the 1980s for writing poetry the authorities deemed anti-soviet. Her poems here are read in translation, but the lilt of her beautiful Russian accent provides an enchanting backdrop to her ephemeral verse.

Finally, Something Understood explored the theme of Serendipity through music, poetry and prose. This programme is commissioned by the BBC as part of its religious output, but the format of the show covers all faiths (and those of none) and is genuinely the perfect way to conclude a weekend bent over the drawing board.

Have a listen and let me know what you think.

Joey

2 comments:

Grant Beerling said...

Something understood is a real fave, I listen to it early Sunday morning when my alarm goes off (never change it for the weekends, 6 30 i think). The i listen to it again late on Sunday evening. Really good programme, especially when (can't remember his name) the regular chap does it., then its 'Bells on Sunday' which along with 'Sailing By' in the week really some's up R4 and its quirky way though still yet to forgive them for dropping the fantastic 'UKTheme' bastards!

Slowly getting poetry, though not being entirely cultured i love the Poetry Slams they do late sometimes 'in it'. Though the 'Ancient Mariner' seems to do something for me.

Found the Savoury / sweet by John Shuttlworth

My tummy was in turmoil, I was panicked and confused
And as Karen’s dinner grew colder, so did my sweet
For my pleasure in that treacle sponge was now massively reduced
By the sight of fluffy potato, and glistening meat
Take this plate from me Oh Lord, before I go insane
Should I press on with my afters, or go back to my main?

Oh I can’t go back to savoury now
That shepherd’s pie was stunning
But I’m, halfway through my pudding
I can’t go back to savoury now, Oh No
My taste buds would go crazy
And I can’t go back to savoury now

Joey said...

HEy Grant! I really need to set up some kind of notification system for these comments- full marks on John Shuttleworth, btw!

'Bells on Sunday' is properly strange. I have no idea what my neighbours must think-though they're used to hearing the national anthem blaring out of my speakers at 1.00am every morning (most peculiar for an agnostic anti-monarchist)

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