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Solitude

Paul McGann and Kirsty Besterman read works on the theme of solitude by Wordsworth, Larkin, Whitman and Emily Dickinson. With music by Delius, Scriabin and Thelonius Monk.

We shut out the hustle and bustle of the outside world and explore the emotion and experience of solitude through a sequence of poetry, prose and music. Readings by Paul McGann and Kirsty Besterman.

With words from Alexandre Dumas, William Wordsworth, Philip Larkin, Emily Dickinson and Maya Angelou and music from Bach, Delius, Strauss, Scriabin and Thelonious Monk.

1 hour, 15 minutes

Last on

Sun 21 Nov 2010 22:15

Music Played

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

  • 00:00

    Richard Strauss

    Ein Heldenleben op 40 – Des Helden Weltflucht und Vollendung

    Performers: Michael Schewalbe (violin), Berlin Philharmoniker, Herbert Von Karajan (conductor)

    • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben.
    • EMI CDM7690272.
  • Lord Byron

    Solitude read by Paul McGann

  • William Wordsworth

    Personal Talk read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:05

    Traditional - All Through the Night

    Arranger: Gordon Langford Performers: The Sellers Engineering Band, Alan Morrison (conductor)

  • Li Bai

    Drinking Alone by Moonlight read by Paul McGann (translator Arthur Waley)

  • 00:10

    Rose Murphy

    Me and My shadow

    Composer: Rose, Jolson, Dryer

    • The Orginal Pop Idols.
    • AVID AMSC748.
  • 00:12

    Robert Muczynski

    Three Preludes for unaccompanied Flute - Allegro

    Performer: Alexandra Hawley

    • Muczynski: Complete works for Flute.
    • MARCO POLO 8225041.
  • Michael Drayton

    Sonnet XI: You Not Alone read by Paul McGann

  • 00:14

    Henry Purcell

    O Solitude, my sweetest choice

    Performer: Daniel Taylor

    • On the Muse’s Isle.
    • ATMA ACD22133.
  • Walt Whitman

    A noiseless patient spider read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:20

    Benjamin Britten

    The Sally Gardens

    Performers: The Vibrators

    • Meltdown.
    • FM REVXD121.
  • 00:21

    Bob Crewe And Bob Gaudio.

    The sun Ain't gonna shine

    Performers: The Walker Brothers

    • The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine.
    • Phillips 320 212 BF.
  • Maya Angelou

    Alone read by Maya Angelou

  • 00:26

    Thelonious Monk

    Round Midnight

    Performers: Thelonious Monk, George Taitt, Sahib shihab, bob paige, art blakey

    • The best of Thelonious Monk.
    • Blue Note CDP7956362.
  • James Tate

    Cricket Cricket read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:30

    Johann Sebastian Bach

    Suite No 2 in D minor – Prelude

    Performer: Matt Haimovitz

    • Oxingale.
    • OX2000 CD 1.
  • Philip Larkin

    Best Society read by Paul McGann

  • 00:36

    Domenico Gabrielli

    Trumpet sonata no 4 in D Major - Presto

    Performers: Thomas Reiner And Southwest German Chamber Orchestra Pforzheim, Sebastian Tewinkel (conductor)

    • Baroque Trumpet.
    • Naxos 8570501.
  • Tomas Transtromer

    Solitude I read by Kirsty Besterman (translated by Robert Bly)

  • 00:38

    Rued Langgaard

    String Quartet No. 6 In one movement on a Swedish folk tune 1918-1919

    Performers: The Kontra Quartet

    • Marco Polo DCCD 9302 –.
  • Tomas Transtromer

    Solitude II read by Paul McGann (translated by Robert Bly)

  • Ws Merwin

    The Lantern read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:44

    Alexander Scriabin

    Prelude in C sharp minor for left hand op 9 no1

    Performer: Stephen Coombs

    • The Early Scriabin.
    • Helios CDH55286.
  • Michael Drayton

    The Song of Jonah in the Whales Bellie read by Paul McGann

  • 00:47

    Gabriel Fauré

    Cantique de Jean Racine

    Performers: Cambridge singers, Rutter (conductor)

    • Faure: Requiem etc..
    • Collegium Colcd109.
  • Alexandre Dumas

    Count of Monte Cristo read by Paul McGann (Translated by David Coward)

  • Stevie Smith

    The Commuted Sentence read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:55

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Cinderella

    Performers: Cleveland Orchestra, Askenaxy (conductor)

    • Prokofiev: Cinderella.
    • DECCA 4101622 CD1.
  • Emily Dickinson

    It Might be Lonelier by read by Kirsty Besterman

  • 00:59

    Louis Spohr

    Clarinet concerto no 1 in c minor op 26 - Adagio

    Performers: Michael Collins (clr), Swedish Chaber Orchestra, Robin O’Neil (conductor)

    • Hperion CDA67509.
  • W.B.Yeats

    The Lake Isle of Innisfree read by Paul McGann

  • 01:03

    Frederick Delius

    Song of the High Hills – With quiet easy movement

    Performers: Orchestra and Chorus of Welsh National Opera, Charles Mackerras (conductor)

    • Delius: Appalachia/Song of the High Hills.
    • Decca 4431712.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 15 Nov 2009 22:15
  • Sun 21 Nov 2010 22:15

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