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A Language That Speaks The Truth

Ideas about articulating culture, history and ourselves are explored through the words of the late Studs Terkel and a selection of writings and music.

Studs Terkel, the celebrated American broadcaster and oral historian, had, in his own words, a big mouth that regularly landed him in trouble. But he also passionately cared about politics, social justice, art and culture - and in particular, the way we use language to articulate our ideas about ourselves.

In this special edition of Something Understood, we hear Studs speaking shortly before his death in 2008 intertwined with readings from authors he knew and admired - among them, Bertrand Russell, Kathryn Simmonds and James Cameron - and music by those he held in highest esteem, including Mozart and Mahalia Jackson.

Readers: Emma Fielding and Jonathan Keeble
Produced by Eleanor McDowall & Alan Hall
A Falling Tree production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 27 Sep 2020 23:30
大象传媒 Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia Concertante, K.364

    Performer: Iona Brown (violin), Josef Suk (viola), Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

    • The Mozart Almanac, vol. VII.
    • Decca.
    • 430 118-2.
    • 13.

  • Mahalia Jackson

    Said He Would

    • The Essential Mahalia Jackson.
    • Metro.
    • METRCD034.
    • 3.

  • Bob Dylan

    Subterranean Homesick Blues

    • Bringing it all Back Home.
    • Sony.
    • B0001M0KF2.
    • 1.

  • Dizzy Gillespie

    Groovin' High

    • Dizzy Gillespie 鈥� Groovin鈥� High.
    • Prism.
    • PLATCD 514.
    • 2.

  • Oscar Peterson

    Mumbles

    • Ultimate Oscar Peterson.
    • Decca.
    • B001KUJOEW.
    • 9.

  • Mahalia Jackson

    Dig a Little Deeper

    • The Essential Mahalia Jackson.
    • Metro.
    • METRCD034.
    • 20.

  • Steve Reich

    Different Trains 鈥� Pt.3 After the War

    Performer: Kronos Quartet

    • Different Trains.
    • Elektra/Nonesuch.
    • 979 176-2.
    • 3.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia Concertante, K.364

    Performer: Iona Brown (violin), Josef Suk (viola), Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

    • The Mozart Almanac, vol. VII.
    • Decca.
    • 430 118-2.
    • 13.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 18 Sep 2011 06:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 18 Sep 2011 23:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 27 Sep 2020 06:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 27 Sep 2020 23:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4