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Mark Tully considers the metaphorical concept of heat in discussions of psychology and spirituality. With music by Liszt and readings from Brendan Kennelly and Christopher Marlowe.

Mark Tully considers the power of heat, arguably one of the most powerful metaphorical symbols in both religious and secular literature.

The source of life, it also has enormous destructive power. A spiritual and physical purifier, it is also a force for retribution and punishment. Commonly used in sacred works as a religious trial, it also symbolises passion, emotion and lust in secular writing.

In the middle of summer, as some people yearn for more heat while others try their best to avoid it, Mark Tully investigates these many contradictions in the company of writers as varied as Rudyard Kipling, Frances Bellerby and the contemporary poet Brendan Kennelly. There is music from Franz Liszt, Alexander Scriabin and Ella Fitzgerald.

The readers are Mark Quartley and Monica Dolan.

Producer: Frank Stirling
A Unique production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 26 Jun 2022 23:30

Music Played

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    Too Darn Hot

    Composer: Cole Porter

    • Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook.
    • Verve Records.
    • 537257.
  • Alexander Scriabin

    Vers La Flamme Op. 72

    Performer: Fumiya Koido.

    Performer: John Ogdon

    • Piano Music.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 7243 5 72652 2 5.
  • Cappella Romana conducted by Alexander Lingas

    The Angel of the Lord Came Down

    Composer: Traditional

    • Mount Sinai: Frontier Byzantium.
    • Cappella Romana.
    • CR407.
  • Hubert Parry

    Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

    Lyricist: John Greenleaf Whittier.

    Performer: The Choir of King's College Cambridge, Thomas Bullard, Benjamin Bayl, Stephen Cleobury

    • King's College Choir: England My England.
    • EMI Classics.
    • 2289440.
  • Franz Liszt

    A Symphony to Dante's "Divina Commedia"

    Performer: Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest directed by James Conlon

    • Dante Symophony.
    • Erato.
    • ECD 88162.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 4 Aug 2013 06:05
  • Sun 4 Aug 2013 23:30
  • Sun 26 Jun 2022 06:05
  • Sun 26 Jun 2022 23:30