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The broadcaster Marie-Louise Muir reflects on the last words of poet Seamus Heaney, sent in a text to his wife - 'Noli Timere', meaning 'do not be afraid'.

The last words of the poet Seamus Heaney were 'Noli Timere', sent in a text to his wife. They translate as "Do not be Afraid".

The broadcaster Marie-Louise Muir speculates on what Heaney might have meant by this advice to a loved one and reflects on how a calm confidence and moral strength can be developed to keep the noisy external world and its accompanying fears at bay.

With reference to the writings of Keats and JK Rowling, and the music of Talking Heads and JS Bach.

Produced by Alan Hall
A Falling Tree production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 3 Jan 2016 23:30
大象传媒 Radio 4

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The Candle

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Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    F眉rchte dich nicht 聳 Motet, BWV 228

    Performer: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists cond. John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Bach Motets.
    • SDG.

  • Jacques Brel

    Timid Frieda

    Performer: Elly Stone.
    • Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.
    • Atlantic.

  • John Cale

    Fear is a Man聮s Best Friend

    Performer: John Cale.
    • John Cale: The Island Years, CD1.
    • Island.

  • Sarah McLachlan

    Fear

    Performer: Sarah McLachlan.
    • Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.
    • Sony Music.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No. 4 聳 1st movement

    Performer: CBSO cond. Sakari Oramo.
    • Sibelius聮 Fourth Symphony.
    • Erato.

  • Chopin / Chopin Project

    Eyes Shut / Nocturne in C minor

    Performer: Chopin Project.
    • The Chopin Project.
    • Decca.

Readings

Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Publisher: Bloomsbury


Title: Fear (Selected Poems)
Author: Ciaran Carson
Publisher: Wake Forest University Press


Title: Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Publisher: Picador


Title: House Fear (from Robert Frost鈥檚 Poems)
Author: Robert Frost
Publisher: St Martin鈥檚 Press


Title: Sonnet: When I have fears that I may cease to be (Complete Poems)
Author: John Keats
Publisher: Penguin


Title: You Will Not Have My Hatred
Author: Antoine Leiris
Publisher: Open letter on Facebook

Broadcasts

  • Sun 3 Jan 2016 06:05
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Sun 3 Jan 2016 23:30
    大象传媒 Radio 4