The bells, the bells...
Tom Service on the mystery, magic and music associated with bells.
Tom Service on the mystery, magic and music associated with bells
For thousands of years human life has been accompanied by the sound of bells - calls to prayer, driving away evil spirits, marking the hours and seasons of life - births, marriages, deaths, alarm bells, peace bells, sleigh bells and Christmas bells. In a programme first broadcast in 2018, Tom looks at the meaning and magic of the sound of bells, and listens to the interpretations and reverberations of bells in music.
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The mysterious history of bells
Duration: 02:50
Music Played
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The Handbell Ringers of Great Britian
Sweet Christmas Bells
- The Handbell Ringers of Great Britian.
- www.hrgb.org.uk.
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Johnny Cash / Henry Wadsworth Longfellow / Johnny Marks
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Performer: Bing Crosby.- That Christmas Feeling.
- MCA.
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Mykola Leontovych
Carol of the Bells
Performer: Mannheim Steamroller.- A Fresh Aire Christmas.
- American Gramaphone.
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John Foulds
Bells at Coblentz (Holiday Sketches Op.16)
Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Ronald Corp.- Epoch.
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Sergey Rachmaninov
Prelude in C sharp minor Op.3 no.2
Performer: Nikolai Lugansky.- Erato.
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Henry Purcell
Rejoice in the Lord alway, Z.49, 'Bell Anthem'
Singer: Iestyn Davies. Singer: James Gilchrist. Singer: Neal Davies. Choir: Choir of St John鈥檚 College, Cambridge. Orchestra: St John's Sinfonia. Director: Andrew Nethsingha.- Chandos.
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Franz Liszt
Etudes d'execution transcendante... for piano (S.140), no.3; La Campanella
Performer: Jorge Bolet.- Decca.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams
Symphony No.8; IV. Toccata colle campanella
Performer: London Symphony Orchestra. Performer: Richard Hickox.- Chandos.
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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
1812 Overture
Performer: Boston Pops Orchestra. Performer: Arthur Fiedler.- DG.
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Igor Stravinsky
Les Noces
Performer: MusicAeterna. Performer: Teodor Currentzis.- Sony.
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Mike Oldfield
Tubular Bells (Theme from the Exorcist)
- History Of Horror: From Nosferatu To The Sixth Sense.
- Silva Screen Records.
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Pierre Boulez
Repons
Performer: Ensemble intercontemporain. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Hector Berlioz
Symphonie fantastique (Op.14); 5th mvt; Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat
Performer: Anima Aeterna. Performer: Jos van Immerseel.- Zig Zag Territories.
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Richard Wagner
Parsifal
Performer: Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele. Performer: Pierre Boulez.- DG.
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Claude Debussy
Preludes - book 1, no.10; La Cathedrale engloutie
Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard.- DG.
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Arvo P盲rt
Fur Alina
Performer: Ralph van Raat.- Naxos.
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Arvo P盲rt
Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten for string orchestra and bell
Performer: Staatsorchester Stuttgart. Performer: Dennis Russell Davies.- ECM.
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Jonathan Harvey
Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco
Performer: Peter E枚tv枚s. Performer: Ensemble intercontemporain.- Erato.
Broadcasts
- Christmas Day 2016 17:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Sun 23 Dec 2018 17:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Fri 23 Dec 2022 16:30大象传媒 Radio 3
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The Listening Service
An odyssey through the musical universe, presented by Tom Service
