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Fire and Flame

Many religions have gods that are symbolised by fire, and religious or secular metaphors of flame are many and diverse. Mark Tully discusses the spiritual power of fire and flame.

The spiritual and symbolic power of fire and flame is found in a wide variety of cultures and religions. Flames are an important metaphor in secular literature and art too. Mark Tully searches for what draws so many to the image of a flame - moths, lovers, worshippers and poets.

He meets designer Sarah Van Gameren and discusses her artistic preoccupations with fire and designs which actually burst into flame themselves.

There's poetry by Simon Armitage and Christina Rossetti, and prose by the Indian novelist and politician Shashi Tharoor. Music comes from Gustav Holst and American composer Morten Lauridsen.

The readers are Jane Whittenshaw and David Westhead,

Presenter: Mark Tully
Producer: Frank Stirling

A 7digital production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

28 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 Oct 2023 06:05

Music Played

  • Gustav Holst

    Choral Hymns From The Rig Veda - To Agni God of Fire

    Performer: 听David Willcocks / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • 听Holst: Choral Works.
    • 鲍苍颈肠辞谤苍听.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    By The Fireside听

    Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy.
    • 听Tchaikovsky: The Seasons.
    • Decca.
  • Morten Lauridsen

    听Quando Son Piu Lontan 聭Fire Songs聮听

    Performer: Stephen Layton: Polyphony.
    • 听Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna, Madrigali, Latin Motets听.
    • 听贬驰笔贰搁滨翱狈.
  • Krysztof Penderecki

    听Threnody to Victims of Hiroshima听

    Performer: 听Aukso Orchestra.
    • 听Penderecki: Threnody To The Victims of Hiroshima, etc; Greenwood: 48 Responses to Polymorphia, Etc.听.
    • 狈辞苍别蝉耻肠丑听.
  • Peter, Paul and Mary

    Light One Candle听

    Performer: Peter, Paul and Mary.
    • 听No Easy Walk to Freedom.
    • Gold Castle.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Die Geschopfe Des Prometheus, Op. 43: No. 13 Allegro (The Creatures of Prometheus)听

    Performer: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
    • Beethoven: The Creatures of Prometheu Ballet Op. 43听.
    • 狈补虫辞蝉听.

Readings

Title:听The Great Indian Novel听

Author: Shashi Tharoor

Published By Arcade Publishing听

Title: Sonnets听

Author: Christina Rossetti听

Published by Poetry Foundation听

INTERVIEW - Sarah Van Gameren听

Title: A Book of Matches听

Author: Simon Armitage

Published by Faber听

Title: Night in al-Hamra听

Author: Saadi Youssef听

Published in Being Alive by Bloodaxe听

Title: Neither East Nor West听

Author: Christiane Bird听

Published by Simon & Schuster听

Broadcasts

  • Sun 14 Jan 2018 06:05
  • Sun 14 Jan 2018 23:30
  • Sun 22 Oct 2023 06:05