Bah! Humbug!
Dominic West and Ruth Bradley with readings exploring the challenging aspects of Christmas: useless presents, tedious board games, relentless relatives, and awful office parties.
Dominic West (The Crown) and Ruth Bradley (Slow Horses) let out their inner Grinch's to explore the challenging aspects of Christmas: useless presents, tedious board games, relentless relatives, and excruciating office parties to name just a few. We'll hear from Bridget Jones, Dr Seuss, Reginald, Philip Larkin, George Bernard Shaw, and the most infamous Christmas grump of all, Ebenezer Scrooge: but will the Christmas Spirit win out in the end? Featuring music by Sufjan Stevens, Kate Rusby, James Horner, Richard Addinsell, and a host of festive favourites.
Readings:
The Devils Dictionary - Ambrose Bierce
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr Seuss
Letter to Judy Egerton - Philip Larkin
A Christmas Poem - Wendy Cope
Little Women 鈥 Louisa May Alcott
Music in London - George Bernard Shaw
Bridget Jones Diary - Helen Fielding
Reginald on Christmas Presents - Saki
Christmas in Bournemouth - Jonathan Raban
Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind from As You Like It - Shakespeare
The 1981 Night Before Christmas - Frank Jacobs
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr Seuss
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
Producer: Ruth Thomson
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, read by Dominic West
Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, read by Dominic West
00:02Irving Berlin
White Christmas
Performer: Bing Crosby.00:00Irving Berlin
White Christmas
Performer: Bing Crosby.- MCA.
- DMCTV-3.
Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol., read by Dominic West
Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol., read by Dominic West
00:07Paul Williams
Scrooge (Muppet Christmas Carol)
Ensemble: Original Cast.00:04The Muppets
Scrooge
- ARISTA/BMG.
- 7432112194-2.
Dr Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, read by Ruth Bradley
Dr Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, read by Ruth Bradley
00:09James Horner
The Heist (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.00:08James Horner
The Heist
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner. Conductor: James Horner.- INTERSCOPE.
- 490-765 2.
00:12Hugh Martin
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Singer: Bryn Terfel. Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Tecwyn Evans.00:10Bryn Terfel, Ella Taylor, Liam Jones & Shuna Scott Sendall
Have Yourself A Very Merry Little Christmas
Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.Philip Larkin: Letter to Judy Eggerton, read by Dominic West
Philip Larkin: Letter to Judy Eggerton, read by Dominic West
00:16Felix Mendelssohn
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Music Arranger: Sir David Willcocks. Choir: Bach Choir. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Rutter.00:14Felix Mendelssohn
Hark! The herald angels sing, arr. D.Willcocks for chorus/es and accomp
Conductor: John Rutter. Performer: The Bach Choir. Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.- DECCA.
- 2782129.
Wendy Cope: A Christmas Poem, read by Ruth Bradley)
Wendy Cope: A Christmas Poem, read by Ruth Bradley)
00:20Billy Hayes
Blue Christmas
Performer: Elvis Presley.00:18Elvis Presley
BLUE CHRISTMAS
Music Arranger: N/A.- RCA.
- PD-90689(5)-3.
00:22Sergey Prokofiev
Troika (Lieutenant Kije)
Orchestra: St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov.00:20Sergey Prokofiev
Lieutenant Kije - suite Op.60 for orchestra, with baritone ad lib.
Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov. Performer: St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.- RCA.
- RD-60984.
00:26Traditional Czech
Prisla jsem k vam na koledu
Performer: Eva Peckova. Orchestra: Musica Bohemica.00:24罢谤盲诲
Prisla jsem k vam na koledu
Conductor: Jaroslav Kr膷ek. Performer: Eva Peckova. Performer: Musica Bohemia.- Supraphon.
- 1118182711.
00:28Patrick Doyle
It's only a diary (Bridget Jones Diary)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Patrick Doyle.00:26Unknown
It's Only A Diary
Music Arranger: Unknown. Music Arranger: Unknown. Performer: Patrick Doyle.- Mercury.
- 548-7962.
Helen Fielding: Bridget Jones Diary, read by Ruth Bradley
Helen Fielding: Bridget Jones Diary, read by Ruth Bradley
00:32Eric Carmen
All by myself
Performer: Jamie O鈥橬eal.00:32Eric Carmen
All By Myself
Performer: Jamie O鈥橬eal.- Universal.
- BCD-4538.
00:36Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto grosso in G minor, Op.6 no.8 (Christmas Night)
Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.00:35Arcangelo Corelli
Concerto grosso in G minor Op.6 No.8 (Christmas night)
Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.- SONY.
- S2K-53266.
George Bernard Shaw: Music in London, read by Dominic West
George Bernard Shaw: Music in London, read by Dominic West
00:42Ernst Ansch眉tz
O Tannenbaum
Ensemble: Vince Guaraldi Trio.00:42VINCE GUARALDI
O TANNENBAUM
Music Arranger: N/A.- FANTASY.
- 8431-2.
00:48Sufjan Stevens
That was the worst Christmas ever
Performer: Sufjan Stevens.00:47Sufjan Stevens
That was the Worst Christmas Ever!
- ROUGH TRADE.
- rTRAD-CDX450.
Saki: Reginald on Christmas Presents, read by Dominic West
Saki: Reginald on Christmas Presents, read by Dominic West
00:52Nigel Hess
Christmas Overture
Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Stephen Bell.00:55Nigel Hess
A Christmas Overture
Conductor: Stephen Bell. Performer: Hall茅.- Halle.
- CD HLL 7545.
Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights, read by Ruth Bradley
Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights, read by Ruth Bradley
01:02Kate Rusby
Yorkshire Merry Christmas
Performer: Kate Rusby.01:00Kate Rusby
Yorkshire Merry Christmas
Performer: Kate Rusby.- Pure Records.
- PRCD40.
Ted Kooser: Christmas Mail, read by Dominic West
Ted Kooser: Christmas Mail, read by Dominic West
01:06Franz Xaver Gruber
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht
Performer: Maria Stader. Ensemble: Instrumentalvereinigung.01:05Franz Xaver Gruber
Stille Nacht (Silent night)
Performer: Maria Stader. Performer: Instrumentalvereinigung.- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 4777970.
Shakespeare: Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind, read by Ruth Bradley
Shakespeare: Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind, read by Ruth Bradley
01:10James Horner
Change of Heart (How the Grinch stole Christmas)
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.01:10James Horner
Change of the Heart
Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.- INTERSCOPE.
- 490-765 2.
01:14Richard Addinsell
Scrooge
Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.01:15Richard Addinsell
Suite from "Scrooge"
Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Music Arranger: Steven Bernstein. Performer: 大象传媒 Philharmonic.- CHANDOS.
- CHAN-10046.
Jonathan Raban: Christmas in Bournemouth, read by Ruth Bradley
Jonathan Raban: Christmas in Bournemouth, read by Ruth Bradley
Frank Jacobs: The 1981 Night Before Christmas, read by Dominic West
Frank Jacobs: The 1981 Night Before Christmas, read by Dominic West
00:04The Muppets
Scrooge
- ARISTA/BMG.
- 7432112194-2.
01:15Richard Addinsell
Suite from "Scrooge"
Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Music Arranger: Steven Bernstein. Performer: 大象传媒 Philharmonic.- CHANDOS.
- CHAN-10046.
Broadcasts
- Sun 22 Dec 2019 17:30大象传媒 Radio 3
- Christmas Day 2024 17:00大象传媒 Radio 3