Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Rest and Respite

Poems of pause and peace, read by David Ajao and Florence Roberts. Music by Jacques Ibert, Meredith Monk, Henry Purcell and William Walton.

This is a moment of pause and peace. Even with the cosmic stop-button pushed by the pandemic and global lockdown, it can still seem that the world is obsessed with speed: hyperactive work patterns, immediate information transfer, group video conferencing, a psychological drive towards ever-increasing productivity, more and more of everything all at once.

Slowing things down for a short while, David Ajao and Florence Roberts read sedentary and still poetry, where resting is a human right, a spiritual act, a conversation with nature, a rebellion and resistance, a naughty break from normality. Meanwhile, musical evocations of rest and repose come from Jacques Ibert, Meredith Monk, Henry Purcell, and William Walton.

If you need permission to let your body and mind recover and rejuvenate, rest here a while ...

Readings:
Phyllis Webb - Sitting
John Brehm - Layabout
A.E. Housman - Yonder see the morning
Mardsen Hartley - The Very Languor
Goldwin Smith - The True Business Of Live (Epigrams, V, 20)
Emily Dickinson - I tie my Hat鈥擨 crease my Shawl (443)
Rhina P. Espaillat - 鈥淔ind Work鈥�
Paul Laurence Dunbar - A Lazy Day
Percy Bysshe Shelley - The Triumph Of Life (extract)
Shuntaro Tanikawa - I Sit (trans. Takako U. Lento) from 鈥淭he Art Of Being Alone: Poems 1952-2009鈥� 漏 Takako U. Lento, a Cornell East Asia Series book published by Cornell University Press. Used by permission of the publisher.
Thierry Paquot - The Art Of The Siesta (extract - trans. Ken Hollings)
Douglas Dunn - Modern Love
Anne Boyer - Extract from 鈥淣o鈥� 漏 Anne Boyer, from A Handbook of Disappointed Fate, published by Ugly Duckling Presse, Brooklyn, in 2018.
Audre Lorde - A Burst Of Light: Living With Cancer (extract)
Miyo Vestrini - Schedule (trans, Anne Boyer and Cassandra Gillig)
Kwame Dawes - Before Winter
Wendell Berry - The Peace Of Wild Things 漏 2012 by Wendell Berry, from The New Collected Poems. Broadcast by permission of Counterpoint Press.
Kei Miller - The Longest Song
Dora Maar - I rested in the arms of my arms
John Berger - Once In A Poem (extract)
Yehuda Amichai - I, Who Am Still Living, May I Rest In Peace (trans. Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfield)

Produced by Jack Howson.
A Reduced Listening production for 大象传媒 Radio 3.

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Wed 28 Dec 2022 18:15
大象传媒 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Crossed Wires

Next

Looking Back on Childhood

See all episodes from Words and Music

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Sitting

  • 00:01

    Henry Purcell

    O Solitude

    Performer: Olivia Chaney.
    • Shelter.
    • Nonesuch.

  • John Brehm

    Layabout read by David Ajao

  • 00:06

    Leroy Anderson

    The Syncopated Clock

    Performer: Isao Tomita.
    • Tomita's Greatest Hits.
    • RCA.

  • A.E. Housman

    Yonder see the morning blink read by David Ajao

  • 00:07

    Virgil Thomson

    Six Selected Portraits for Piano 聳 Invention- Theodate Johnson Busy and Resting

    Performer: Logan Skelton.
    • Virgil Thompson.
    • Centaur Records.

  • Mardsen Hartley

    The Very Languor read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:10

    Fran莽ois Couperin

    Second livre de pi猫ces de clavecin, Ordre 6:- II Les langueurs-tendres

    Performer: Olivier Baumont.
    • Couperin- Complete Works for Harpsichord.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Goldwin Smith

    The True Business Of Life (Epigrams, V, 20) read by David Ajao

  • 00:13

    Brian Eno

    Golden Hours

    • Another Green World.
    • Island.

  • Emily Dickinson

    I tie my Hat-I crease my Shawl (443) read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:16

    Benjamin Britten

    Nocturnal After John Dowland, Op. 70 - III: Restless (Inquieto)

    Performer: Julian Bream.
    • 20th Century Guitar.
    • RCA Victor.

  • Rhina P. Espaillat

    "Find Work" read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:18

    Bob Dylan

    Maggie鈥檚 Farm

    • Bringing It All Back Home.
    • CBS.

  • Paul Laurence Dunbar

    A Lazy Day read by David Ajao

  • 00:21

    Josephine Foster

    How Happy Is The Little Stone

    • Graphic As A Star.
    • Fire Records.
  • 00:22

    Jacques Ibert

    Six Pi猫ces: V. Reflets dans l'eau

    Performer: Lavinia Meijer.
    • Divertissements.
    • Channel Classic Records.

  • Percy Bysshe Shelley

    The Triumph Of Life (Extract) read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:29

    John Luther Adams

    Songbirdsongs:- VIII. Joyful Noise

    Ensemble: Callithumpian Consort. Conductor: Stephen Drury.
    • Songbirdsongs.
    • Mode.

  • Shuntaro Tanikawa translated by Takako U. Lento

    I Sit read by Florence Roberts

  • Thierry Paquot translated by Ken Hollings

    The Art Of The Siesta (Extract) read by David Ajao

  • 00:34

    Jorai H'grong

    Do among sang blan ning nong (The Month We Stay at Home)

  • 00:35

    William Walton

    Siesta

    Orchestra: Royal Northern Sinfonia. Conductor: David Lloyd-Jones.
    • The Quest (Complete Ballet) / The Wise Virgins (Suite From The Ballet).
    • Naxos.

  • Douglas Dunn

    Modern Love read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:41

    Tom Anderson & Aly Bain

    Da Auld Restin' Chair

  • Anne Boyer

    No (Extract) read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:44

    Gyorgy Ligeti

    Po猫me symphonique for 100 metronomes

    Performer: Aurora Orchestra.
    • Insomnia.
    • Aurora.
  • 00:44

    Solange

    Weary

    • A Seat At The Table.
    • Sony.
  • 00:46

    Meredith Monk

    The Politics of Quiet: Waltz in 5s

    Performer: Katie Geissinger. Ensemble: Bang on a Can All-Stars.
    • Memory Game.
    • Cantaloupe.

  • Audre Lorde

    A Burst Of Light: Living With Cancer (Extract) read by David Ajao

  • Miyo Vestrini

    Schedule read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:51

    Mar铆a Huld Markan Sigf煤sd贸ttir

    Clockworking

    Performer: Nordic Affect.
    • Clockworking.
    • Solo Luminus.

  • Kwame Dawes

    Before Winter read by David Ajao

  • 00:55

    Franz Schubert

    Meeres Stille, D. 216 (Op.3/2)

    Lyricist: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Singer: Dietrich Fischer鈥怐ieskau. Performer: Gerald Moore.
    • Lieder.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Wendell Berry

    The Peace Of Wild Things read by Florence Roberts

  • 00:58

    Jhen茅 Aiko

    Trigger Protection Mantra

    • Trigger Protection Mantra.
    • Def Jam Recordings.
  • 00:59

    John Cage

    ASLSP (1985) For Piano Or Organ

    Performer: Gary Verkade.
    • The Works For Organ.
    • Mode.

  • Kei Miller

    The Longest Song read by David Ajao

  • Dora Maar

    I rested in the arms of my arms read by Florence Roberts

  • 01:02

    Jules Massenet

    Tha茂s, Meditation

    Performer: Michael Rabin. Orchestra: The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Felix Slatkin.
    • The Magic Bow.
    • Capital.

  • John Berger

    Once In A Poem (Extract) read by Florence Roberts

  • Yehuda Amichai translated by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfield

    I, Who Am Still Living, May I Rest in Peace read by David Ajao

  • 01:10

    Ry Cooder

    I'll Be Rested When The Roll Is Called

    • The Prodigal Son.
    • Fantasy.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 5 Jul 2020 17:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Wed 28 Dec 2022 18:15
    大象传媒 Radio 3

The hidden history of plant-based diets

The hidden history of plant-based diets

Forget social media influencers - the meat-free movement started with the Victorians.

Books website

Get closer to books with in-depth articles, quizzes and our picks from radio & TV.