Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The Black Sun

Iain Glen and Kae Alexander read extracts from survivors of Hiroshima, John Hersey's journalism, poems by John Donne, with music by Sakamoto, John Adams and Hildur Gudnadottir.

John Donne's poetry was read and quoted by Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who led the Los Alamos laboratory which developed the atomic bomb. With the film version of his story gaining award nominations here's another chance to hear a Words and Music first broadcast to mark the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 6th and 9th August 1945. Readers Iain Glen and Kae Alexander (who was born in Kobe in Japan), read work by Japanese writers, including Hiroshima survivors Nakamura On and Sadako Kurihara; poetry by Allen Ginsberg, John Donne, Ukrainian poet and Chernobyl survivor Liubov Sirota and the British writer Susan Wicks. The programme includes extracts from the journalist John Hersey鈥檚 Hiroshima, first broadcast on The Third Programme in 1948, an unflinching account of some of the survivors Hersey met. There鈥檚 also an excerpt from John Osbourne鈥檚 1956 play Look Back In Anger, capturing the cynicism and sense of dread that reverberated across the world in the years after the Atomic bombings. Musically, Japan is evoked by shakuhachi player Toshimitsu Ishikawa and koto player Kimio Eto, there鈥檚 also music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and Electronic pioneer Isao Tomita. You鈥檒l also hear part of Krzysztof Penderecki鈥檚 harrowing piece Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima, and music from Hildur Gudnadottir鈥檚 award-winning score for the television series Chenobyl 鈥� plus songs by country duo The Louvin Brothers, pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Kate Bush, dealing with the fear and ferment of the Nuclear age.

READINGS:
Ota Yoko, translated by Richard H Minear extract from Hiroshima, City of Doom
Nakamura On, translated Kyoko Selden extract from City in Flames
John Hersey excerpt from Hiroshima
Shoji Tokie translated by Kyoko and Mark Selden Hiroshima is without light a white white city
Allen Ginsberg extract from Plutonian Ode
Seirai Yuicho, translated by Paul Warham extract from Insects
Taruma Yoshikazu translated by Kyoko and Mark Selden Firefly in an orphan's hands
John Hersey excerpt from Hiroshima
Ed Simon extract from Extract from Printed in Utopia: The Renaissance's Radicalism
Susan Wicks Nuclear
William E Stafford At the Bomb Testing Site
Suga Takashi translated by by Kyoko and Mark Selden In the cathedral in the ruins of boundless expanse
W.H Auden extract from September 1, 1939
Debora Greger Ship Burial
Peter Porter Your Attention Please
Liubov Sirota, translated by Leonid Levin and Elisavietta Ritchie extract from Radiophobia
John Osbourne extract from Look Back In Anger
Stuart Evers extract from The Blind Light
Sadako Kurihara, translated by Richard Minear Let Us Be Midwives! An untold story of the atomic bombing

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 28 Jan 2024 17:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

The Power of Music

Next

Animal Kingdom

See all episodes from Words and Music

Music Played

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

  • 00:01

    Teruyuki Noda

    Kokiriko Variations on a Japanese Folk-Tune, for flute & guitar

    Performer: Susan Hoeppner. Performer: Rachel Gauk.
    • BIS CD969BIS.

  • Ota Yoko, translated by Richard H Minear

    Extract from Hiroshima, City of Doom, read by Iain Glen

  • 00:02

    Krzysztof Penderecki

    Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima

    Orchestra: Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Krzysztof Penderecki.
    • EMI CDM 5650772.

  • Nakamura On, translated Kyoko Selden

    Extract from City in Flames, read by Kae Alexander

  • John Hersey

    Excerpt from Hiroshima

  • 00:06

    Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

    Stabat mater for soprano, alto, strings & organ in F min, Stabat mater dolorosa

    Singer: Andreas Scholl. Singer: Barbara Bonney. Ensemble: Les Talens Lyriques. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.
    • DECCA 4783197.
  • 00:00

    Fr茅d茅ric Chopin

    Nocturne (Op.posth) in C sharp minor arr. misc. for violin & piano

    Performer: Midori. Performer: Robert Macdonald.
    • SONY CLASSICAL SK46742.

  • Shoji Tokie translated by Kyoko and Mark Selden

    Hiroshima is without light a white white city, read by Kae Alexander and Iain Glen

  • 00:12

    Claude Debussy

    Passapied from Suite Bergamasque

    Music Arranger: Isao Tomita. Performer: Isao Tomita.
    • RCA RD84587.

  • Allen Ginsberg

    Extract from Plutonian Ode, read by Iain Glen

  • 00:13

    Miles Davis

    Bitches Brew

    • COLUMBIA CS9995.

  • Seirai Yuicho, translated by Paul Warham

    Extract from Insects, read by Kae Alexander

  • 00:16

    罢谤盲诲

    Sakura - variations on a Japanese theme for guitar [The cherry blossom tree]

    Performer: Alison Smith.
    • ASRCD01.
  • 00:18

    Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

    Enola Gay

    Performer: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
    • DINDISC.
  • 00:20

    Toshimitsu Ishikawa

    Koden Sugomori

    Performer: Toshimitsu Ishikawa.
    • PLAYA SOUND PS 65130.

  • Taruma Yoshikazu translated by Kyoko and Mark Selden

    Firefly in an orphan聮s hands, read by Kae Alexander

  • John Hersey

    Excerpt from Hiroshima

  • 00:21

    Philip Glass

    Mishima

    Performer: Nick Shipman.
    • SOUNDS GOOD SG100.

  • Ed Simon

    Extract from Extract from Printed in Utopia: The Renaissance聮s Radicalism, read by Iain Glenn

  • 00:27

    John Taverner

    In Nomine a 4 III / Taverner: In Nomine

    Music Arranger: Peter Maxwell Davies. Performer: Fretwork.
    • AMON RA CDSAR029.
  • 00:30

    John Adams

    'Batter my heart, three-personed God' (from Doctor Atomic)

    Singer: Gerald Finley. Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Edward Gardner.
    • CHANDOS CHAN3167.
  • 00:35

    Ravel

    Jeux d聮eau

    Performer: Pierre鈥怢aurent Aimard.
    • DG 4779439.

  • Susan Wicks

    Nuclear, read by Kae Alexander

  • William E Stafford

    At the Bomb Testing Site, read by Iain Glen

  • Suga Takashi translated by by Kyoko and Mark Selden

    In the cathedral in the ruins of boundless expanse, read by Kae Alexander

  • 00:40

    Samuel Barber

    Agnus Dei for chorus [& kb ad lib], arr. from Adagio of Quartet for strings

    Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • COLLINS CLASSICS 12872.

  • W.H Auden

    Extract from September 1, 1939, read by Iain Glen

  • 00:45

    Laura Cannell

    Simultaneous Flight Movement

    Performer: Laura Cannell.
    • BRAWL RECORDS 10.

  • Debora Greger

    Ship Burial, read by Kae Alexander

  • Peter Porter

    Your Attention Please, read by Iain Glen

  • 00:49

    The Louvin Brothers

    The Great Atomic Power

    Performer: The Louvin Brothers.
    • CAPITOL RECORDS 077778927129.
  • 00:52

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    Quartet for strings no. 8 (Op.110)in C minor, 2nd movement; Allegro molto

    Performer: St. Petersburg String Quartet.
    • HYPERION CDA67154.

  • Liubov Sirota, translated by Leonid Levin and Elisavietta Ritchie

    Extract from Radiophobia, read by Kae Alexander

  • 00:54

    Hildur Gu冒nad贸ttir

    Chernobyl - music for the TV series: Vichnaya Pamyat [Memory Eternal]

    Performer: Homin Lviv Municipal Choir.
    • DG 4836364.

  • John Osbourne

    Extract from Look Back In Anger, read by Iain Glen

  • 00:00

    Laurie Johnson

    Bomb Run from Dr Strangelove

    Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: Crouch End Festival Chorus. Conductor: Nic Raine.
    • SILVA SCREEN RECORDS 0738572033323.

  • Stuart Evers

    Extract from The Blind Light, read by Ian Glen

  • 01:03

    Ryuichi Sakamoto

    Epilogue

    Performer: Ryuichi Sakamoto.
    • VIRGIN AMERICA CDVUS 46.
  • 01:06

    Kate Bush

    Breathing

    Performer: Kate Bush.
    • PARLOPHONE 0190295569006.
  • 01:09

    罢谤盲诲

    Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)

    Performer: Kimio Eto.
    • EL RECORDS B00EYUIQD0.

  • Sadako Kurihara, translated by Richard Minear

    Let Us Be Midwives! An untold story of the atomic bombing, read by Kae Alexander

Broadcasts

  • Sun 9 Aug 2020 17:00
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Sun 28 Jan 2024 17:30
    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.