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Getting Together

Poets and novelists reflect on time spent in groups, featuring texts by Virginia Woolf, Leonard Cohen, William Blake and Luci Tapahonso. Readings by Souad Faress and Raj Ghatak.

Poets and novelists reflect on time spent in groups. With readings by Souad Faress and Raj Ghatak.

Gathering together, to share space and time with loved-ones and friends, in groups and as audiences, at ceremonies and casual meet-ups, in crowds, inside... such experiences have been at the core of what it has meant to be human, a normality challenged by the recent months of lockdown and social distancing. How have writers and poets sought to express the feelings and the dynamics at play when we get together?

Amidst food, conversation and candlelight, the guests around Mrs Ramsay鈥檚 dinner table become 鈥渃onscious of making a party together鈥� in a scene from To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. Leonard Cohen is reminiscing, urging us to join a late-night scene of song and revelry at Dusko鈥檚 Taverna in 1967; and in the desert a family have gathered in the hooghan for a healing ceremony, described by Navajo poet Luci Tapahonso. And soundtracking the socialising we hear chamber music from Haydn, a Verdi drinking song, intimate folk singing and a wedding procession.

Readings:
January Gill O'Neil - In the Company of Women
Eric Miyeni - The Harbour Caf茅
Leonard Cohen - Dusko鈥檚 Taverna 1967
Charles Baudelaire - Crowds (tr Arthur Symons)
Virginia Woolf - To The Lighthouse
Kamila Shamsie - Kartography
Thomas Hardy - During Wind and Rain
Mrinal Pande - Two Women Knitting (tr Arlene Zide/Mrinal Pande)
E.M. Forster - Howards End
William Blake - Song: I love the jocund dance
Jane Hirshfield - A Blessing for Wedding
John Steinbeck - The Grapes of Wrath
Luci Tapahonso - Starlore
Robert Frost - A Time To Talk
Walt Whitman - I Sing The Body Electric, 4.

Produced by Phil Smith
A Reduced Listening production for 大象传媒 Radio 3.

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 Jun 2022 17:30
大象传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

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

  • 00:01

    Marc鈥怉ntoine Charpentier

    Quel objet importun (Les Plaisirs de Versailles)

    Ensemble: Boston Early Music Festival Ensemble. Conductor: Paul O鈥橠ette.
  • 00:05

    Billie Holiday

    Autumn in New York

  • January Gill O'Neil

    In The Company of Women read by Souad Faress

  • 00:06

    Carmen McRae

    Coffee Time

  • Eric Miyeni

    The Harbour Caf read by Raj Ghatak

  • 00:11

    Giuseppe Verdi

    Brindisi (La Traviata, Act 1)

    Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Richard Bonynge.
  • 00:14

    Maria Rita

    Despedida

  • Leonard Cohen

    Dusko's Taverna 1967 read by Souad Faress

  • 00:15

    Louis Armstrong

    Cabaret

  • Charles Baudelaire

    Crowds read by Raj Ghatak

  • 00:18

    Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in G minor, Op.20 no.3 (1st mvt: Allegro con spirito)

    Performer: Dudok Quartet Amsterdam.

  • Virginia Woolf

    To The Lighthouse read by Souad Faress

  • 00:27

    Edvard Grieg

    Salon (Lyric Pieces, Op.65)

    Performer: Einar Steen-N酶kleberg.

  • Kamila Shamsie

    Kartography read by Raj Ghatak

  • 00:29

    Loudon Wainwright III

    All In A Family

  • Thomas Hardy

    During Wind And Rain read by Souad Faress

  • 00:34

    John Johnson

    Pavan

    Performer: Julian Bream.

  • Mrinal Pande

    Two Women Knitting read by Raj Ghatak

  • 00:37

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no.5 in C minor, Op.67 (1st mvt: Allegro con brio)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Wyn Morris.

  • E.M. Forster

    Howards End read by Souad Faress

  • E.M. Forster

    Howards End read by Souad Faress

  • 00:41

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67 (2nd mvt: Andante con moto)

    Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Wyn Morris.
  • 00:41

    Henry Bishop

    Foresters Sound the Cheerful Horn

    Choir: Pro Cantione Antiqua.

  • William Blake

    Song: I love the jocund dance read by Raj Ghatak

  • 00:44

    Richard Wagner

    Bridal Chorus (Lohengrin)

    Performer: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Rudolf Kempe. Choir: Vienna Philharmonic Choir.

  • Jane Hirshfield

    A Blessing For Wedding read by Souad Faress

  • 00:51

    Aaron Copland

    At the River (Old American Songs)

    Singer: William Warfield. Orchestra: Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Aaron Copland.
  • 00:54

    Lonnie Holley

    Making a Joyful Noise

  • 00:55

    Denys Baptiste

    With this Faith

  • Lucy Tapahonso

    Starlore read by Souad Faress

  • 01:03

    Ben Hudson Begay

    Yeibichai Song

  • Lucy Tapahonso

    Starlore read by Souad Faress

  • Lucy Tapahonso

    Starlore read by Souad Faress

  • 01:05

    Mini Pops Junior

    Kalinenk

  • 01:07

    3 Cohens

    Conversation #3

  • Robert Frost

    A Time To Talk read by Raj Ghatak

  • 01:09

    The Grubby Mitts

    To a friend's house the way is never long

  • Walt Whitman

    I Sing The Body Electric, 4. read by Souad Faress

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Sep 2020 17:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3
  • Sun 5 Jun 2022 17:30
    大象传媒 Radio 3

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