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What's in a name?

We explore the importance of names through the writings of Margaret Atwood, Henry Reed and Shakespeare and music by Shostakovich, Arvo Part, Nkeiru Okoye and Ravel.

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but how does my own name define me? In this edition of Words and Music we explore the importance of names with readings from Pippa Bennett-Warner and Aidan McArdle of the writings of Pushkin, Margaret Atwood, Henry Reed, Toluwanimi Obiwole and Shakespeare, and with music by Shostakovich, Arvo Part, Nkeiru Okoye and Ravel.

Producer in Salford: Barnaby Gordon

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 6 Aug 2023 18:15

Music Played

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

  • 00:00

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Romeo & Juliet (Balcony Scene)

    Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Naxos 8.573534.
    • Tr 19.
  • William Shakespeare

    Romeo & Juliet (Act II Scene ii), read by Pippa Bennett-Warner and Aidan McArdle

  • 00:02

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Romeo and Juliet (Balcony Scene)

    Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet, Op. 64.
    • Naxos.
  • 00:03

    Harvey & the Wallbangers

    Five Guys Named Moe

    • Gott GOTTCD015.
    • Tr.
  • Warsan Shire

    More by Warsan, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:05

    Jerry Bresler

    Five guys named Moe

    Composer: Larry Wynn. Music Arranger: Harvey Brough. Ensemble: Harvey & the Wallbangers.
    • Harvey and the Wallbangers. Early Days.
    • Gott.
  • 00:06

    Trad.

    Hallowed Be Thy Name

    Performer: The Kenyan Boys Choir.
    • Nascente 5014797137110.
    • Tr.
  • 00:09

    Trad.

    Hallowed Be Thy Name

    Choir: The Kenyan Boys Choir.
    • Nascente.
  • 00:09

    David Arnold

    Casino Royale (Blunt Instrument)

    Orchestra: Studio orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Dodd.
    • Sony Classical.
    • Tr 4.
  • Geoffrey T. Hellman

    James Bond Comes To New York, read by Aidan McArdle

  • Joelle Taylor

    Vitrine, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:11

    David Arnold

    Casino Royale (Blunt Instrument)

    Orchestra: Studio orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Dodd.
    • Casino Royale.
    • Sony Classical.
  • 00:12

    Nkeiru Okoye

    My Name is Harriet, Now (Songs of Harriet Tubman)

    Singer: Louise Toppin. Orchestra: Dvořák Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Julius P. Williams.
    • Albany Records 034061131427.
    • Tr 15.
  • 00:14

    Nkeiru Okoye

    My Name is Harriet, Now (Songs of Harriet Tubman)

    Singer: Louise Toppin. Orchestra: Dvořák Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Julius P. Williams.
    • Heart on the Wall: African American Art Songs for Orchestra.
    • Albany Records.
  • 00:17

    °Õ°ùä»å

    The Naming of the Child

    Performer: Eddie Butcher.
    • Arran Records 887396164697.
    • Tr.
  • Brian Friel

    Translations, read by Aidan McArdle and Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:20

    Trad.

    The Naming of the Child

    Singer: Eddie Butcher.
    • Sings the Titanic and Other Traditional Folk Songs.
    • Arran Records.
  • 00:20

    The Ting Tings

    That's Not My Name

    • Columbia.
    • Tr.
  • 00:20

    Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 84 in E-Flat Major, "In Nomine Domini": (4th mvt Finale)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Conductor: Douglas Boyd.
    • NoMadMusic NMM078D.
    • Tr.
  • 00:23

    Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 84 in E-Flat Major, "In Nomine Domini": (4th mvt Finale)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Conductor: Douglas Boyd.
    • Haydn: Complete Paris Symphonies Nos. 82-87.
    • NoMadMusic.
  • Margaret Atwood

    The Handmaid’s Tale, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:27

    Howard Shore

    The Song of Names

    Performer: Ray Chen. Performer: Daniel Mutlu.
    • Decca.
    • Tr 1.
  • 00:30

    Howard Shore

    The Song of Names

    Performer: Ray Chen. Performer: Daniel Mutlu.
    • The Song of Names (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
  • Toluwanimi Obiwole

    Sugarcane, read by Toluwanimi Obiwole

  • 00:34

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 77 (4th mvt)

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.
    • Onyx ONYX4113.
    • Tr.
  • 00:36

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 77 (4th mvt)

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.
    • Onyx.
  • Henry Reed

    The Naming of Parts, read by Aidan McArdle

  • 00:40

    Maurice Ravel

    Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn

    Performer: Steve Osborne.
    • Hyperion CDA67731/2.
    • Tr.
  • 00:42

    Cecilia McDowall

    The Shipping Forecast (3rd mvt. Naming)

    Choir: Choir of Merton College, Oxford. Orchestra: Orchestra Nova. Conductor: George Vass.
    • Dutton Epoch AW7629226.
    • Tr.
  • 00:43

    Maurice Ravel

    Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn

    Performer: Steven Osborne.
    • Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Music: Steven Osborne, Piano.
    • Hyperion.
  • 00:44

    Cecilia McDowall

    Shipping Forecast: III. Naming

    Choir: Choir of Merton College. Orchestra: Orchestra Nova Ensemble. Conductor: George Vass.
    • McDowall: Shipping Forecast.
    • Dutton Epoch.
  • Mary Jean Chan

    Names, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • Rabbi Benjamin Blech, Elaine Blech

    Your Name is Your Blessing, read by Aidan McCardle

  • 00:46

    John Murphy

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Naming)

    Performer: Studio Orchestra.
    • Hollywood Records.
    • Tr.
  • 00:49

    Arvo Pärt

    ...which was the Son of...

    Choir: Polyphony.
    • Hyperion CDA67375.
    • Tr.
  • 00:49

    John Murphy

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Naming)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
    • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Original Score).
    • Hollywood Records.
  • 00:51

    Arvo Pärt

    ...which was the Son of...

    Choir: Polyphony. Conductor: Stephen Layton.
    • Arvo Part: Triodion, Nunc Dimittis, Salve Regina.
    • Hyperion.
  • Aimee Nezhukumatathil

    Naming the Heartbeats, read by Pippa Barrett-Warner

  • Phil Knight

    Shoedog, read by Aidan McArdle

  • 01:00

    Joni Mitchell

    A Melody In Your Name

    Performer: Joni Mitchell.
    • Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 1: The Early Years (1963-1967).
    • Rhino.
  • 01:01

    Eminem

    My Name Is

    • Aftermath.
    • Tr.
  • 01:01

    A Winged Victory for the Sullen

    The Haunted Victorian Pencil

    • Ninja Tune ZENDNLS638W.
    • Tr.
  • Michaela Morgan

    Names, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 01:03

    Igor Stravinsky

    The Rite of Spring (XI. The Naming and Honouring of the Chosen One)

    Performer: American Symphony Orchestra, Leon Botstein (conductor).
    • American Symphony Orchestra 084854235733.
    • Tr.
  • 01:04

    Adam Wiltzie

    The Haunted Victorian Pencil

    Composer: Dustin O’Halloran.
    • All Our Friends Are Vampires.
    • Ninja Tune.
  • Alfred Lord Tennyson

    The Flower, read by Aidan McArdle

  • 01:05

    Alexander Borodin

    String Quartet on the name 'B-La-F' (3rd mvt; Serenata alla Spagnola)

    Performer: Borodin Quartet.
    • Teldec 4509945722.
    • Tr.
  • 01:05

    Igor Stravinsky

    The Rite of Spring (XI. The Naming and Honouring of the Chosen One)

    Orchestra: American Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leon Botstein.
    • Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring.
    • American Symphony Orchestra.
  • Rumi

    A Star Without a Name, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • Alexander Pushkin

    The Name, read by Aidan McArdle

  • 01:07

    John Powell

    Faces without Names (The Bourne Ultimatum)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • Decca.
    • Tr.
  • Winifred M. Letts

    Your Name, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 01:08

    Alexander Borodin

    String Quartet on the name 'B-La-F' (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Borodin Quartet.
    • Teldec.
  • 01:10

    John Powell

    Faces without Names (The Bourne Ultimatum)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • The Bourne Ultimatum (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
    • Decca.

Broadcast

  • Sun 6 Aug 2023 18:15

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