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Arts & Ideas

Proms Plus Literary - Britten & Poetry

Arts & Ideas

BBC

Society & Culture

4.2599 Ratings

🗓️ 21 August 2013

⏱️ 22 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Benjamin Britten's compositions were inspired by the work of many poets and novelists, including Wilfred Owen, W.H. Auden, Blake, Shakespeare, Henry James and Thomas Mann. The actor Samuel West, who has narrated some of Britten's films, and writer Alexandra Harris explore the relationship between words and music. Presented by Ian McMillan and including readings by Malcolm Sinclair. Recorded in front of an audience at the Royal College of Music as part of this year's Proms Plus events.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Can I just say?

0:01.5

You're about to listen to a BBC podcast.

0:04.0

It's such a wonderful listen.

0:05.6

So nice.

0:06.5

There are loads more like it on BBC sounds.

0:08.8

Different paces, different heights.

0:10.6

The roof is buckling.

0:11.9

Where you can also listen to live sports commentary.

0:14.2

It's right foot goes for goal.

0:16.6

And then enjoy even more podcasts full of analysis and reaction to the big stories.

0:21.7

The stat that is astonishing is they ended with the lowest amount of possession.

0:25.2

And she's had to live with that.

0:26.8

So if you love sport, a passion, it's almost like a religion.

0:29.8

Listen on BBC sounds.

0:31.8

Sort of expecting that every week now.

0:34.7

This is a download from the BBC.

0:36.6

For more information and our terms of use, go to BBC.com.uk

0:40.8

slash radio three. Welcome to this Prom's Plus event recorded in front of an audience,

0:49.4

hungry for enlightenment and joy, here at the Royal College of Music, in the glorious and nourishing shadow of the Albert Hall.

0:56.2

Today, in his centenary year, we'll be looking at the composer Benjamin Britain's relationship to poetry,

1:01.5

how he set it, how he understood it in relation to music, how it shaped him.

1:06.1

Boris Ford, the editor of an anthology of the poems Britain set to music,

...

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