Bertrand Russell from the archives R4 29/10/11

[aeolium]

Although this is an alert for a programme on R4 tonight at 8 pm, I include it in the R3 Arts thread as I think a lot of the archive material will have been taken from the Third (I heard some of his talks which were repeated on R3 in the 1970s and 1980s).

What I liked about his talks, apart from his very distinctive voice and clear prose style, was their range. They were not purely on philosophical matters, like his famous debate with Fr Copleston in 1948, but also extended to literature and the arts generally (as he knew so many artists). I particularly remember a talk about Joseph Conrad, whom Russell met and had long talks with.

Nowadays R3 has the Essay (and sometimes the Sunday Feature) as its sole representative of that fine tradition of talks given by people distinguished in their field, but it is a shame that it does not occupy a more prominent position and does not often attract philosophers, poets, playwrights etc.

It is also a shame that a programme about Russell and his involvement with BBC Radio should be on R4 rather than R3.

[salymap]

Thanks aeolium, Sadly this has reminded me of yet another interesting item I lost when my computer had a massive virus some months ago. It comprised a series of talks by Russell, Virginia Woolf, Alistair Cooke and many others.

I would be very grateful if anyone had this on their favourites, or at least a link to it.

[salymap]

Thanks, your post reminded me of this, 'Authors in the BBC Archive', still on this forum and re-downloaded.

Shall listen to BR tonight.

[aeolium]

I think this is probably the one you mean, salymap:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/collections.shtml

There is also archive of Russell delivering the first set of Reith lectures in 1948 (as well as archive of other Reith lecturers):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/the-reith-lectures/archive/

[umslopogaas]

Thanks for flagging this up, aeolium, I shall try and remember to put the music aside for once and listen. I once read R.W. Clark's biography of Russell (a very large Penguin) and he was an amazing man. His love life was a complicated as his mathematics and Lady Ottoline Morrell was quite a looker! However, I'll be surprised if we hear much about that, I expect this programme will concentrate on the philosophy.

[aeolium]

After all that, R4 changed their schedule to put on a programme about Libya after Gaddafi

The Russell programme still appears in their list of programmes so I presume it will be coming on at a later date, probably in the same Archive slot.

[vinteuil]

Yes, a shame they dropped it - but at least it meant I cd watch A Fistfull of Dollars...

But I do hope the Russell is repeated; I was looking fwd to it.

[aeolium]

But I do hope the Russell is repeated

Or even broadcast once, vinteuil

(end of brief attack of pedantry)

[mercia]

Nowadays R3 has the Essay (and sometimes the Sunday Feature) as its sole representative of that fine tradition of talks given by people distinguished in their field, but it is a shame that it does not occupy a more prominent position and does not often attract philosophers, poets, playwrights etc.

to satisfy my curiosity could you put a name to any present-day philosophers, poets or playwrights whom you would find as interesting to listen to as Russell

[vinteuil]

Or even broadcast once, vinteuil

(end of brief attack of pedantry)

oh, I hang my mortified head - the shame! the shame!!

Thank you for the deserved correction...

[salymap]

Hope the Russell programme will be rescheduled later......

The one I use is http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/writers/

[aeolium]

to satisfy my curiosity could you put a name to any present-day philosophers, poets or playwrights whom you would find as interesting to listen to as Russell

I didn't have any particular people in mind when I expressed that opinion, mercia, but in any case I wouldn't be comparing them with Russell. There used to be quite a few people just as interesting as Russell on R3 in the 1970s and 1980s - Hans Keller, George Steiner, Isaiah Berlin for instance - and there was a very good series of discussions with philosophers presented by Bryan Magee (and he subsequently transferred it successfully to TV, in the days when such programmes were possible on BBC2). I'd be interested to have another such series if a suitable presenter could be found - not one of the Night Waves presenters but someone knowledgeable in the field. And I think a series of talks or discussions with contemporary poets (not just British) including readings of poems would be interesting.

The problem with The Verb, for me, is its cabaret-type format, the way everything has to be presented in a jokey way, and nothing is focussed on in any depth or treated with any seriousness. I am not saying that programmes should be solemnly po-faced but that there should be some sustained attempt to treat of a subject in a way that assumes an audience both intelligent and willing to engage with difficult ideas or themes (as indeed Russell did in an admirable way).

[french frank]

In times of financial stringency, talks by philosophers would be attractively cheap, I'd have thought. From what I've read (rather than heard) I don't think the New Generation Thinkers are quite the answer ...

I suppose it's a reflection on the times that it's more difficult to think of any household names (even cultivated households ) among philosophers. The last one I can think of was Bernard Williams .

[Chris Newman]

aeolium,
You have hit it on the nail. The interesting characters, I won't say philosophers as it smacks of snobbery, have disappeared from our screens and radios : Russell, Hans Keller, George Steiner, Isaiah Berlin were the gold dust. But the journalists were priceless too. Where are the equals of Robin Day, Richard Dimbleby, Robert Key, Bernard Levin? Even on the lighter side Richard Baker and Ned Sherrin? They have been replaced by entertainers, except perhaps for occasional glimpses of David Attenborough.

[hackneyvi]

I suppose it's a reflection on the times that it's more difficult to think of any household names (even cultivated households ) among philosophers. The last one I can think of was Bernard Williams .

But then, how are they ever to become household names if they never get into the household?

Is Alain de Botton a philospher? I'm unsure whether he's actually a practitioner or simply a preacher.

Roger Scruton?