R4: Singing for Solidarity Wed, Sept 20th 9 a.m.

[DracoM]

Roderick Williams explores ideas of singing together, at the heart of who and what we are as a community. Series moves form national anthems, football sings, protest songs, as well as Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0952str

[BasilHarwood]

That's the name of the first episode. The series (all presented by Roddy) is called 'Choral History of Britain'

"...Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human."

[DracoM]

Sorry to have made such a hash of bringing the programme to notice.

[Serial_Apologist]

Sorry to have made such a hash of bringing the programme to notice.

No hash, Drac - wouldn't have known about it had you not drawn this to our attention.

[oddoneout]

Be nice to have this on R3 instead of the Listening Service.
From the title I thought it might be something to do with Poland....

[jean]

'A primordial sense of...nationhood'. And when did you ever hear four-part harmony in the Middle East?

Thank you, Professor Scruton.

[DracoM]

Well, excuse me but that Scruton comment at the very least needs academic examination by an expert.
But our Roger inhabits an - ahem - fairly right wing area, so the statement teems with unconcealed over- and under-tones.

I'm afraid I found the programme pretty repetitive and Roderick Williams barely ever stopped reminding us about him / his career, / his singing at almost every turn of the prog's narrative.

[jean]

I can't excuse your failing to spot my irony!

[MrGongGong]

'A primordial sense of...nationhood'. And when did you ever hear four-part harmony in the Middle East?

Thank you, Professor Scruton.

I was going to listen to this
but if it's got the execrable Scrote then I'll give it a miss as I'm trying to keep my Systolic pressure down a bit these days.

[gurnemanz]

Rather a hotchpotch. My heart sank when I realised Roger Scruton was involved. His daft and crassly made point seemed to be that Christian Europe has a history of being harmonious and that this is reflected in our penchant for SATB choral singing.

[DracoM]

Apologies, jean. Yes, I think I was sufficiently upset by the Scrute to have had a momentary lapse in kindness.
Anyway, maybe the Choral Vespers this p.m. will calm the soul.

[DracoM]

Rather a hotchpotch. My heart sank when I realised Roger Scruton was involved. His daft and crassly made point seemed to be that Christian Europe has a history of being harmonious and that this is reflected in our penchant for SATB choral singing.

Absolutely. And almost certainly inaccurate besides being unnecessarily contentious.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... almost certainly inaccurate besides being unnecessarily contentious.

Scruton's career summed up in seven words.

[ardcarp]

I have great respect for Roddy Williams as a singer. Fabulous...and a nice bloke to. I just wonder if BBC production values (i.e. make it 'accessible') got in the way. And yes, the ghastly Mr Scrotum I could have done without. I always bridle when I hear him referred to as a 'philosopher'. Best described as a purveyor of polemic in my book...and best avoided.

[jean]

I'm not sure what the magical ingredient of four-part harmony is, but the piece which was chosen to accompany Scruton's

'The sound of a choir in four parts is a kind of fundamental atavistic experience, it's an experience of community that has no equivalent, and it's part of what distiguishes Europe, for instance, from the Middle East. You don't hear the sound of a four-part choir anywhere from Istanbul down to Cairo'

was Byrd's Justorum animae which is, of course, in five parts.