The Wind in the Willows on R4 this afternoon

[Flay]

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame

Adapted for actors and orchestra by Neil Brand

On the 90th anniversary of the first Radio Drama broadcast on the BBC, a new version of the Classic tale of Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad combining the talents of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a special cast. Recorded before an audience in the legendary Maida Vale Studios.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qkwgr

I'm looking forward to hearing this!

The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said, "Bother!" and "O blow!" and also "Hang spring-cleaning!" and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat. Something up above was calling him imperiously, and he made for the steep little tunnel which answered in his case to the gravelled carriage-drive owned by animals whose residences are nearer to the sun and air. So he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged, and then he scrooged again and scrabbled and scratched and scraped, working busily with his little paws and muttering to himself, "Up we go! Up we go!" till at last, pop! his snout came out into the sunlight and he found himself rolling in the warm grass of a great meadow.

This is just how I feel today with the sun shining...

[amateur51]

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame

Adapted for actors and orchestra by Neil Brand

On the 90th anniversary of the first Radio Drama broadcast on the BBC, a new version of the Classic tale of Rat, Mole, Badger and Toad combining the talents of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a special cast. Recorded before an audience in the legendary Maida Vale Studios.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qkwgr

I'm looking forward to hearing this!



This is just how I feel today with the sun shining...

[Flay]

Well I enjoyed it. Did nobody else listen?

[Anna]

Well I enjoyed it. Did nobody else listen?

I listened and thoroughly enjoyed it! Funnily enough I re-read Wind in the Willows about 18 months ago, still a magical book, guaranteed to get even the hard-hearted sobbing when Mole bursts into tears about his old home? <sniff>

[Madame Suggia]

What a treat that was

Thanks for the heads up Flay

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well I enjoyed it. Did nobody else listen?

I recorded it for later.

On a related topic, I'm a huge fan of the series of sequels by William Horwood.

[Anna]

On a related topic, I'm a huge fan of the series of sequels by William Horwood.

I confess I'd never heard of those, I'll have to have a look on Amazon, are they true to the original characters and feel of the stories? (rather than some Disneyesque treatment? I've never forgiven Disney for what they did to Winnie the Pooh!)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I confess I'd never heard of those, I'll have to have a look on Amazon, are they true to the original characters and feel of the stories? (rather than some Disneyesque treatment? I've never forgiven Disney for what they did to Winnie the Pooh!)

They're very much true to the original spirit. The books are

The Willows in Winter
Toad Triumphant
The Willows and Beyond

They could so easily have been written by Kenneth Graham.

There's one more that I haven't yet read - a kind of Christmas Special: The Willows at Christmas.

[Mary Chambers]

I've never forgiven Disney for what they did to Winnie the Pooh!

Not to mention Alice in Wonderland. Peter Pan and various other abominations.

I seem to be alone, but I switched off this afternoon's Wind in the Willows after a few minutes. I hadn't realised there was going to be quite so much music, and what I heard seemed to me quite wrong for the words. I also didn't like the voices of Badger or Mole. I didn't stay to hear any more - perhaps I should have given it more of a chance, but I really love this book and it just didn't work for me.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Now that I think about it, I've never known any Wind in the Willows adaptations that have done justice to the book.

[Mary Chambers]

I knew A.A. Milne's stage adaptation Toad of Toad Hall before I first read the book at the age of ten. The play has always seemed quite good to me, but that could be because I knew it first.

[Flay]

Not to mention Alice in Wonderland. Peter Pan and various other abominations.

I seem to be alone, but I switched off this afternoon's Wind in the Willows after a few minutes. I hadn't realised there was going to be quite so much music, and what I heard seemed to me quite wrong for the words. I also didn't like the voices of Badger or Mole. I didn't stay to hear any more - perhaps I should have given it more of a chance, but I really love this book and it just didn't work for me.

That was my initial impression: was there going to be too much singing? But I soon forgot that and was carried along with it (as I hacked up a rampant sycamore in the back garden... )

I must re-read the book (it's here for free if you have the patience for digital reading)

And then perhaps Alpie's sequels

[ardcarp]

I seem to be alone, but I switched off this afternoon's Wind in the Willows after a few minutes. I hadn't realised there was going to be quite so much music

You weren't quite alone, Mary; though in my case it was dozing off rather than switching off. It was all very charming, I suppose, but whilst still awake, I had the following thoughts:

Neil Brand's music was very well wrought and professionally orchestrated, but was the huge expenditure of time and effort involved really worth it?

Who was it all aimed at? The WITW is a classic and has its humour when read in the context of its time. People of my generation have already appreciated it, so the musical version didn't add anything.

For a younger listenership...well it would be like playing Peter and the Wolf (original narrated version) to a class of 14-year-olds.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

[johnb]

I started listening to it but soon gave up.

I have a major problem when music and speech are used together. It is hugely frustrating and annoying - I can't concentrate to the words because my attention keeps being attracted by the music and I can't listen to the music because of the words.

[kernelbogey]

I've never forgiven Disney for what they did to Winnie the Pooh!)

Nor John le Carre for what he did to Mole.