Fighting Spirit
Alison Steadman and Peter Egan explore the theme of fighting spirit with words from Larkin, Carroll, Kipling and Shakespeare, and music by Wagner, Irving Berlin and Queen.
With just two months to go before the start of the 2012 Olympics, and inspired by the idea of what motivates athletes to compete, an exploration of the theme of fighting spirit in its many guises.
From Aesop's famous morality tale of the hare and tortoise, through Lewis Carroll's selfish Queen domineering in a game of croquet, to Henry V's call to arms on St Crispin's Day - a range of driven characters reveal what it is that makes them tick.
Actors Alison Steadman and Peter Egan read poetry and prose alongside music including Raymond Scott, Schubert, Wagner, Irving Berlin and Queen.
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Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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00:00
Raymond Scott
Powerhouse
Performer: Raymond Scott Quintet
- Basta 30-9073-2.
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Aesop
Aesop’s Fable - The hare and the tortoise, readers Alison Steadman and Peter Egan
00:04Raymond Scott
Powerhouse
Performer: Raymond Scott Quintet
- Basta 30-9073-2.
Stephen Kelman
Pigeon English, readers Peter Egan and Alison Steadman
00:07Cole Porter
You're the top
Performer: Ella Fitzgerald Performer: Buddy Bregman and orchestra
- Verve 537 257-2.
00:10Franz Schubert
String Quintet, Adagio (excerpt)
Performer: Melos Quartet Performer: Mstislav Rostropovich
- Deutsche Grammophon 415 373-2.
Rudyard Kipling
If, reader Alison Steadman
Philip Larkin
Letter to a friend about girls, reader Peter Egan
00:19Irving Berlin
Anything You Can Do
Performer: Original Broadway Cast of ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ Performer: Chorus and Orchestra, directed by Jay Blackton
- MCA Classics MCAD-10047.
Margaret Thatcher
The Path to Power, reader Alison Steadman
00:23Michael Nyman
Chasing Sleep, from 'The Draughtsman's Contract'
Performer: Michael Nyman Band
- Virgin DVEBN 55.
Margaret Thatcher
The Path to Power, reader Alison Steadman
00:26Giuseppe Verdi
Triumphal March ('Gloria all'Egitto') from 'Aida'
Performer: Nicolai Ghiaurov (Ramfis) Performer: Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala Performer: Claudio Abbado (conductor)
- Deutsche Grammophon 415 286-2.
Stephen Kelman
Pigeon English, reader Peter Egan
00:31Richard Wagner - Walther's Prize Song ('Morgenlich leuchtend'), from 'Die Meisters
Performer: Jonas Kaufman (tenor) Performer: Prague Philharmonic Orchestra Performer: Marco Armiliato (conductor)
Lewis Carroll
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (excerpt), readers Alison Steadman and Peter Egan
00:36Dmitry Shostakovich
Galop from 'Odna'
Performer: Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin Performer: Mikhail Jurowski (conductor)
- Capriccio 10 562.
00:40Franklin Ardelle
Won't You Come Over and Play Croquet
Performer: Peter Savidge (baritone) Performer: Jennifer Partridge (piano)
- Just Accord JUSCD001.
00:43Arvo Pärt
Fratres for string and percussion
Performer: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra Performer: Tamás Benedek (conductor)
- Naxos 8 553750.
William Shakespeare
Henry V (St Crispin’s Day speech), reader Peter Egan
00:52Johann Kuhnau
Biblical Sonata No. 1 'The Combat between David and Goliath'
Performer: John Butt (keyboard)
- Harmonia Mundi HMU 907133.
Bible
David and Goliath, readers Peter Egan and Alison Steadman
00:57Gabriel Fauré
In Paradisum
Performer: Gilles Cachemaille, Mathias Usbeck, Daniel Fuchs Performer: Choeur de Chambre Romand Performer: Choeur Pro Arte Performer: André Charlet Performer: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Performer: Armin Jordan (conductor)
- Erato 3984-23274-2.
01:01Charles Ives
Piano Sonata No.2 "Concord", 3rd movement
Performer: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)
- Warner 2564 60297-2.
John Milton
Paradise Lost (excerpt), reader Alison Steadman
Stephen Kelman
Pigeon English, readers Peter Egan and Alison Steadman
01:08John Williams
Main Theme from 'Superman' (excerpt)
Performer: London Symphony Orchestra Performer: John Williams (conductor)
- Warner 3257-2.
Stephen Kelman
Pigeon English, reader Peter Egan
01:10Queen
We Are The Champions
Performer: Queen
- Parlophone 6 86642 2.
Broadcast
- Sun 27 May 2012 18:3091Èȱ¬ Radio 3
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