Programme Information

Thursday 11 December 2008

BBC RADIO 2 Thursday 11 December 2008

Two key figures in east Nashville's alternative music scene, Eric Brace and Peter Cooper, can be heard in session tonight on Bob Harris Country.

The front-man of roots-rock band Last Train Home, Eric Brace, moved to Nashville in 2003 to develop the band and form an independent record label, celebrating the music of east Nashville.

After moving to the city he met Peter Cooper, one of Nashville's leading music journalists, and himself a singer-songwriter. The two have recently completed an album together and recorded this session during their European tour.

Presenter/Bob Harris, Producer/Al Booth

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie have a live session from Joan Wasser, aka Joan As Policewoman, on the show tonight.

Joan is a talented musician and singer-songwriter who has performed with musicians including Rufus Wainwright and Antony And The Johnsons, contributing to the latter's Mercury Award-winning album, I Am A Bird Now. She released her debut solo album, Real Life, back in 2006 and followed it up with To Survive.

Presenters/Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, Producer/John Leonard

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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With the closing date for second-class Christmas post next week, Bob Dylan gives a timely reminder to have those letters ready with an eclectic mix of music with the common theme of mail.

Among the music featured is Please Mr Postman by The Marvelettes, Write Me A Letter by The Ravens, Take A Letter Maria by RB Greaves, A Letter Home from Memphis Slim, Tear-Stained Letter by Jo-El Sonnier and A Letter To Heaven by Sister Wynona Carr.

Presenter/Bob Dylan, BBC Series Producer/Phil Hughes

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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BBC RADIO 3 Thursday 11 December 2008

Before they were married, Robert and Clara Schumann had talked about settling in Dresden, mainly to escape her father. Dresden was not a bustling city like Leipzig but, described as the Florence of Italy, its more salubrious atmosphere would be a welcome relief for Schumann, who was displaying signs of depression and "great nervous disability". Donald Macleod examines this period of Schumann's life as Composer Of The Week continues.

In Dresden, Schumann took the baton as conductor of an amateur choir, a role that his friend, Ferdinand Hiller, had once occupied. The choir gave Clara and Robert the opportunity to collaborate: she became assistant conductor and accompanist. It also gave Schumann the opportunity to conduct many of his own works, including his Nachtlied for choir and orchestra, which is rarely heard.

The Schumann family grew considerably in Dresden. This marked a period of great stability for Robert, who also settled into a daily routine of working, eating and socialising at his favourite hostelry. If life seemed a little too comfortable, though, the Dresden Uprising of 1849 rocked the boat. Schumann, terrified of being made to fight, fled to the suburbs by night with Clara and his eldest daughter, Marie. It was the heavily pregnant Clara who braved the battleground to rescue the remaining children, while Schumann composed feverishly, making a start on his Faust, which is played in part at the end of the programme.

Presenter/Donald Macleod, Producer/Rebecca Warner

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Performance On 3 – BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Thursday 11 December 7.00-9.15pm BBC RADIO 3

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra continues its Russian Winter series under the baton of its dynamic chief conductor Ilan Volkov, with this live concert from Glasgow's City Halls.

Opening the concert is Stravinsky's compact neo-classical ballet score, Jeu de Cartes – literally A Card Game and subtitled A Ballet In Three Deals. This was written while Stravinsky – who was known to be a keen card player – was visiting the United States, and was premiered there in 1937.

Rachmaninov's Fourth Piano Concerto was also premiered in the USA in the Twenties and, though not as well known as his other concertos, it is still full of the composer's trademark melodies and lush romantic harmony. It is performed, tonight, by the young Russian pianist Yevgeny Subdin.

The concert ends with the earliest but most revolutionary piece on the programme, written for Serge Diaghilev's Ballet Russes, with choreography by Nijinsky. The Rite Of Spring infamously caused a riot at its Paris premiere in 1913, when supporters and detractors clashed during the performance.

This concert is also being filmed so music-lovers can watch as well as listen to the performance in high-quality vision at bbc.co.uk/radio3.

Presenter/Petroc Trelawny, Producer/Brian Jackson

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Tony Benn joins BBC Radio 3's
Free Thinking Festival

Tony Benn is now 83 years old and he's still campaigning. With four children and 10 grandchildren, he has found himself thinking more about their problems and the world that they will face. At a time when experience and youth are being pitted against each other in politics, Tony Benn joined Radio 3's Free Thinking Festival in Liverpool to reflect on one of its key themes: the value of experience. In discussion with presenter Susan Hitch, and with a packed Liverpool audience, Tony Benn reiterated his belief in fresh thinking.

He talks about being taken by his father to meet Gandhi when he was six years old, and the pleasure he still remembers at sitting with his brother on the floor while the father of Indian independence asked him questions and listened to his thoughts.

He muses on the importance of listening to the young, as well as advising them, and describes Marx as the last of the Old Testament prophets. He has drawn on the experiences of his parents, his father's practical advice and his mother's Bible study, which fed into his own understanding of the world. Crucially, he explains that his own experience of two world wars, his time as a pilot and the deaths of friends and his brother are intrinsic to his commitment to peace. He even talks about his new practical invention, Benn's Safe Seat.

Presenter/Susan Hitch, Producer/Allegra McIlroy

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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As well as writing great poems, John Milton was engaged – embroiled even – in revolutionary politics and social and theological upheaval. He wrote many essays, pamphlets and tracts. In the week when Radio 3 commemorates the 400th anniversary of his birth, The Essay is devoted to Milton as an essayist.

Milton's extraordinary abilities as a linguist led to his appointment as Secretary for Foreign Tongues for the English Commonwealth, and his job was to answer attacks against it. In 1652, a pamphlet appeared called Regii Sanguinnis Clamor: The Cry Of The Royal Blood, itself in response to Milton's Defence Of The English People, which justified the execution of Charles I. Milton countered with his "Second Defence" to "vindicate the rights of the English nation, and consequently of liberty itself".

In today's Essay, Tom Paulin scrutinises how profound Milton's republican thinking was.

Presenter/Tom Paulin, Producer/Julian May

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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BBC RADIO 4 Thursday 11 December 2008

Jenny Eclair tells the stories of
some infamous animated ladies

Jenny Eclair tells the history behind a collection of outrageous animated ladies.

From Betty Boop to Lara Croft, from the Daily Mirror's Jane to Viz's Fat Slags, animated female characters have led a very colourful existence. These creations and many more have often created a stir and, as this programme reveals, people can't help but get animated about painted ladies.

It all started with animation's first leading lady, Betty Boop. Although her unique mix of wide-eyed innocence and powerful cartoon sensuality attracted passionate fans, it also made her some enemies. Censors were not happy with Betty's appearance and she was eventually forced to show less leg and button up her dress.

But, as Betty was covering up in the States, artist Norman Pett was introducing Britain to Jane, the comic-strip heroine with the habit of losing most of her clothes, most of the time.

Created in 1932 for a Daily Mirror comic strip, Jane had many critics but she proved enormously popular as a morale-boosting fillip during the Second World War.

This programme focuses on subversive animated ladies who, in their own times, challenged stereotypes of how "good girls" should look and behave.

Presenter/Jenny Eclair, Producer/Stephen Garner

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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The People's Princess is a historical comedy about Caroline of Brunswick, who was born in 1768 and died in 1821.

Caroline of Brunswick was 17 years old when she was betrothed to her cousin, George, Prince of Wales. Caroline was a naïve country girl who knew little about the world beyond Brunswick, and even less about men.

She set off for her new home and her new husband full of hope and excitement, which is when it all went horribly wrong. George sent his mistress, Lady Jersey, to meet Caroline at Dover and, on first beholding her, called for a glass of brandy and fainted. It was some time before the match was consummated.

The cast includes Rebecca Saire, Jill Cardo, Niall Cusack, Richard Howard, Mark Lambert, Julian Rhind Tutt and Alex Jennings.

Producer/Eoin O'Callaghan

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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A Social Selection Ep 1/2 Thursday 11 December 8.00-8.30pm BBC RADIO 4

BBC News Education Correspondent Andrew Bomford investigates the social effects of the 11-plus. He asks whether grammar schools still give bright children from poorer backgrounds a leg up the education ladder or whether a system which selects only the most able pupils is inevitably the preserve of the more wealthy families.

He examines the selection process and its effect on schools in Buckinghamshire and, in the first episode, follows pupils who sat their 11-plus in October, hearing first-hand as they go through lengthy coaching in the run-up to the tests themselves.

Among the children, Andrew meets are Naomi and Jonathan. Both have been visiting professional tutors over the past year and spent long hours during their summer holidays working on practice papers.

Kathleen didn't have professional coaching. Her mum practised with her at home but, in the autumn, in the final run-up to the exams, she was still taking longer than other children to complete a paper.

In the second programme, Andrew meets some of last year's successful candidates as they take up their grammar school places in September. He hears from them and their parents about their hopes and ambitions.

Andrew assesses the social effects of selection within the Buckinghamshire school system and asks how much is known about the effects a grammar school education has on pupils of different social backgrounds.

Presenter/Andrew Bomford, Producers/Samantha Fenwick and David Ross

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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BBC RADIO 5 LIVE Thursday 11 December 2008

Mark Saggers presents all the day's sports news, including reports from the first day of the first Test match between India and England in Ahmedabad.

From 8pm, Steve Bunce and Mike Costello present 5 Live Boxing, and from 9pm, Matt Dawson presents 5 Live Rugby.

Presenter/Mark Saggers

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

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BBC 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA Thursday 11 December 2008

Test Match Special Thursday 11 December 3.50-11.30am BBC 5 LIVE SPORTS EXTRA

The Test Match Special team brings uninterrupted commentary on the opening day of the first Test between India and England, live from Ahmedabad.

Producer/Jen McAllister

BBC 5 Live Sports Extra Publicity

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BBC 6 MUSIC Thursday 11 December 2008

Gideon Coe delves into the BBC archive for live sets, courtesy of Radiohead at the Glastonbury Festival in 1997, plus the Electric Light Orchestra recorded for the BBC at Portsmouth Guildhall in 1976. He also finds a session from Metronomy's 2008 6 Music session. The programme also features a recent offering from orchestral-folk newcomers The North Sea Radio Orchestra.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Frank Wilson

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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BBC ASIAN NETWORK Thursday 11 December 2008

Munir has made arrangements for their journey to Mecca, as the Asian drama continues. When they arrive, Dr Masud is tired so Munir keeps him company.

Meanwhile, Zak heads off to the desert where he finally comes to terms with Fatima's death. Soon after, Dr Masud feels unwell so Munir asks Zak for help. He becomes weaker so Munir rushes off to find medical help. Dr Masud believes there is no greater place for a Muslim to die than the Holy Land, and that God will decide what's best.

Munir is played by Payam Hosseinian, Dr Masud by Saeed Jaffrey OBE and Zak by Jetinder Summan.

BBC Asian Network Publicity

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BBC WORLD SERVICE Thursday 11 December 2008

A lack of power supplies means that Africa is frantically searching for future sources of energy.

Much of the continent is frequently plunged into darkness, leaving households, businesses and hospitals facing hours without light or power. With oil supplies unable to meet the demands of an ever-rising population, the options are becoming stark.

Vera Kwakofi examines whether Africa should go nuclear, or use its biggest natural asset – the sun.

Presenter/Vera Kwakofi, Producer/David Stead

BBC World Service Publicity

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