Main content
This programme is not currently available

Inspired by Birds

Tom McKinney presents a midsummer night's music sequence inspired by birdsong, including Sam Lee, Villa-Lobos, Xenakis, Luther Adams and David Rothenberg, plus field recordings.

Tom McKinney presents a midsummer night's music sequence inspired by birdsong, including Sam Lee, Villa-Lobos, Xenakis, Luther Adams, and David Rothenberg; and field recordings of the birds themselves.
Recordings of nightingales singing in the Sussex woods this Spring, in duet with improvising musicians including folk singer Sam Lee, were made exclusively for Radio 3.

3 hours, 20 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 Jun 2016 01:00
BBC Radio 3

Music Played

  • Field Recording

    Solo nightingale (Sussex woods)

  • Field Recording

    Nightingales (Sussex Woods)

    Performer: Sam Lee. Performer: Alice Zawadzki.

  • Chris Hughes

    Slow Motion Blackbird

    • Shift.
    • Helium Records.
    • 5.

  • Heitor Villa‐Lobos

    Choros no.3 Pica Pau (Woodpecker)

    Ensemble: Choir with wind ensemble of the Sao Paolo Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Neschling.
    • Choros, Volume 3.
    • BIS.
    • 5.

  • The Andrews Sisters

    The Woodpecker Song

    • A Portrait of The Andrews Sisters.
    • Music Club.
    • 13.

  • John Luther Adams

    Dream of the Canyon Wren

    Performer: JACK Quartet.
    • The Wind in High Places.
    • Cold Blue Music.
    • 1.

  • Chris Watson

    Embleton Rookery

    • Stepping into the Dark.
    • Touch.
    • 2.

  • Trad.

    The Three Ravens

    Performer: Andreas Martin. Singer: Andreas Scholl.
    • English Folk Songs and Lute Songs.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • 5.

  • Field Recording

    Nightingales (Sussex Woods)

    Performer: Hyelim Kim.

  • Pierre Schaeffer

    Oiseau RAI

    • L'oeuvre Musicale.
    • INA Editions.
    • 15.

  • David Rothenberg

    The Lyrebird Suite

    Performer: Robert Jürjendal. Performer: David Rothenberg.
    • Why Birds Sing.
    • Terra Nova.
    • 7.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Firebird:Introduction — The Firebird and its dance

    Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini.
    • The London Years.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 2.

  • Olivier Messiaen

    Et Exspecto ... (l’heure vient - 3rd mvmt)

    Ensemble: Strasbourg Percussion Group. Orchestra: Domaine Musicale Orchestra. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.
    • Messiaen - Stravinsky - Boulez.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 3.

  • Field Recording

    Musician Wren

  • Heitor Villa‐Lobos

    Uirapuru (The Musician Wren)

    Orchestra: São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Isaac Karabtchevsky.
    • Symphony No 12.
    • NAXOS.
    • 1.

  • Field Recording

    Shearwaters

  • Iannis Xenakis

    Ais

    Performer: Sylvio Gualda. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Singer: Spyros Sakkas.
    • Iannis Xenakis.
    • Col Legno.
    • 5.

  • Judith Sainte Croix

    The White Birds in the Deep Night

    Performer: Sonora Trio.
    • 25 Years of New York New Music.
    • INNOVA.
    • 7.

  • Field Recording

    Sunsets

    Performer: Chris Watson.
    • Stepping into The Dark.
    • TOUCH.
    • 8.

  • Jean Sibelius

    5th Symphony - Finale

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • SIMON RATTLE CONDUCTS THE SIBELIUS SYMPHONIES.
    • Berlin Philharmoniker Recordings.

  • Sam Lee & Alice Zawadski

    Nightingales

  • Charles Villiers Stanford

    The Bluebird

    Ensemble: Oxford Camerata. Conductor: Jeremy Summerly.
    • English Madrigals and Songs.
    • NAXOS.
    • 16.

  • Richard Nunns & David Rothenberg

    Pillow of Air

    • Why Birds Sing.
    • TERRA NOVA.
    • 8.

  • Charles Williams

    The Starlings

    Performer: Charles Williams and his Concert Orchestra.
    • A Glorious Century of Light Music.
    • Guild.
    • 18.

  • Field Recording

    Dawn Chorus in Pitts Wood, Hampshire

    • Dawn Chorus - Woodland At Sunrise.
    • BRITISH LIBRARY.

Broadcast