Lost in Music

Lost in Music

In his musical history of modern Black Britain, Jeffrey Boake reflects, ‘I’ve travelled the world through speakers and headphones, listening to sounds and stories from far and wide.’ Does anything have the power to emotionally transport us to another time or place like music? In this series, world-famous musicians, music journalists and writers share stories of their personal journeys through the world of music.

 

Martha Wainwright: Failure, Fame and Family

Saturday 13 August 20:30 - 21:30

Martha Wainwright: Failure, Fame and Family Book
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It’s difficult to imagine acclaimed singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright as anything other than a singular success. Yet as the youngest member of a talented – often quietly cutting – musical family, Wainwright has long considered herself a failure...
 

James Runcie: The Story of Bach's Masterpiece

Tuesday 16 August 16:00 - 17:00

James Runcie: The Story of Bach's Masterpiece Book
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Bach’s St Matthew Passion is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written. But what was it like to play and sing it for the first time? James Runcie, bestselling author of The Grantchester Mysteries, talks about the research involved in writing...
 

Stuart Cosgrove: Black Music and the White House

Tuesday 16 August 17:30 - 18:30

Stuart Cosgrove: Black Music and the White House Book
Why not try? Stephen May: Stalin, the Young Poet  Stephen May: Stalin, the Young Poet  Mon 22 Aug 17:30 - 18:30
 

Vashti Bunyan: A Wayward Life of Music

Wednesday 17 August 16:00 - 17:00

Vashti Bunyan: A Wayward Life of Music Book
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With her 1970 album Just Another Diamond Day struggling to find its audience, Vashti Bunyan rejected the music world, retreating to Ireland, then Scotland. By 2000, unbeknownst to her, it had become one of the most sought-after records of its day, and a...
 

Kate Molleson: Rewriting the Musical Canon

Thursday 18 August 10:00 - 11:00

Kate Molleson: Rewriting the Musical Canon Book
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BBC Radio 3 listeners know Kate Molleson as one of Britain’s best-respected voices on contemporary classical music. Her new book demonstrates that she is equally at ease with the written word. Sound Within Sound is a brave, brilliant and rollicking...
 

Liner Notes: Kate Molleson on Bartók, Maceda and Miller

Thursday 18 August 17:00 - 18:30

Liner Notes: Kate Molleson on Bartók, Maceda and Miller Book
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Liner Notes is a new series for 2022 and the musical pairing to our Close Read sessions. Join journalist and broadcaster Kate Molleson, the host of BBC Radio 3’s New Music Show and Music Matters, for a close listen of works by Béla Bartók (Hungary),...
 

Ricky Ross: Deacon Blue and Me

Thursday 18 August 17:30 - 18:30

Ricky Ross: Deacon Blue and Me Book
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It’s 30-odd years since Real Gone Kid became Deacon Blue’s first irresistibly catchy pop hit, and lead singer Ricky Ross has been in the thick of a music career ever since. Today he discusses his rollercoaster journey including behind-the-scenes...
 

Jarvis Cocker: Glory Days

Thursday 18 August 20:30 - 21:30

Jarvis Cocker: Glory Days Book
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From the post-industrial paradise of Sheffield to the literature-steeped lanes of Paris, the path of Jarvis Cocker’s life has been beautifully meandering – and he’s picked up a lot of ephemera along the way. Good Pop, Bad Pop takes us on a tour of...
 

P J Harvey: A Song for Ira-Abel

Saturday 20 August 20:15 - 21:15

P J Harvey: A Song for Ira-Abel Book
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Renowned worldwide for her musical performances, P J Harvey has now turned her creative talents to a long-form poem, six years in the writing. Orlam is an incantatory, coming-of-age poem that brings the Dorset dialect to life, drawing on the rituals and...
 

Jeffrey Boakye, Sinéad Gleeson & Bob Stanley: The Many Voices of Music

Tuesday 23 August 11:30 - 12:30

Jeffrey Boakye, Sinéad Gleeson & Bob Stanley: The Many Voices of Music Book
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Three authors come together in an event for music lovers, chaired by Arusa Qureshi. Jeffrey Boakye takes us through key moments in Black history through 28 of its most powerful songs in Musical Truth. Sinéad Gleeson discusses This Woman’s Work, a...