Choral History Of Britain

Series

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

Singing for Everyone

20171011

Roderick Williams explores whether Britain has lost its singing culture and, if so, how it can be recovered.

Have we lost our memories for the words and tunes that enabled us to sing together? Roderick Williams is worried that the future of Britain's great choral tradition might be under threat. Father Kevin Scully and his organist Dr Christopher Maxim mourn the loss of full-throated congregational hymn. Roderick hears from Marek Korczynski how the rich singing culture of Britain was silenced by the clamour of industrialisation and how hundreds of thousands of people believe they cannot sing. He meets Frankie Armstrong, a singing pioneer who has made it her life's work to reunite the British people with their voices; the artistic director of BVG the Indian choir of England with a love of harmony and the English choral sound and rehearses with the London Bulgarian Choir. He meets singers from the Stroke Odysseys project and hears from Stephen Clift on why singing might promote good health. He consults the composer, William Byrd's "reasons to sing" set out in the preface to the first English songbook, published in 1588 and finds resonances with the singing for health movement today.

Since singing is so good a thing
I wish all men would learn to sing

Produced by Natalie Steed for BBC Wales.

Roderick Williams explores how Britain lost its singing voice and if it be recovered.

Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.

Singing for Pleasure

20170927

Roderick Williams traces the long evolution of our amateur singing tradition, from borrowed songs crudely performed in our streets and taverns, to the rise of our great Victorian choral societies and the most recent choral sensation to sweep the nation: Rock Choir.
Roderick is a professional singer, and we follow him to Yorkshire where he is booked to perform with the world famous Huddersfield Choral Society. He hears how the puritans kick-started a choral revolution, and he visits Wales to find out how choirs helped to build new communities as industrial revolution swept the nation. It's a story of how ordinary people have used singing to take ownership of our most cherished musical treasures; how Britain's amateur singers have showed us that great art is something we can all do, not just witness.

Producer: Chris Taylor for BBC Wales.

Roderick Williams traces the long evolution of our amateur singing tradition.

Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.

Singing for Praise and Profit

20171004

Roderick Williams shows how Britain has become an astonishingly fertile breeding ground for the world's very best professional choirs and choristers. He explores the hugely important role that our cathedrals and university chapels have played in sustaining these groups; plus the long, but not always illustrious, history that brought them here. And he asks what the future holds for this most British of musical institutions.

Producer: Chris Taylor for BBC Wales.

Roderick Williams looks at why Britain produces the world's best professional choirs.

Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.

Singing for Solidarity

20170920

Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human and the social bonds we make. From protest songs and football chants, to work choirs and national anthems choral singing has been used to galvanise people around ideas, emotions and causes. Roderick Williams is usually a solo singer of international renown but here seeks out the experience of singing as part of a huge chorus performing Mahler's Second Symphony in order to "feel the air vibrate" and hears from Roger Scruton about the ideological power of a choir singing in four part harmony. He hears from singers in workplace and protest choirs as well as members of the West Albion Away Singing Section about how singing together can emphasise common purpose and raise the emotional temperature.

Producer: Natalie Steed for BBC Wales.

Roderick Williams explores how singing together gets to the heart of being human.

Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.

Episodes

Series	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Singing for Everyone	20171011	Roderick Williams explores whether Britain has lost its singing culture and, if so, how it can be recovered. Have we lost our memories for the words and tunes that enabled us to sing together? Roderick Williams is worried that the future of Britain's great choral tradition might be under threat. Father Kevin Scully and his organist Dr Christopher Maxim mourn the loss of full-throated congregational hymn. Roderick hears from Marek Korczynski how the rich singing culture of Britain was silenced by the clamour of industrialisation and how hundreds of thousands of people believe they cannot sing. He meets Frankie Armstrong, a singing pioneer who has made it her life's work to reunite the British people with their voices; the artistic director of BVG the Indian choir of England with a love of harmony and the English choral sound and rehearses with the London Bulgarian Choir. He meets singers from the Stroke Odysseys project and hears from Stephen Clift on why singing might promote good health. He consults the composer, William Byrd's "reasons to sing" set out in the preface to the first English songbook, published in 1588 and finds resonances with the singing for health movement today. Since singing is so good a thing I wish all men would learn to sing Produced by Natalie Steed for BBC Wales. Roderick Williams explores how Britain lost its singing voice and if it be recovered. Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.
01	Singing for Pleasure	20170927	Roderick Williams traces the long evolution of our amateur singing tradition, from borrowed songs crudely performed in our streets and taverns, to the rise of our great Victorian choral societies and the most recent choral sensation to sweep the nation: Rock Choir. Roderick is a professional singer, and we follow him to Yorkshire where he is booked to perform with the world famous Huddersfield Choral Society. He hears how the puritans kick-started a choral revolution, and he visits Wales to find out how choirs helped to build new communities as industrial revolution swept the nation. It's a story of how ordinary people have used singing to take ownership of our most cherished musical treasures; how Britain's amateur singers have showed us that great art is something we can all do, not just witness. Producer: Chris Taylor for BBC Wales. Roderick Williams traces the long evolution of our amateur singing tradition. Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.
01	Singing for Praise and Profit	20171004	Roderick Williams shows how Britain has become an astonishingly fertile breeding ground for the world's very best professional choirs and choristers. He explores the hugely important role that our cathedrals and university chapels have played in sustaining these groups; plus the long, but not always illustrious, history that brought them here. And he asks what the future holds for this most British of musical institutions. Producer: Chris Taylor for BBC Wales. Roderick Williams looks at why Britain produces the world's best professional choirs. Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.
01	Singing for Solidarity	20170920	Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human and the social bonds we make. From protest songs and football chants, to work choirs and national anthems choral singing has been used to galvanise people around ideas, emotions and causes. Roderick Williams is usually a solo singer of international renown but here seeks out the experience of singing as part of a huge chorus performing Mahler's Second Symphony in order to "feel the air vibrate" and hears from Roger Scruton about the ideological power of a choir singing in four part harmony. He hears from singers in workplace and protest choirs as well as members of the West Albion Away Singing Section about how singing together can emphasise common purpose and raise the emotional temperature. Producer: Natalie Steed for BBC Wales. Roderick Williams explores how singing together gets to the heart of being human. Roderick Williams explores how singing together is at the heart of being human.