Epiphanies

AL Kennedy goes in search of epiphanies - those powerful revelations, the Aha! Instant in cognitive science, the Eureka moment among theorists and inventors.

Epiphanies are not found, they come to us. The word epiphania in Greek means 'manifestation' or 'appearance'. Famous epiphanies include Archimedes' Eureka! as he discovered the method to determine the density of an object while sitting in the bath, and Isaac Newton's realisation that a falling apple and the orbiting moon are both pulled by the same force.

These light-bulb moments feel as if they happen in a flash but, as we hear, they're the final, dazzling product of a more subtle subconscious process.

The programme talks to scientists of the human brain who explain why these moments occur when we're doing something else - when we're in the shower, digging in the garden, watching apple trees, or woken suddenly in the early hours of the morning with the force of a lightning bolt.

These revelations are the ones we pass on, the insights we give to friends. Moments that help define us and the way we choose to be in the world.

A Cast Iron production for BBC Radio 4.

AL Kennedy goes in search of epiphanies - a revelation, the 'aha' instant, a eureka moment

AL Kennedy goes in search of epiphanies - those powerful revelations, the Aha! Instant in cognitive science, the Eureka moment among theorists and inventors.

Epiphanies are not found, they come to us. The word epiphania in Greek means 'manifestation' or 'appearance'. Famous epiphanies include Archimedes' Eureka! as he discovered the method to determine the density of an object while sitting in the bath, and Isaac Newton's realisation that a falling apple and the orbiting moon are both pulled by the same force.

These light-bulb moments feel as if they happen in a flash but, as we hear, they're the final, dazzling product of a more subtle subconscious process.

The programme talks to scientists of the human brain who explain why these moments occur when we're doing something else - when we're in the shower, digging in the garden, watching apple trees, or woken suddenly in the early hours of the morning with the force of a lightning bolt.

These revelations are the ones we pass on, the insights we give to friends. Moments that help define us and the way we choose to be in the world.

A Cast Iron production for BBC Radio 4.

AL Kennedy goes in search of epiphanies - a revelation, the 'aha' instant, a eureka moment

We dive deep into the mystical, revelatory moments in which artists are set on a creative path at an early age, or inspired to continue to create throughout their lives.

Detailed stories of emotional, physical and psychological responses to these moments of wonder are embedded in a rich soundscape of music and location recordings. Epiphanies is an audio love-letter to artistic creativity at a time when so much culture has been silenced and stilled.

Produced by John Wilson

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Five artists recall the moment they found their calling.

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

Opera superstar Danielle De Niese remembers how her mother inspired her to sing as a young girl growing up in Australia, with an interpretation of Barbra Streisand's Evergreen that taught her that singing is as much about personal interpretation.

Gabriel Krauze was longlisted for the Booker Prize for his debut novel Who They Was, based on his time as a member of criminal gangs as a young man on the streets of west London. An obsessive reader of fiction as a child, he remembers the epiphany of first hearing It Was Written, an album by New York rapper Nas which inspired him to tell his own stories of criminality and survival.

As a young girl, actress Olivia Williams wanted to be a ballet dancer after falling in love with Rudolf Nureyev when she saw him dance in Sleeping Beauty. She was inspired to become a stage actress Royal Shakespeare after seeing Judi Dench lead a comedy musical production of A Comedy Of Errors in the mid 1970s.

Ceramic artist and author Edmund de Waal first discovered the pottery wheel when he was taken to an evening art class at the age of five, a moment of epiphany that set the course of his life for the next 50 years.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Moments of inspiration recalled by some of our best known artists.

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

John Wilson explores the intimate moments of creative inspiration that have been experienced by some of our best known artists.

Opera superstar Danielle De Niese remembers how her mother inspired her to sing as a young girl growing up in Australia, with an interpretation of Barbra Streisand's Evergreen that taught her that singing is as much about personal interpretation.

Gabriel Krauze was longlisted for the Booker Prize for his debut novel Who They Was, based on his time as a member of criminal gangs as a young man on the streets of west London. An obsessive reader of fiction as a child, he remembers the epiphany of first hearing It Was Written, an album by New York rapper Nas which inspired him to tell his own stories of criminality and survival.

As a young girl, actress Olivia Williams wanted to be a ballet dancer after falling in love with Rudolf Nureyev when she saw him dance in Sleeping Beauty. She was inspired to become a stage actress Royal Shakespeare after seeing Judi Dench lead a comedy musical production of A Comedy Of Errors in the mid 1970s.

Ceramic artist and author Edmund de Waal first discovered the pottery wheel when he was taken to an evening art class at the age of five, a moment of epiphany that set the course of his life for the next 50 years.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Moments of inspiration recalled by some of our best known artists.

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Erland Cooper returns to his childhood home in Stromness, Orkney, to remember how he fell in love with reel-to-reel tape, using Tascam recorders to create sound textures from the music he first began creating.

Isata Kanneh-Mason was the eldest of seven siblings who all played classical music in their family home in Nottingham. Isata recalls her earliest musical memories of learning the piano at her grandparents' home in the Caribbean, and later becoming entranced by Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto every night when she went to bed. `I was lifted out of myself into another world,` Isata says.

Leeds-born poet Caroline Bird read a James Tait poem at the age of 13 and immediately realised that she needed to write. Years later, as an award winning author, Caroline explains how every successful poem demands an epiphany.

Testament is a hip hop artist, playwright and poet. Obsessed with the poetry of William Blake as a child, his life changed when he saw American singer-songwriter Gil Scott-Heron play live in Manchester, a gig that was a spiritual experience for the teenager.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Moments of inspiration recalled by some of our best known artists.

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

John Wilson explores the intimate moments of creative inspiration that have been experienced by some of our best known artists.

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Erland Cooper returns to his childhood home in Stromness, Orkney, to remember how he fell in love with reel-to-reel tape, using Tascam recorders to create sound textures from the music he first began creating.

Isata Kanneh-Mason was the eldest of seven siblings who all played classical music in their family home in Nottingham. Isata recalls her earliest musical memories of learning the piano at her grandparents' home in the Caribbean, and later becoming entranced by Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto every night when she went to bed. `I was lifted out of myself into another world,` Isata says.

Leeds-born poet Caroline Bird read a James Tait poem at the age of 13 and immediately realised that she needed to write. Years later, as an award winning author, Caroline explains how every successful poem demands an epiphany.

Testament is a hip hop artist, playwright and poet. Obsessed with the poetry of William Blake as a child, his life changed when he saw American singer-songwriter Gil Scott-Heron play live in Manchester, a gig that was a spiritual experience for the teenager.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Moments of inspiration recalled by some of our best known artists.

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

The actress Lisa Dwan recalls the unforgettable impact of seeing her first Beckett play on television, and then, as a young actress, receiving the script for `Not I` and realising that this was a man who was writing for ‘the voices in my head'.

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream talks about writing poetry as child in a tough Glaswegian comprehensive school and the breakthrough moment during the writing of the band's hit ‘I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have' when he realised you didn't have to use metaphor or symbolism, but instead could channel raw, honest emotion.

Novelist Sara Collins remembers fleeing Jamaica with her family at the age of four, after her father was forced into exile during the political turmoil of the mid-1970s. As the feelings of displacement and loss of identity overwhelmed her, she found solace in the world of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Match Girl.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

John Wilson explores the intimate moments of creative inspiration that have been experienced by some of our best known artists.

The actress Lisa Dwan recalls the unforgettable impact of seeing her first Beckett play on television, and then, as a young actress, receiving the script for `Not I` and realising that this was a man who was writing for ‘the voices in my head'.

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream talks about writing poetry as child in a tough Glaswegian comprehensive school and the breakthrough moment during the writing of the band's hit ‘I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have' when he realised you didn't have to use metaphor or symbolism, but instead could channel raw, honest emotion.

Novelist Sara Collins remembers fleeing Jamaica with her family at the age of four, after her father was forced into exile during the political turmoil of the mid-1970s. As the feelings of displacement and loss of identity overwhelmed her, she found solace in the world of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Match Girl.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey

John Wilson explores the intimate moments of creative inspiration that have been experienced by some of our best known artists.

The actress Lisa Dwan recalls the unforgettable impact of seeing her first Beckett play on television, and then, as a young actress, receiving the script for `Not I` and realising that this was a man who was writing for ‘the voices in my head'.

Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream talks about writing poetry as child in a tough Glaswegian comprehensive school and the breakthrough moment during the writing of the band's hit ‘I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have' when he realised you didn't have to use metaphor or symbolism, but instead could channel raw, honest emotion.

Novelist Sara Collins remembers fleeing Jamaica with her family at the age of four, after her father was forced into exile during the political turmoil of the mid-1970s. As the feelings of displacement and loss of identity overwhelmed her, she found solace in the world of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Match Girl.

Produced by John Wilson

Executive Producer: David Prest

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

The inspiring moments that start an artistic journey