The Music Appreciation Movement

Episode

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20110822

20120903 (R3)

In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this first programme he looks at the movement's origins, and the work of its British pioneer, Percy Scholes.

Producer: Sara Davies

First broadcast in August 2011.

Richard Witts on the origins of Music Appreciation, and the work of pioneer Percy Scholes.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

20110823

20120904 (R3)

In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century as postmodernism cast doubt on what was 'great' and 'serious'. In this second programme he looks at the work of the educationalist and pioneer schools broadcaster Walford Davies, and one of his team of music educators known dismissively by the Bloomsbury set as 'Walford's Holy Women', Imogen Holst.

Producer: Sara Davies

First broadcast in August 2011.

Richard Witts on educationalist Walford Davies and Imogen Holst, one of his team.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

20110825

20120905 (R3)

In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts of Edge Hill University explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this third programme he explores the significance of programme notes, and looks at how the BBC took on the mission to inform and educate its audience about classical music.

Producer: Sara Davies

First broadcast in August 2011.

Musicologist Richard Witts explores the significance of programme notes.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

20110826

20120907 (R3)

In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and suggests why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this final programme he explores the movement's excursion into film, and links its demise to a new broadcasting era.

Producer: Sara Davies

First broadcast in August 2011.

Richard Witts on Music Appreciation's excursion into film and a new broadcasting era.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20110822	20120903 (R3)	In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this first programme he looks at the movement's origins, and the work of its British pioneer, Percy Scholes. Producer: Sara Davies First broadcast in August 2011. Richard Witts on the origins of Music Appreciation, and the work of pioneer Percy Scholes. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	20110823	20120904 (R3)	In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century as postmodernism cast doubt on what was 'great' and 'serious'. In this second programme he looks at the work of the educationalist and pioneer schools broadcaster Walford Davies, and one of his team of music educators known dismissively by the Bloomsbury set as 'Walford's Holy Women', Imogen Holst. Producer: Sara Davies First broadcast in August 2011. Richard Witts on educationalist Walford Davies and Imogen Holst, one of his team. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	20110825	20120905 (R3)	In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts of Edge Hill University explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and clarifies why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this third programme he explores the significance of programme notes, and looks at how the BBC took on the mission to inform and educate its audience about classical music. Producer: Sara Davies First broadcast in August 2011. Musicologist Richard Witts explores the significance of programme notes. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	20110826	20120907 (R3)	In the early twentieth century a prominent British movement sprang up under the title 'Music Appreciation', with the aims of introducing to 'ordinary' listeners 'great' or 'serious' music, and teaching them 'the art of listening'. Radio became a chief means by which this misson was to be accomplished, while books, adult education courses and regional 'Music Travellers', also contributed to a new educational field. In this series, musicologist and cultural historian Richard Witts explains the movement's origins, ambitions and idiosyncrasies, and suggests why it fell out of favour in the second half of the twentieth century. In this final programme he explores the movement's excursion into film, and links its demise to a new broadcasting era. Producer: Sara Davies First broadcast in August 2011. Richard Witts on Music Appreciation's excursion into film and a new broadcasting era. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.