Series in which writers are invited to muse on their alternative talents as musicians.
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01 | 20080721 | 20090817 |  Novelist and journalist Terence Blacker discusses the guitar.His playing took him everywhere. He sees his strumming life appear before him. | |
| 01 | 02 | 20080723 | 20090819 | Poet Ruth Padel recalls her role as a viola player, which won out over piano playing and singing. She came to it through countless family promptings. | |
| 01 | 03 LAST | 20080724 | 20090820 | Novelist Jonathan Coe recalls his piano playing days, which led to forming a band at the wrong time for his sort of 'sound'. But he played on, it seems. | |
| 02 | 01 | Patrick Gale | 20091012 | 20100726 | Music might feature in the work of many writers, but do many writers play an instrument? Quite a few do, and this essay series charts five writers with musical 'careers'. Here is a bit of autobiography, telling listeners how they started out, their inspirations, their memorable performances and how playing relates to their lives as writers. And they are keen to demonstrate their musical talents, which you can hear at the end of each essay! Novelist Patrick Gale begins the series with his recollections of taking up the cello. It was better than playing sports at school and now he's commissioned someone to make him his own instrument. Novelist Patrick Gale recalls how he got to grips with the cello as a schoolboy. Series in which writers describe their passions and talents for playing a musical instrument. Of course for him, playing music was far better than playing sport. |
| 02 | 02 | Al Kennedy | 20091013 | Series in which writers describe their passions and talents for playing a musical instrument. Novelist AL Kennedy describes what happened after she found a neglected banjo in a shop in Glasgow. Novelist AL Kennedy describes the result of finding a neglected banjo in a shop in Glasgow | |
| 02 | 03 | Louise Doughty | 20091014 | 20100727 | Series in which writers describe their passions and talents for playing a musical instrument. Novelist Louise Doughty explains how playing the piano later in life presented new challenges. Louise Doughty on how playing the piano later in life presented new challenges. Music might feature in the work of many writers, but do many writers play an instrument? Quite a few do, and this essay series charts five writers with musical 'careers'. Here is a bit of autobiography, telling listeners how they started out, their inspirations, their memorable performances and how playing relates to their lives as writers. And they are keen to demonstrate their musical talents, which you can hear at the end of each essay! Novelist and journalist Louise Doughty has taken up the piano later in life, in fact only last year. So how will learning to play now be different from learning as a child? |
| 02 | 04 | Jasper Rees | 20091015 | 20100728 | Music might feature in the work of many writers, but do many writers play an instrument? Quite a few do, and this essay series charts five writers with musical 'careers'. Here is a bit of autobiography, telling listeners how they started out, their inspirations, their memorable performances and how playing relates to their lives as writers. And they are keen to demonstrate their musical talents, which you can hear at the end of each essay! Journalist Jasper Rees set himself the challenge of re-learning to play the French Horn in one year. And after that year he was going to play in front of an audience - at the Royal Festival Hall. Jasper Rees on re-learning the French horn and playing live at the Royal Festival Hall. Series in which writers describe their passions and talents for playing a musical instrument. Journalist Jasper Rees sets himself the crazy challenge of re-learning the French horn, then playing live at the Royal Festival Hall. |
| 02 | 05 LAST | Niall Ferguson | 20091016 | 20100730 | Music might feature in the work of many writers, but do many writers play an instrument? Quite a few do, and this essay series charts five writers with musical 'careers'. Here is a bit of autobiography, telling listeners how they started out, their inspirations, their memorable performances and how playing relates to their lives as writers. And they are keen to demonstrate their musical talents, which you can hear at the end of each essay! The historian Niall Ferguson confesses that he stole a double bass to later join a local jazz quartet, who were beguiled by Charles Mingus. Historian Niall Ferguson recalls his days as the double-bass player in a jazz quartet. Series in which writers describe their passions and talents for playing a musical instrument. Historian Niall Ferguson recalls with fondness his days as the double-bass player in a jazz quartet. |