Words and Music

A programme inspired by the materials used for Olympic medals, as well as brass, taking in golden birds, the silver moon, bronzed tans and brass bands. Metals precious, dangerous and rare as well as the common and everyday inspire this shiny selection, from the chase for Olympic gold and glory to Wendall Berry's humble life well lived in A Brass Bowl. Dvorak and Yeats bewitch by the light of the silvery moon and Rosemary Sutcliffe transports us to the Bronze Age. The programme delves into the many meanings of metals, meeting golden cockerels, eagles and moles, and puts its hope into Ian Serraillier's Silver Sword. There's golden music from Shostakovich, as well as Turnage's Silver Tassie, Gliere's Bronze Horseman and the best in brass from the Black Dyke Band. The readers are Lesley Nicol and Robin Morrissey.