Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 01:40 PM

Here's a brief interview with Charles Parker:

https://vimeo.com/108037069

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 01:13 PM

Off for a few days tomorrow - thought I'd leave with a story about Charlie Parker at work
Romeo and Juliet was set in the East End of London, and Charlie, as they were finishing up, decided to record some 'atmosphere' in Angel Lane Market - basically a matter of wandering around with the tape recorder running, recording streets sounds.
At one stage he found his reel had run out, so he set about putting on a new one.
At that moment, a mother passed with an extremely reluctant loud and cranky child in tow, letting out a stream of poetic abuse at the unfortunate sprog at great length.
Charlie finished replacing the reel, sprinted after the woman and said, "madam, would you mind repeating that?"
Lovely man!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 08:12 AM

Mixed blessing really
In the early days of our dabbling in making things available I was told that any of the Beeb's folk material was only available for use by buying it and the cost was an across the board one, so say, Phil Tanner singing 'Banks of Sweet Primroses' would cost the same as Elvis singing 'Love Me Tender'.
I am convinced that most of the best was recorded and hoarded; it is hopefully a matter of finding it.
Organisations like 'The British Institute of Recorded Sound' (now National Sound Archive at the British Library) were dedicated to recordings as much as they could manage and since the advent of musicologists such as the lovely Lucy Duran, that included folk music.
Until the time when these organisations are in the position to make their holdings freely available on line, we'll have to make to with the hard work and dedication of people like CJB, and who knows, one of these days Folk Music will be taken serious enough by them upstairs to realise that the material that has been obtained largely through our licence fees should be made freely available to us - stranger things have happened!!!
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Apr 15 - 07:38 AM

Does the BBC care about the folk programmes in its archives? I think not. So many of the 'lost' programmes that have surfaced recently and mysteriously were only ever aired once - then never saw the light of day.

Take for example the so-called Birmingham (Radio) Ballads - the disinterest of which was much lamented by the late Ian Campbell.

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/enth13.htm

BTW the HUGELY expensive i.t. project by which archival recordings would be made available online to the public for a small fee was recently abandoned at the expense of hapless licence fee payers who footed the multi-million pound bill.

Yet recently the Beeb has been increasingly aggressive against the sharing of what it regards as copyright material. RadioDownloader was forced to close down; as have numerous OTR torrent sites.

However at the same time the Beeb has become increasingly dissimissve in its response to legitimate OTR enthusiasts trying to return recordings to its archives. See:

http://wipednews.com/features/charles-norton-on-missing-episodes-and-thegraham-webb-archive/

One Robert Ross commented on January 6, 2012 at 11:51 pm:

"Incredible! Unbelievable! Crass! Stupid! If the BBC are only interested in recovering material they can sell, then surely they are effectively relinquishing copyright, and possessors of "lost" material should have the right to market it themselves – or donate it to an archive where it can be easily accessed! In years to come, I imagine the Beeb will regret their current stance!
"Crass and stupid" has been the response of the enthusiast who tried to return 'lost' recordings but was refused."

Personally I have offered back hundreds of Folkweave recordings - all junked by BBC Radio Manchester (the masters were found in a skip at the back of the building). The Beeb showed no interest at all. Likewise with the London Folk Song Cellar which we have rescued from New Zealand and around the world.

It is thanks to those home-tapers of the 1950/60/70/80s that many programmes have been saved for present and future generations to enjoy. Sadly the Beeb and its dusty archives (archivists?) think otherwise.

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 02:51 PM

Nice bit of research for anybody who has the time and inclination.
Much of the unused actuality which was recorded for the Radio Ballads survived, both in Charles Parker's and Ewan and Peggy's personal archive - I assume Charlie's is in Birmingham, Ewan and Peg's is housed at Ruskin College in Oxford.
Some of it is spectacular stuff, particularly the Sam Larner interviews and some of the Miner's stories.
We were lucky to be able to access some of the latter for a C90 cassette of British and Irish storytelling we edited for Malcolm Taylor at The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, ".... and that's my story"..
Don't know how the BBC feels about it nowadays, but it really should be made available to anybody interested in songs, storytelling and social history
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 09:23 AM

Two more lost radio ballad / operas:

http://research.culturalequity.org/home-radio.jsp

Stone of Tory, 1950. A full-scale ballad opera, broadcast from Dublin, featuring Irish rural singers and a cast from the Abbey Theatre.

Over the Sea to Skye, 1951. A ballad opera on the flight of Prince Charlie through the Highlands, with Ewan MacColl and a cast of Scots and Hebridean folk singers.

CJB.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 08:26 AM

Hmmm - sorry forgot the blue clickies ...

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/a8p6lbj1r653e/The_Lonesome_Train_Cantata

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/pj8cq8cbccsdy/The_Old_Chisholm_Trail

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 08:24 AM

Woops - sorry The Old Chisholm Trail is also from 1944. CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 08:01 AM

And here's a treat:

Two restored recordings of original ballad operas that likely inspired Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger to write their own version(s) of the Radio Ballads:

The Lonesome Train - Lincoln's last train ride (original 78s) (1944)

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/a8p6lbj1r653e/The_Lonesome_Train_Cantata

The Old Chisholm Trail - BBC (NYC) (1966)

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/pj8cq8cbccsdy/The_Old_Chisholm_Trail

Sadly one important but still missing ballad opera is:

"The Man Who Went to War, 1944. A "ballad opera" by Langston Hughes with folk music chosen by Alan Lomax. It starred Canada Lee, Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters, William Vesey, Josh White, Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee."

Anyway enjoy.

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,Barney_S
Date: 10 Apr 15 - 05:10 AM

Cheers for that, CJB. Am possibly going to see Sandra Kerr play later this year, may have to ask her about this.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 15 - 10:24 AM

Re: Personnel involved with Romeo & Juliet

There are these links:

http://www.wcml.org.uk/contents/activists/ewan-maccoll/radio-and-oral-history/the-radio-ballads/

1966 Romeo and Juliet

Not a Radio Ballad but related in terms of radio technique, this was an hour-long modem version of Shakespeare's play, improvised and performed by the London Critics Group. Broadcast by the BBC and produced by Charles Parker.

Songs:
Down the Lane
Friday Night
Juliet's Song
After the Weekend It's Monday
Sweet Thames, Flow Softly
Death of Tim and Wizz

====

http://www.peggyseeger.com/about/press/peggy-seeger-long-cv

1966 - Romeo and Juliet - not a radio ballad but related in terms of radio technique, this was an hour-long modern version of Shakespeare's play, improvised and performed by the London Critics Group. Broadcast by the BBC and produced by Charles Parker.

====

Aha - it was member's of the Critics Group that performed the 'ballad.

Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Critics_Group

"Members of the group at various times included Frankie Armstrong, Bob Blair, Brian Byrne (UK), Helen Campbell (UK), Jim Carroll (UK), Phil Colclough, Aldwyn Cooper, Ted Culver, John Faulkner, Richard Humm, Allen Ives, Sandra Kerr, Paul Lenihan, Pat Mackenzie, Jim O'Connor, Maggie O'Murphy, Charles Parker, Brian Pearson, Michael Rosen, Buff Rosenthal, Susanna Steele, Denis Turner, Jack Warshaw, Terry Yarnell and others who joined for individual Festival of Fools shows."

Discography incl.

Sweet Thames, Flow Softly 1966 Argo ZDA 47 (John Faulkner, Sandra Kerr, Terry Yarnell, Ted Culver and Jim O'Connor)

Review

http://www.netrhythms.co.uk/reviewsc.html#critics

====

And in the dusty archives is even more information - locked out from the rest of us ...

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=romeo+juliet+maccoll

====

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 02:03 PM

For personal for Romeo & Juliet maybe see Genome:

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=romeo+and+juliet+ballad+song&media=all&yf=1923&yt=2009&mf=1&mt=12&tf=00%3A00&tt=00%3A00

BBC Home Service
18 May 1966 14.20

BALLAD AND FOLK SONG A Radio Ballad by CHARLES PARKER based on Romeo and Juliet re-cast in the language and experience of today with songs and music by EWAN MACCOI. L and PEGGY SEEGER
Part 1
Books. Plays, Poems series         

BBC Home Service

25 May 1966 14.20

BALLAD AND FOLK SONG A Radio Ballad by EWAN MACCOLL based on Romeo and Juliet recast in the language and experience of today with songs and music by EWAN MACCOLL and PEGGY SEEGER
Part 2
Books. Plays. Poems series

====

http://www.wcml.org.uk/contents/activists/ewan-maccoll/radio-and-oral-history/the-radio-ballads/

1966 Romeo and Juliet

Not a Radio Ballad but related in terms of radio technique, this was an hour-long modem version of Shakespeare's play, improvised and performed by the London Critics Group. Broadcast by the BBC and produced by Charles Parker.

songs:
Down the Lane
Friday Night
Juliet's Song
After the Weekend It's Monday
Sweet Thames, Flow Softly
Death of Tim and Wizz

====

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=7910

Subject: RE: BBC Radio Balads by Ewan McColl/Chas. Parker
From: Nerd
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 11:20 PM

Dick and co:

MacColl's Romeo and Juliet was not a radio ballad, it was a radio drama he did after the Radio Ballads proper. Peggy Seeger calls it "not a radio ballad but related in terms of radio technique." Radio Ballads were documentary programmes created out of hours of ethnographic or journalistic interviews. Romeo and Juliet was an updated version of the Shakespeare drama, improvised and performed by the Critics Group.. But it had some great songs, including Sweet Thames Flow Softly.

====

I'll research further.

CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,Barney_S
Date: 08 Apr 15 - 05:26 AM

Would you happen to have the personnel for Romeo and Juliet, CJB? I think I recognised Kerr and Faulkner...

Thanks for The Iron Box - a massively powerful piece of work. It's inspired me to re-read Eldridge Cleaver's 'Soul On Ice', anyway.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 06 Apr 15 - 09:46 AM

I might recommend that everyone in the US at least downloads two Radio Ballads "The Iron Box" and "Off Limits 2" - they are both about black racial issues in prisons and also in Vietnam. They are quite profound and explore deep issues. Indeed they are outstanding examples of this genre. CJB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,Barney_S
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 01:26 PM

Thanks for those CJB, much appreciated!

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 11:32 AM

Sorry blue clicky links above are:

"Romeo & Juliet"

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g6wtehxhb61ltzd/AACD0xLXNQV7_Q_F5U0XwNc6a?dl=0

"The Iron Box"

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m5maw23hgol7r3v/AAAZlPKgl16w7OOD-NYsFGBIa?dl=0

"Off Limits 2"

https://soundcloud.com/jackaro/off-limits-2
(use a SoundCloud Downloader to extract the file)

"Sound The Jubilee"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2007/03/17/abolition_sound_the_jubilee_feature.shtml (**)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/image_galleries/sound_the_jubilee_gallery.shtml

CJB.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 15 - 11:26 AM

Hmm - appears that the said link has been deleted.

Try here for:

"Romeo & Juliet"

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g6wtehxhb61ltzd/AACD0xLXNQV7_Q_F5U0XwNc6a?dl=0

Also recently discovered is:

"The Iron Box" (only aired once in 1971)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m5maw23hgol7r3v/AAAZlPKgl16w7OOD-NYsFGBIa?dl=0

And then there is the banned "Off Limits 2"

https://soundcloud.com/jackaro/off-limits-2
(use a SoundCloud Downloader to extract the file)

There is also a favourite Radio Ballad of mine as part of the BBC's Abolition season in 2014. As Pete Seeger once remarked "The Power of Song" ... indeed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2007/03/17/abolition_sound_the_jubilee_feature.shtml (**)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/image_galleries/sound_the_jubilee_gallery.shtml

You can listen to the programme via the website (**) above.

CJB.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,Barney_S
Date: 04 Apr 15 - 06:28 PM

Sorry to bother you Guest, but I missed the Romeo and Juliet link above, any chance you could reupload it please?

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 15 - 09:56 AM

Romeo & Juliet - Radio Ballad

Enjoy!!

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 28 Mar 15 - 07:51 AM

Fred - any chance of a copy of said Jim Lloyd 'Folk on 2' programme please? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 06:43 AM

Another 'lost' Radio Ballad recently discovered - and never rebroadcast by the Beeb (do they still have a copy?).

18 May 1966 14.20

BALLAD AND FOLK SONG

Part 1

A Radio Ballad by CHARLES PARKER based on Romeo and Juliet re-cast in the language and experience of today with songs and music by EWAN MACCOLL and PEGGY SEEGER

25 May 1966 14.20

BALLAD AND FOLK SONG

Part 2

A Radio Ballad by EWAN MACCOLL based on Romeo and Juliet recast in the language and experience of today with songs and music by EWAN MACCOLL and PEGGY SEEGER

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 06:32 AM

Returning to Fred's original post, here is the link:

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=folk+on+2+radio+ballads#search

Scroll down for the entry required:

BBC Radio 2
29 June 1988 19.00

Jim Lloyd
with Folk on 2 'The most originally conceived, most brilliantly executed and most moving radio programme I have ever heard' was how Sir Hugh Greene described The Ballad of John Axon when it was first broadcast, 30 years ago this week.

Tonight Jim Lloyd looks back on the radio ballads with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.
Producer GEOFFREY HEWITT BBC Pebble Mill

====

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 27 Mar 15 - 06:18 AM

The mystery of "Landmarks: The Factory." This appears to not have been a Radio Ballad per se. It was actually a series of 6 documentary films produced by PHILIP DONNELLAN.

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=Landmarks+%22The+Factory%22#search

Thus the entry for episode 3 is:

====

BBC 2 - 27 December 1964 21.10
BBC 1 - 22 July 1965 19.00

LANDMARKS
of life from birth to old age in six documentary films
3: THE FACTORY
The Raleigh Works, Nottingham
Directed by CHARLES DENTON
Cameraman, Stewart A. Farnell
Sound recordist, Bill Barker
Still photography, Roger Mayne
Music,
EWAN MACCOLL , PEGGY SEEGER
Editor. Bill Veitch
A series from Birmingham
Produced by PHILIP DONNELLAN
First shown on BBC-2

====

In the above thread a similar programme is reported to have been made at Morris Oxford's in Cowley. The subjects of the other episodes are unknown. A web search for Landmarks produces nothing.

Only episode 3 is actually listed in the Radio Times Genome database.

One assumes that the Beeb still has copies of the films in its archives, but then the 1960s/70s was when, to its enduring disgrace, it junked a lot of its recordings. The programmes have never been aired since the 1960s (according to Genome). In fact this applies to most (all?) of Donnellan's films.

Sadly the recent largely unknown (under publicised) 'Flatpack' event in Birmingham which featured a few of Donnellan's films failed to feature any of the Landmark films.

====

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Jan 13 - 04:22 PM

I did a job for Charles Parker preparing for the Factory show, recording some singers in the Oxford region for his consideration. Of those I submitted, he chose Wymond Symes for the programme, but vehemently rejected Tony Rose as being wholly unsuitable! (I didn't record RoyH then, by the way. And Roy, I am still looking for the Bert Lloyd tape!)

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 29 Jan 13 - 11:52 AM

Henryp, ref your post of 1.April.12. The'Landmarks' radio ballad series was produced by Charles Parker and only broadcast in the Midlands Region, but it was not specific to Birmingham. 'The episode called 'The Factory' was about Morris Motors, Cowley, Oxford

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,folkymick
Date: 29 Jan 13 - 08:45 AM

thanks for the links to the original radio ballads and the later ones.

I'm still looking for the radio ballad about the sheffield steel industry, the bbc has some of the songs, but others (particularly Julie matthews 'crane driver' are not present.

does anyone have a downloaded version of this radio ballad?

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 29 May 12 - 11:39 AM

From Smooth Operations:

Dear Chris,

I understand you're having trouble finding out about the new series of Radio Ballads, which are due to be broadcast on Radio 2 this summer.

I'm afraid I can't offer you exact details about the programmes, as they are still in production as I write. However, I can say that they will air on Monday nights at 10pm, for six weeks, beginning on July 2nd.

I'm sorry we were slow to get you this information. It really is a work in progress. They have certainly not been abandoned! More detailed information will be available from the BBC Press Office in the coming weeks.

Kind regards,
Jon

Jon Lewis
Producer, Mike Harding Show, BBC Radio 2

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 25 May 12 - 05:40 AM

Who is Vince Hunt? Not a Mudcatter I'm sure. So how come he's got the contract to produce six new Radio Ballads for the Olympics? I would opine that Smooth Operations and the venerable VH might just not have the passion that Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker et al had for the original Radio Ballads. Does anyone have a different opinion?

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 24 May 12 - 02:07 PM

Radio Ballads for Olympics on hold or abandoned?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/olympiad/other/ballads.html

Smooth Operations are ignoring all requests for info.

Seems like the whole exercise has been abandoned at licence payers expense. NOT GOOD.

This from BBC:

Dear Mr Brady
Reference CAS-1460485-5JBJVP

Thanks for contacting us regarding BBC Radio 2.

We understand you'd like more information about an upcoming series 'The Ballad[s] of the Games'.

All information about our programmes will either be on the BBC Media Centre website, and closer to transmission, the BBC programmes page at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes

Unfortunately there isn't any further information about this series at present and we're unable to assist further at this stage. BBC Audience Services receives hundreds of thousands of requests each year for information about programmes. We are pleased that we can usually provide answers to nearly all the enquiries we receive. However, occasionally the information requested is not available and, due to limitations of time and resource, we're unable to conduct the further research necessary to provide a comprehensive response. As you can appreciate, the expenditure to do this can only come from the licence fee, resulting in resources being diverted from the primary function of the BBC, which is to provide programmes. However, we'd advise that you check the above web page and listen out for any upcoming trails about the series.

Nevertheless, we'd like to assure you that we've registered your concerns on our audience log. This is a daily report of audience feedback that's made available to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, programme makers, channel controllers and other senior managers.

The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

Kind Regards
Shona McCullough
BBC Complaints
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

NB This is sent from an outgoing account only which is not monitored. You cannot reply to this email address but if necessary please contact us via our webform quoting any case number we provided.

====

On the Smooth Operations website there is this:

http://www.ubcmedia.com/smoothoperations/operators/

Vince Hunt came to Smooth Operations in 1999 from the BBC in London where he was a news reporter and producer launching Five Live Breakfast, producing World Service radio news programmes and World Service TV coverage of the Gulf War and Omagh bomb. Within weeks he was in a car crossing the USA with Andy Kershaw making the series 'Promised Land'.

Since then he's worked across the range of Smooth Operations output, particularly on the Mike Harding Show, the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and the award-winning Radio Ballads series for BBC Radio 2. Vince is currently working on a further series of Ballads about the Olympics for BBC Radio 2.

====

So one Vince Hunt (who?) is supposed to be working on the Radio Ballads for the Olympics. BUT SMOOTH OPERATIONS REFUSE TO DIVULGE DETAILS ABOUT THEM. I've emailed tham many times at: [e-mail]

So wft? NOT GOOD.

CJB.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 16 Apr 12 - 12:28 PM

BBC iPlayer for audio progs. is available from overseas. I tested it in Barbados recently!!! Worked a treat.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GMGough
Date: 16 Apr 12 - 10:48 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r00pb

There is now a link on this page
to the programme on BBC iPlayer
(probably only UK only)

This particular iPlayer link is labelled
as expiring in six days ie 22/04/2012.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 16 Apr 12 - 09:12 AM

Never Again - A Lament for the Titanic

Sunday, 08:00 on BBC Radio 4 Extra

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gnlmt

Synopsis

BBC Radio Solent's lament for the RMS Titanic. Featuring new and specially-composed music by Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl.

Broadcasts
Sun 22 Apr 2012 08:00BBC Radio 4 Extra
Sun 22 Apr 2012 15:00BBC Radio 4 Extra
Sun 22 Apr 2012 20:00BBC Radio 4 Extra
Mon 23 Apr 2012 03:00BBC Radio 4 Extra

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 16 Apr 12 - 05:11 AM

Original Radio Ballads - Travelling People now at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01gkh6s/The_Radio_Ballads_Travelling_People/

Saturday, 14:00 on BBC Radio 4 Extra

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gk3k5

Charles Parker Prize 2012

Synopsis - Sara Parker introduces the 3 winning radio features of the prize dedicated to her father's memory, and meets the student winners.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 12 Apr 12 - 01:07 AM

"Never Again"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r00pb

Never Again - A lament for the Titanic : 15/04/2012
NEXT ON: Sunday, 08:30 on BBC Radio Solent
SYNOPSIS
BBC Radio Solent presents NEVER AGAIN, a Lament for the Titanic. Featuring new and specially-composed music by Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl.

With the actual words of many people connected to the Titanic - survivors of the wreck, and relatives of those lost at sea.

And with accounts from newspapers of the time, and from the official public enquiry into the tragedy.

Swim To The Stars performed by Peggy Seeger. Composed by Peggy Seeger and Calum MacColl.

The Titanic performed by the late Mary Anne Canny.

This previously unpublished recording was kindly made available to the BBC by its producer, Jimmy McBride.

Musicians:

Audrey Palmer
Elizabeth David
Mollie Stannard
David Rhind-Tutt
Sammie Catling
Helen Williams
Mike Butler.

Recorded voices of survivors - and
relations of those involved in the wreck provided by the Southampton City Archive Oral History project and the BBC Archive.
Scenes from the Public Inquiry
and other contemporary accounts read
by:

Russell Boulter
Michael Haughey
Caroline Hunt
Christy McMullen
Hannah-Jane Churchman
Robert Hutchison
Stephanie Racine
Christopher McKay
Howard Mellor
Cecily O'Neill
Peter Russell
Dave Arnold
Andy McKeane
Tom Chenhall
Audrey Palmer
Philip Sherlock
Producer: Neil Sackley.
Written and directed by Philip Glassborow.

BROADCAST

Sun 15 Apr 20120 8:30
BBC Radio Solent

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 12 Apr 12 - 12:57 AM

New Radio Ballad: Titanic - "Never Again"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2012/Titanic-anniversary-.html

BBC Radio Solent

Live coverage throughout the anniversary week of the ceremonies and services in Southampton and in a series of Breakfast Show features, Titanic Streets, will meet with Southampton residents to reveal the unique Titanic history within their homes.

On April 15, from 6.00am-9.00am a special programme will reflect the North Atlantic memorial service with guests including relatives of the crew and Titanic experts. This includes a specially commissioned piece in the style of the famous BBC Radio Ballads, entitled Never Again. This Titanic lament has been written by Hampshire playwright Philip Glassborow, with contributions from folk-singer/songwriter Peggy Seeger.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston will also present a two hour documentary telling the story of the Titanic's final voyage and its impact on life in the South.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 08:10 AM

Gillian Renolds is probably your best bet - worked in the Beeb and was cirman of Charles Parker Archive - not sure of her status in either nowadays.
Failing that - I have nae doot Malcolm Taylor could point you in the right direction
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 08:10 AM

Gillian Renolds is probably your best bet - worked in the Beeb and was cirman of Charles Parker Archive - not sure of her status in either nowadays.
Failing that - I have nae doot Malcolm Taylor could point you in the right direction
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 08:01 AM

Does anyone have any contacts in the Beeb? Does anyone know how to campaign to the BBC Radio 4 Extra scheduling team to try and petition them to (re)broadcast the three Birmingham Ballads?

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 10 Apr 12 - 06:43 AM

Next to be aired on BBC Radio 4 Extra - Sat 14 Apr 2012 14:00 - then later for a week on iPlayer:

Radio Ballads - The Travelling People

Charles Parker's 1964 ballad documents the prejudice faced by those who lead the gipsy life. With music by Ewan MacColl.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01gkh6s

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ljkf6

Note that RadioDownloader will download this programme from iPlayer or try using get_iplayer

Both work from overseas.

Enjoy!!

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 01:48 PM

Another original Radio Ballad - The Song of a Road aired on Saturday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00lfhq0/The_Radio_Ballads_The_Song_of_a_Road/

Available on BBC iPlayer for 7 days.

Can be downloaded using RadioDownloader or get_iplayer.

Seems like they're repeating the original Radio Ballads.

Wonder if they'll include the Birmingham Ballads too?

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 02 Apr 12 - 07:41 AM

In the search for programmes in the Radio Ballads format - here are three excellent ones.

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Sound the Jubilee

http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2007/03/17/abolition_sound_the_jubilee_feature.shtml

As part of the BBC Abolition season, Genevieve Tudor's Sunday Folk has a specially recorded radio version of the New Scorpion Band's Sound the Jubilee - music and readings from the history of slavery.

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Ballad of the Miners' Strike

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r33b2

Date: Tue 02/Mar/10 22:30
Duration: 1hr

In specially commissioned songs to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the miners' strike, Radio 2 explores how lives were changed by the year-long dispute (1984-85). The Ballad of the Miners' Strike is a forthright and powerful exploration of contrasting human experiences.

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The Lost Days of Steam

http://www.themusicwellhome.co.uk/programme.aspx?path=LostDaysOfSteam

A programme about various aspects of the railway industry featuring stories from railway workers and songs from folk singers who have an interest in railways past and present

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Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 06:46 PM

Aha - so an undocumented Birmingham Ballad is "The Factory." Now how on earth do we find a copy of that one!! Hmm - I have an idea ...

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 06:22 PM

Burl above said; It was me that sang 'Tiny Newman' in 'The Factory', one of the 'Landmarks' radio ballad series broadcast only in the BBC Midlands area. Producer Charles Parker, Music Peggy Seeger, Script by Alisdair Clayre.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 01:55 PM

The 'lost' Birmingham Ballad "The Jewelry" is available at:

http://www.mediafire.com/index.php#8yi2pivbm13n1

===

The Birmingham Ballads

"Too Late Tommorrow" - the first of three(*) Radio Ballads produced by Charles Parker for the BBC Midland Home Service about the City of Birmingham.

This programme is about the Birmingham 'Jewelry Quarter' entitled:

"The Jewelry"

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_ballads

http://www.cpatrust.org.uk/Bham_ballads.htm

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/enth13.htm

http://www.pegseeger.com/html/radioballads.html

===

(*) hmm - 'three' - that's what the announcer clearly says. Well there's this one. Maybe "Cry from the Cut" and ...??

I wonder if the Radio Times for that period are online and could elicit what the really missing third programme?

===

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 01:30 PM

Birmingham Ballads

"The Jewelry" starts off with an intro. from the BBC Home Service anouncer mentioning that this was the first of THREE programmes about Birmingham.

What were the other two?

Chris.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 31 Mar 12 - 12:25 PM

BTW if Ian Campbell & co. would like the source files in WAV format at 500MB each I'm sure it would be possible to send him them.

===

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 30 Mar 12 - 01:24 PM

Birmingham Ballad "Cry from the Cut" is now here - it is superb:

http://www.mediafire.com/?8yi2pivbm13n1

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_ballads

http://www.cpatrust.org.uk/Bham_ballads.htm

http://www.mustrad.org.uk/enth13.htm

http://www.pegseeger.com/html/radioballads.html

===

"It's a Hard Life for a Girl on the Cut" was written, apparently for the "Cry from the Cut" programme. The words can be found here : http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/hard_life.htm

===

AND there is a great version of the 'Cry from the Cut' here, it uses BBC archival interviews from canal folk from a separate programme from the BBC:

http://vimeo.com/17437484

===

The BBC 'Narrow Boats' LP can be found here:

http://www.oysterbroadcast.co.uk/click.html

===

The Folkweave Canals Trilogy can be found here:

http://www.oysterbroadcast.co.uk/click.html

===

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 26 Mar 12 - 09:05 AM

The Hancock episode referred to at iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b007n162/Hancocks_Half_Hour_Anna_and_the_King_of_Siam/ was actually aired on Wed 21/Mar/12 08:00 - duration: 30min.

The film of 'The King and I' inspires the lad's own unmusical and argumentative version. Stars Tony Hancock. From November 1956.

It is a classic and came from the BBC Treasure Hunt - that is it came from someone who home taped it in 1956.

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: ChrisJBrady
Date: 26 Mar 12 - 08:15 AM

If anyone listened for one hour then it appears that the file on iPlayer is not the file broadcast. And when was Hancock aired? Anyway the file from iPlayer states:

General
Complete name                   : C:\Downloads\The Radio Ballads Singing the Fishing 24-03-12.m4a
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Apple AAC audio with iTunes info
Codec ID                         : M4A
File size                        : 34.2 MiB
Duration                         : 36mn 0s
Overall bit rate                : 133 Kbps
Album                            : The Radio Ballads
Track name                      : The Radio Ballads: Singing the Fishing
Performer                        : BBC Radio 4 Extra
Genre                            : Podcast
Encoded date                     : 2012
Writing application             : Lavf53.6.0
Cover                            : Yes
Comment                         : Tales from the Norfolk and Scottish herring fleets with Ewan McColl's songs. Award-winning documentary from August 1960.

Audio
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 36mn 0s
Bit rate mode                   : Constant
Bit rate                         : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)                      : 2 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L R
Sampling rate                   : 44.1 KHz
Stream size                      : 33.0 MiB (96%)

However this file is full length:

rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio2/radioballads/singingthefishing.rm

General
Complete name                   : C:\Downloads\BBC Radio - Radio Ballads - Originals WebRip (1958-1964)\singingthefishing.rm
Format                           : RealMedia
File size                        : 12.9 MiB
Duration                         : 55mn 49s
Overall bit rate                : 32.5 Kbps

Audio
ID                               : 0
Format                           : Cooker
Codec ID                         : cook
Codec ID/Info                   : Based on G.722.1, Real Player 6
Duration                         : 55mn 49s
Bit rate                         : 32.5 Kbps
Channel(s)                      : 2 channels
Sampling rate                   : 22.05 KHz
Bit depth                        : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 13.0 MiB

Subject: RE: Radio Ballads Anniversary Programme
From: GMGough
Date: 25 Mar 12 - 03:35 PM

>CJB, when I listened to it yesterday, it WAS an hour long --

yes it was - wonderful programme.
on iPlayer the link to Singing The Fishing gives the first 30 mins.
the link to Tony Hancock at 14.30 gives the second half hour.

possible reason is the current budget constraints at the BBC (ie no time for attention to detail)

NB iPlayer links are usually only good for 7 days from the original broadcast. As previously noted: next week - The Big Hewer.

Best is buy the Cds if you have the cash ...