Legendary guitarist Carlos Santana leads his band in highlights from a concert recorded in 1976, featuring the classics Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va and Soul Sacrifice.
Adventures with Baroness Orczy's disguised superhero. The true identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel is threatened with exposure when a foppish young aristocrat is mistaken for Sir Percy.
Over dinner, Michael Portillo and seven guests discuss whether scientists can be morally neutral in their pursuit of scientific knowledge. Should scientists take an ethical stand on how science is used? Should there be limits on what scientists are allowed to discover? What ethical dilemmas will be thrown up by the science of the future? Guests include Baroness Susan Greenfield, Mark Henderson and Bryan Appleyard.
A non-religious Christmas celebration of comedy, science and music recorded live at London's Hammersmith Apollo in December 2009. Stand-up comedian and humanist Robin Ince is joined by a host of leading lights from the world of science, including Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre, as well as musicians and top comedians from Mark Steel to Shappi Khorsandi.
Robin Ince, Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, Mark Steel, Richard Herring, Shappi Khorsandi, Ben Goldacre, Simon Singh, Barry Cryer and Ronnie Golden, Robyn Hitchcock, Jim Bob and Baba Brinkman.
Drama series about Jackie Peyton, a no-nonsense emergency room nurse based in New York, who has to balance her frenzied job with a complicated home life. A man is admitted to hospital with a steak knife injury after a first date. Meanwhile, Eddie gives Jackie an anniversary present.
Beneath the veneer of po-faced respectability lies a wealth of great characters in Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller's sketch show.
Nicola Murray MP has only been secretary of state for just over a week, but already there is press speculation on how long she will last. And now someone at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship has completely wiped the immigration records of 170,672 people.
Who's going to get the blame? Who's going to get the job of breaking the news to Malcolm? And how is Nicola going to get through an entire lunch with the staff of the Guardian without revealing the catastrophic scale of the latest computer disaster?
Classical superstar Lang Lang returns to the Proms to play an eternal favourite, Chopin's Piano Concerto No 2 in F Minor. Also in the programme are the UK premiere of British composer Rebecca Saunders's revised work 'traces' and Richard Strauss's epic symphonic poem, the Alpine Symphony. The concert is performed by one of the world's longest-standing orchestras, the Staatskapelle Dresden, conducted by Fabio Luisi.
SUNDAY 24 JANUARY 2010
SUN 19:00 Dear Diary (b00q0hpz)
Rory Bremner
Rory Bremner asks what diaries can offer to history.
What makes a diary almost as famous as the events it describes? Rory takes polar explorer Pen Hadow to see the extraordinary last diary of Captain Scott, an emotional experience for the adventurer.
A boat trip on the Thames reveals Edwina Currie's passion for another former MP, Samuel Pepys. He wrote in secret and in shorthand, seemingly to prevent anyone ever reading his now-famous journal, but who better than Edwina to appreciate the impact of a political diarist with a colourful private life?
A trip to Kent to visit Jane Clark at Saltwood Castle sees Rory get an exclusive peek at the original Alan Clark diaries.
There's more rummaging through the archives in Sussex when Rory spends time at the biggest collective diary project ever undertaken. Victoria Wood, who he meets there, was inspired by one of the wartime Mass-Observation diarists, Nella Last, to create the Bafta-winning Housewife 49.
Contributors include Claire Tomalin, Craig Brown, Tony Benn, Jonathan Aitken, Ben Saunders, Ion Trewin, Simon Garfield and Gyles Brandreth.
SUN 20:00 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b00q0hvl)
Series 1
Great Zimbabwe
Four-part series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's most important kingdoms.
The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth.
But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades, researchers and archaeologists have begun to uncover a range of histories as impressive and extraordinary as anywhere else in the world.
The series reveals that Africa's stories are preserved for us in its treasures, statues and ancient buildings - in the culture, art and legends of the people.
In 1871, European explorers stumbled across an astonishing ruined city deep in the African interior. Great Zimbabwe has been a source of fascination and controversy ever since, a symbol of African genius and a fascinating insight into the empires which once dominated southern Africa.
Casely-Hayford goes in search of the roots of this immense kingdom. He traces the trade in gold and precious goods that sustained it and uncovers the kingdoms that grew up around it.
SUN 20:50 Around the World in 80 Treasures (b00qg3b0)
Series 1
Ethiopia
Dan Cruickshank visits Ethiopia in search of the Ark of the Covenant.
SUN 21:00 Arena (b00qby7v)
Harold Pinter - A Celebration
In June 2009, a group Britain's leading actors gathered for one night only to perform a celebration of the work of Harold Pinter at the National Theatre, directed by Ian Rickson. The team who made the acclaimed Harold Pinter documentaries for BBC's Arena was there to record this unique performance.
The cast includes David Bradley, Harry Burton, Kenneth Cranham, Janie Dee, Lynsay Duncan, Colin Firth, Henry Goodman, Douglas Hodge, Lloyd Hutchinson, Jeremy Irons, Jude Law, Roger Lloyd Pack, Gina McKee, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Andy De La Tour, Indira Varma, Samuel West, Lia Williams, Penelope Wilton, Susan Wooldridge, Henry Woolf and students from LAMDA.
SUN 22:35 Arena (b00q9xqk)
Brian Eno - Another Green World
Brian Eno first starred as the feather-crested electronic keyboard genius of Roxy Music forty years ago. Since then he has been hailed as a pioneer, with his revolutionary experiments in ambient music and audio visual art and as featured producer on benchmark albums by David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2 and Coldplay.
Eno has given Arena unprecedented access to observe him working in his studio and talking with friends and colleagues. The master of reinvention engages with fellow influential minds, including Richard Dawkins, Malcolm Gladwell, David Whittaker and Steve Lillywhite, in a series of conversations on science, art, systems analysis, producing and cybernetics.
SUN 23:35 Brian Eno: Hits, Classics and Tracks (b00q9xqm)
The music Brian Eno has been involved in making ranges from the experimental to the massively popular. Paul Morley talks about some of Eno's hit tracks, including Heroes, Once in a Lifetime, With or Without You and Viva La Vida.
SUN 00:35 The Roxy Music Story (b00djn0s)
Profile of the 1970s glam band Roxy Music, who reformed after 25 years to make a new album. The film traces the musical development of the group from 1972 up to the present day, as we discover how they influenced a generation of musicians such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Duran Duran and U2 and why they are still a musical force to be reckoned with today.
Featuring interviews with band members Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, Paul Thomson, Eddie Jobson and Gary Tibbs, plus fans including Bono, Siouxsie Sioux, Nile Rodgers of Chic, John Taylor of Duran Duran and Alison Goldfrapp.
SUN 01:30 Dear Diary (b00q0hpz)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 today]
SUN 02:30 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b00q0hvl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
SUN 03:20 Arena (b00q9xqk)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:35 today]
MONDAY 25 JANUARY 2010
MON 19:00 World News Today (b00qbyhj)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
MON 19:30 Shooting the War (b00pv0nh)
Men
Remarkably, some soldiers took their amateur film cameras to the front lines and filmed the everyday life of the soldier and airman in battle. In Britain the practice was discouraged, but German soldiers were encouraged to film the impending triumphs of the Third Reich.
This programme features the home movies of four fighting men: Britons Derek Brown and Leslie Fowler, and Germans Paul Kellermann and Klaus Eismann. Brown took his camera into the Burma campaign while Fowler filmed from the ship he was commanding on the morning of D-Day.
Eismann, a member of the Luftwaffe, filmed as the Germans overran Poland in the first days of war. Kellermann used his camera as the Wehrmacht occupied Paris and later in the drive across Russia and into Stalingrad, where, though he died, his films survived.
Others recorded the reality of war. Luftwaffe member Karl Plote filmed the preparation and execution of bombing raids on south-west England and in Naumburg; fireman Hans Brunswig filmed the aerial bombardment on his city.
Through these films the experiences of men in the heart of war are relived. Kellermann filmed both his domestic life and his experiences as a soldier in a reconnaissance unit on the Western and Eastern fronts. He had a sharp eye for detail and the ability to get in close, and provides a detailed look at the life of his family before and during the war. His niece is still alive and remembers many of the people that feature.
The picture that he portrays of soldiers' lives is stunning. Somehow he managed to capture the humanity of the people he filmed - comrades as well as POWs - in situations of extreme inhumanity. He was killed on the Eastern front in February 1942 but he left behind vivid letters describing his experiences, written to his family.
MON 20:30 Only Connect (b00qbyhl)
Series 3
Philosophers v Hitchhikers
Quiz show presented by Victoria Coren in which knowledge will only take you so far, as patience and lateral thinking are also vital.
Three philosophy students pit their wisdom against a trio of Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy fans.
They compete to draw together the connections between things which, at first glance, seem utterly random.
MON 21:00 Mrs Mandela (b00qbyhn)
Fact-based drama which charts how Winnie Mandela went from innocent country girl to politicised fighter against apartheid, and from an adoring and loving wife to firebrand revolutionary.
In February 1990, Winnie Mandela arrived at Victor Verster prison for the release of her husband Nelson after 27 years' incarceration, a moment of freedom that will be etched on the minds of billions around the world.
But behind her public face of triumphant celebration lay an inner turmoil, based on the realisation that she could no longer play the loyal and faithful wife.
After following Winnie through her years of imprisonment, torture and exile at the hands of the white ruling class, the film comes to a dramatic crescendo as the consequences of her brutalisation by the South African state blur into the madness of the last days of apartheid.
We are left with what this all means for one of the most famous couples in the world - Nelson and Mrs Mandela.
MON 22:30 The Real Winnie Mandela (b00qbyhq)
Documentary about the late Winnie Mandela. Was she mother of the nation or an out-of-control egotist? Whilst her husband will forever be associated with taking South Africa to democracy, it is Winnie's life that most accurately mirrors the story of the struggle. The apartheid regime targeted her with harassment, torture and banishment, but Winnie responded with bravery and defiance bordering on recklessness.
Illustrated with rich BBC archive drawn from the last seven decades and interviews with leading British and South African journalists, the film charts the role that Winnie played in the struggle and shows why she continues to divide opinion.
MON 23:30 Chemistry: A Volatile History (b00q2mk5)
Discovering the Elements
The explosive story of chemistry is the story of the building blocks that make up our entire world - the elements. From fiery phosphorous to the pure untarnished lustre of gold and the dazzle of violent, violet potassium, everything is made of elements - the earth we walk on, the air we breathe, even us. Yet for centuries this world was largely unknown, and completely misunderstood.
In this three-part series, professor of theoretical physics Jim Al-Khalili traces the extraordinary story of how the elements were discovered and mapped. He follows in the footsteps of the pioneers who cracked their secrets and created a new science, propelling us into the modern age.
Just 92 elements made up the world, but the belief that there were only four - earth, fire, air and water - persisted until the 19th century. Professor Al-Khalili retraces the footsteps of the alchemists who first began to question the notion of the elements in their search for the secret of everlasting life.
He reveals the red herrings and rivalries which dogged scientific progress, and explores how new approaches to splitting matter brought us both remarkable elements and the new science of chemistry.
MON 00:30 Only Connect (b00qbyhl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 today]
MON 01:00 Mrs Mandela (b00qbyhn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
MON 02:35 The Real Winnie Mandela (b00qbyhq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 today]
MON 03:35 Shooting the War (b00pv0nh)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:30 today]
TUESDAY 26 JANUARY 2010
TUE 19:00 World News Today (b00qbyt9)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
TUE 19:30 Hidden Histories (b00nv5kv)
Series 2
Episode 1
Huw Edwards narrates another series looking at the hidden histories of Wales through the work of the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments.
Including a look at Stonehenge's link to the Preseli Hills, Swansea's medieval beginnings and bomb-damaged streets, plus the secrets of the highest house in Wales.
TUE 20:00 Sahara with Michael Palin (b0074p5v)
Dire Straits
Series charting Michael Palin's trek across the Sahara Desert. Michael arrives at the border of Niger and Algeria, the most desolate crossing, and then turning north Michael passes through the mountains of the Hoggar massif before pausing in the oil and gas fields of central Algeria. Then onto Libya to attend the very last reunion of the Desert Rats of Tobruk, before turning west along the north coast past deserted classical sites at Apollonia, Cyrene and Leptis Magna.
Crossing into Tunis, Michael relives the filming of The Life of Brian in Monastir, before taking the Maghreb Express to the dangerous city of Algiers, and then west to Algeria's second city, Oran.
Just along the coast is Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Morocco's coast, where Michael talks to would-be immigrants before returning to Gibraltar. En route he learns of the terrible fate that has engulfed many Saharan people who attempt the eight-mile crossing.
TUE 21:00 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b00qbytc)
Series 1
West Africa
Four-part series in which British art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the pre-colonial history of some of Africa's most important kingdoms.
The African continent is home to nearly a billion people. It has an incredible diversity of communities and cultures, yet we know less of its history than almost anywhere else on earth.
But that is beginning to change. In the last few decades researchers and archaeologists have begun to uncover a range of histories as impressive and extraordinary as anywhere else in the world.
The series reveals that Africa's stories are preserved for us in its treasures, statues and ancient buildings - in the culture, art and legends of the people.
When magnificent 16th-century bronze casts were discovered in the kingdom of Benin in 1897, many could not believe they had been made by Africans. It was thought West Africa lacked the technical development required to make them. Dr Casely-Hayford travels to present-day Nigeria and Mali in search of the truth, exploring what the bronzes mean, how the technology to make them developed, and what it reveals about the lost kingdoms of West Africa.
TUE 21:50 Around the World in 80 Treasures (b00qg8jb)
Series 1
Mali: Dogon
Dan Cruickshank visits the Dogon people and sees some masks and wall paintings.
TUE 22:00 We Need Answers (b00qbytf)
Series 2
Young Adults
Anarchic comedy game show in which celebrity guests answer questions set by the public.
Mark Watson hosts, Tim Key is in the questionmaster's chair and Alex Horne provides expert analysis from a booth as two celebrities battle it out to be crowned the winner and avoid the shame of donning 'The Clogs of Defeat'.
Former newsreader and Royal reporter Jennie Bond competes against youth television presenter Rick Edwards.
The rules are simple - contestants must match their answer to the one given by a text answering service. Questions range from 'Did the Royal Family ever beat Jennie?' to 'How many edges does a human have?'.
In the cunning physical challenge which pits the contestants against each other, Jennie and Rick attempt to make sandwiches in a sleeping bag.
TUE 22:30 Newswipe (b00qbyth)
Series 2
Episode 2
It's the second episode of the second series and there's the usual mix of contributors, reviews and jokes as the news channels continue to provide enough rubbish to make a show out of.
TUE 23:00 Nerdstock: 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People (b00qby30)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:45 on Saturday]
TUE 00:15 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b00qbytc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
TUE 01:05 Newswipe (b00qbyth)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 today]
TUE 01:35 We Need Answers (b00qbytf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
TUE 02:05 Nerdstock: 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People (b00qby30)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:45 on Saturday]
TUE 03:20 Lost Kingdoms of Africa (b00qbytc)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
TUE 04:10 We Need Answers (b00qbytf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 2010
WED 19:00 World News Today (b00qbzf1)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
WED 19:30 The Diary of Anne Frank (b00gny29)
Series 1
Episode 5
Anne and her family are woken up by the sound of intruders downstairs. They creep out to the landing where they are met by Mr Dussel and the Van Daans, and they all huddle together on the stairs. When the noises seem to stop, Otto and Peter go downstairs to see what damage has been done and to lock the front door so as not to attract the police, but they discover that the burglars are still there and have to flee back to the annex before they are discovered. The families now hide together in the Frank's bedroom. Mrs Van Daan is desperate to go to the toilet but they can't risk her being heard moving, so she is forced to use a wastebasket in front of everyone.
The next morning Mr Kugler informs them that the burglars took a lot of valuables and that they must be more careful, but the families don't think they were to blame for the break-in. The tension and the summer heat start to get to them and they snap at each other. Anne tries to talk to Peter about her frustrations over anti-Semitism but he isn't interested and she realises they don't have much in common.
Food shortages are getting worse, Mrs Van Daan is annoying everyone with her endless chatter, and the authorities have confiscated their beloved radio. As the bombing raids get worse, Anne takes to running up and down the annex stairs to block out the sound. But they try to keep their spirits up and are thrilled when Miep finds some butter to bake a small cake for Edith's birthday.
WED 20:00 Alice Sommer Herz at 106: Everything Is a Present (b00qgpyj)
Documentary which celebrates the extraordinary life of distinguished pianist and Holocaust survivor Alice Sommer Herz.
In the concentration camps where she was imprisoned she played more than 100 concerts, and credits music for saving her life during this horrific experience. At the age of 104 she gained international fame after a book based on her life, A Garden of Eden in Hell, became a bestseller, and was also the star of prize-winning film We Want the Light.
Now aged 106, she is the second oldest person in London and continues to practice piano every day. In this film from when she was 98, in conversation with Christopher Nuphen, she speaks in her quiet and appealing way, even when she is describing shocking events, and she plays Schubert, Smetana and Beethoven in a style which the world has long forgotten. It is the style of Artur Schnabel, who was one of her teachers, a style redolent of a happier and more confident time in music making and one which many will find heartwarming.
WED 20:50 Meetings with Remarkable Trees (b0074srb)
Series 1
The Handkerchief Tree
A profile of British trees, presented by Thomas Pakenham. The pride of Rowallane Garden outside Belfast is the Davidia Involucrata, or the Handkerchief tree. Visitors long to see its fabulous white bracts appear for just a few days a year.
WED 21:00 Shooting the War (b00qcn2f)
Children
Series looking at how the Second World War was documented by German and British home movie makers.
This programme is about the experience of children during the war, seen through the films of them shot by parents, friends and teachers. The films, and the recollections of the children in them, capture the initial novelty of war, but also the later reality of death and loss.
In Britain, filmmakers were on hand to witness the first event of war, evacuation. Eric Powell, a young cine enthusiast from Wiltshire, filmed the arrival of Marion, a girl from London, as she became part of his family. The recollections bring the reality of the transformation of children's lives to the viewer.
Film shot by the head of Elworth School in Cheshire is recalled by teacher Veronica Kirk and pupil John Owen. The film shows the way the school adapted to war - the school garden turned over to vegetables, children conducting first aid, air raid shelter practice and reality of air attack.
It was much the same in Germany and those looking back on their childhood recall the impact of Hitler on them, the changes at school and at home, the terror of the Jewish school child and the sorrow of the children at the end of the war, living in destitution as their parents were forced to sell toys for bread.
Rainer and Wolfgang Fritz grew up in Stuttgart and remember how their father filmed the building of the community air raid shelter. He filmed his family through the war and was on hand, with the camera, when the family house was destroyed by bombing in 1944.
Life for Jewish child Inge Deutschkron was even worse. She grew up in Berlin and attended the Jewish school in the city. Most of her classmates died in concentration camps, but she stayed in Berlin, in hiding, and survived.
WED 22:00 Mad Men (b00qgtm9)
Series 3
Out of Town
Don and Sal take a trip to Baltimore, where Don discovers Sal's secret. Lane Pryce, the new British financial officer, makes a tough decision and it affects and bemuses Pete and Ken.
WED 22:45 Mad Men (b00qgtmc)
Series 3
Love among the Ruins
Don's father-in-law pays a visit to his daughter's family. Peggy works hard on a campaign while the firm tries to decide if they will accommodate an unusual request from a client. Roger plans a wedding.
WED 23:35 We Need Answers (b00qbytf)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 on Tuesday]
WED 00:05 Shooting the War (b00qcn2f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
WED 01:05 The Children Who Fought Hitler (b00ntqq3)
Documentary telling the forgotten story of a heroic battle fought by the children of the British Memorial School to help liberate Europe from the Nazis.
The school served a unique horticultural community of ex-First World War soldiers and their families living in Ypres in Belgium who lovingly tended the war graves. Steeped in ideals of patriotic service and sacrifice, many pupils and ex-pupils refused to surrender to the invading Nazi forces.
Three surviving school pupils tell their extraordinary stories of resistance, illustrated with rare archive film. Elaine Madden dramatically escaped to England where she joined the Special Operations Executive and was dropped into Belgium to work as a spy and saboteur. Jerry Eaton joined the RAF taking on especially dangerous missions over Europe and would later become a wing commander. Stephen Grady joined the French resistance where, as a young teenager, he became adept in sabotage and secret attacks on German troops.
The film is a much deserved tribute to the courage, sacrifice and heroism of the Memorial School children.
WED 02:05 Alice Sommer Herz at 106: Everything Is a Present (b00qgpyj)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
WED 02:55 Shooting the War (b00qcn2f)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY 2010
THU 19:00 World News Today (b00qbzmw)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
THU 19:30 Only Connect (b00qbyhl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
THU 20:00 Time (b0074sbg)
Cosmic Time
Series in which Michio Kaku goes on an extraordinary exploration of the world in search of time.
We like to imagine that time is regular and eternal; the same everywhere and always. But is it? Are our assumptions true or are they illusions? Michio is on a mission to reveal the true nature of time itself, a journey that takes him from science to religion and from science fiction to philosophy.
He discovers places where time beats at different rates, where time blurs, and even where time stands still. Michio creates a blueprint for a scientifically accurate time machine and tackles perhaps the biggest question of all, whether time is eternal.
His exploration leads to a remarkable realisation. It seems that time itself evolves and time in the distant future of the universe might be so different to the time we know now that we might not recognise it as time at all.
THU 21:00 Chemistry: A Volatile History (b00qck1t)
The Order of the Elements
The explosive story of chemistry is the story of the building blocks that make up our entire world - the elements. From fiery phosphorus to the pure untarnished lustre of gold and the dazzle of violent, violet potassium, everything is made of elements - the earth we walk on, the air we breathe, even us. Yet for centuries this world was largely unknown, and completely misunderstood.
In this three-part series, professor of theoretical physics Jim Al-Khalili traces the extraordinary story of how the elements were discovered and mapped. He follows in the footsteps of the pioneers who cracked their secrets and created a new science, propelling us into the modern age.
In part two, Professor Al-Khalili looks at the 19th-century chemists who struggled to impose an order on the apparently random world of the elements. From working out how many there were to discovering their unique relationships with each other, the early scientists' bid to decode the hidden order of the elements was driven by false starts and bitter disputes. But ultimately the quest would lead to one of chemistry's most beautiful intellectual creations - the periodic table.
THU 22:00 Newswipe (b00qbyth)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 on Tuesday]
THU 22:30 Mrs Mandela (b00qbyhn)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 on Monday]
THU 00:00 The Real Winnie Mandela (b00qbyhq)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 on Monday]
THU 01:00 Newswipe (b00qbyth)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:30 on Tuesday]
THU 01:30 Time (b0074sbg)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:00 today]
THU 02:30 Only Connect (b00qbyhl)
[Repeat of broadcast at
20:30 on Monday]
THU 03:00 Chemistry: A Volatile History (b00qck1t)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRIDAY 29 JANUARY 2010
FRI 19:00 World News Today (b00qbzxn)
The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective.
FRI 19:30 Jean Sibelius (b00qbzxq)
Maturity and Silence
In the second of two films exploring the life and music of Jean Sibelius, celebrated filmmaker Christopher Nupen covers the period from the fourth symphony to the unfinished eighth.
At the peak of his career Sibelius was hailed by almost every leading critic and composer in England as the greatest symphonist of the twentieth century. The words are provided almost entirely by Sibelius himself and his wife Aino and the music by Vladimir Ashkenazy, Elisabeth Soderstrom and Boris Belkin with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.
FRI 20:20 Sight and Sound in Concert (b00lnbj9)
[Repeat of broadcast at
19:00 on Saturday]
FRI 21:00 Latin Music USA (b00qbzxs)
East Side Story
The first of a four-part series revealing the deep musical and social impact of Latin music in the USA.
The massive success of Santana's innovative Latin-blues at the Woodstock Festival leads back in time to the first Cuban immigrants arriving, with their Afro-Cuban music, into the States. Using feature film clips, rare archive and location filming, the programme examines how Afro-Cuban music has impacted - since early last century - on jazz, pop rhythms and dance styles.
From Cuban rumba to New York mambo, Latin music enthralled 1950s America, challenging racial attitudes and changing the stereotypes projected in movies like West Side Story. It influenced Hollywood, TV sitcoms and 60s rock 'n' roll, as the Beatles and many American R&B bands absorbed Latin rhythms into the wider worlds of rock music, fashion and culture.
Featuring Carlos Santana, Cachao, Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie and the greatest names in Afro-Cuban music.
FRI 22:00 The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra at the Barbican (b00qbzxv)
One of the greatest Latin bands, the Big 3 Palladium Orchestra, takes to the stage at London's Barbican for a unique concert. They embody the spirit of the original Mambo Kings and perform the music of the three legendary bandleaders and composers - Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente - who set light to the dance floor of New York's Palladium Ballroom throughout the 1950s.
The Orchestra contains members who played in the original Palladium Ballroom and is fronted by Machito Jr (son of the original bandleader, Machito AKA Frank Grillo) and Tito Rodriguez Jr (son of the legendary singer). Joining this scorching ensemble are guest soloists, legendary Fania pianist and producer Larry Harlow and trombonist Jimmy Bosch.
The Orchestra is the brainchild of Machito Jr, who approached the Puente and Rodriguez families to recreate the music of this golden era, and the band has quickly become recognised as probably the finest Latin Jazz ensemble in the USA. Much of the music is based on historic charts by the three original bandleaders, and the Barbican concert explores a repertoire from the beginnings of Mambo right through to the explosive and enduring sound created in the hot house of the Fania label - a sound which has been one of the defining styles of salsa.
FRI 23:00 Legends (b0074t4p)
Carmen Miranda - Beneath the Tutti Frutti Hat
Profile of singer Carmen Miranda, forever remembered as the lady in the tutti frutti hat, charting her remarkable rise from humble beginnings to become Brazil's most famous singer, before going on to conquer Broadway and Hollywood. However, like many Hollywood success stories, there was sadness behind the smiles. Featuring interviews with her biographer Ruy Castro, her niece Carminha and Mickey Rooney, who impersonated her in the 1941 film Babes on Broadway.
FRI 00:00 Nerdstock: 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People (b00qby30)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:45 on Saturday]
FRI 01:15 Latin Music USA (b00qbzxs)
[Repeat of broadcast at
21:00 today]
FRI 02:15 The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra at the Barbican (b00qbzxv)
[Repeat of broadcast at
22:00 today]
FRI 03:15 Legends (b0074t4p)
[Repeat of broadcast at
23:00 today]