The Art of Correspondence
With the growth of social media, Mark Tully asks if the art of correspondence is thriving - or if we take less care over the composition of our letters, emails, tweets and texts?
Mark Tully examines the pleasures of correspondence - from beautiful letters to ever increasing opportunities for conversations on social networks, via texts, emails and among those who develop a brilliant gift for talking on the telephone.
In conversation with journalist and writer Simon Garfield, he investigates whether the skill of communicating at a remove is on the wane or whether we are actually corresponding as never before.
And, above all, he celebrates the letter.
There are readings from writers as varied as Carol Ann Duffy, Dylan Thomas and Clementine Churchill, and there’s music from Samuel Barber, Fats Waller and Benjamin Britten.
The readers are Cyril Nri, Francis Cadder and Jane Whittenshaw.
Presenter: Mark Tully
Producer: Frank Stirling
A Unique production for ±«Óãtv Radio 4
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Music Played
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Military Wives
Wherever You Are
- Wherever You Are.
- Decca.
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Alison Moyet
Love
- Love Letters.
- CBS.
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Fats Waller
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
- I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.
- Victor.
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Benjamin Britten
Night Mail
- Britten on Film.
- NMC Recordings Ltd.
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Henry Purcell
Rejoice in the Lord alway, Z.49, 'Bell Anthem'
Singer: Iestyn Davies. Singer: James Gilchrist. Singer: Neal Davies. Choir: Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge. Orchestra: St John's Sinfonia. Director: Andrew Nethsingha.- Henry Purcell Anthems.
- CRD Records.
Readings
Title: Julie
Author: Jacques Chardonne
Publisher: by Oxford University Press
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Title: Letter from Dylan Thomas to Caitlyn Thomas
Author: Dylan Thomas
Publisher: by Canongate Unbound in Letters of Note
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Title: Quickdraw
Author: Carol Ann Duffy
Publisher: by Picador in RaptureÌý Ìý
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Title: Of Basildon Bondage
Author: John O’Connell
Publisher: by Short Books Ltd in For the Love of Letters Ìý
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Title: Letter Clementine Churchill to Winston Churchill
Author: Clementine Churchill
Publisher: Canongate Unbound in Letters of Note
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Broadcasts
- Sun 4 Oct 2015 06:05±«Óãtv Radio 4
- Sun 4 Oct 2015 23:30±«Óãtv Radio 4
- Sun 9 May 2021 06:05±«Óãtv Radio 4
- Sun 9 May 2021 23:30±«Óãtv Radio 4