St Francis
With writing by GK Chesterton, Camille Ralphs, Richmal Crompton and musical settings of St Francis's poem The Canticle of the Sun composed by Amy Beach and Sofia Gubaidulina
Actors x and y perform readings alongside music in a programme to mark 800 years since the death of St Francis of Assisi. Born rich, he abandoned his inheritance in favour of living alongside the poor and in harmony with animals and the natural world and so this 13th century riches to rags story attracts believers and non-believers who interpret his story as a rejection of consumerism.
We will hear about the life of Saint Francis from a biography written by GK Chesterton and explore the themes associated with him in poetry from Seamus Heaney, Imtiaz Dharker and Kathleen Raine; and in fiction from Virginia Woolf, Barbara Pym and Richmal Crompton. Francis himself wrote The Canticles of the Sun which has inspired musical interpretations by Amy Beach, Sofia Guibaidulina and Franz Liszt; and we will hear music inspired by animals, nature, stillness and wonder – by composers from Judith Weir to Olivier Messiaen to John Tavener.
Produced in Salford by Olive Clancy
On radio
Broadcast
- Sun 13 Sep 202619:45BBC Radio 3
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