Professor Michael Spitzer brings together archaeological, sociological and historical observations, along with theories from biologists and musicologists, to tell the story of what his sub-title boldly claims to be A History of Life on Earth.

Michael Spitzer did his undergraduate degree at Merton, Oxford, and then his PhD at Southampton. He is Professor of Music at the University of Liverpool. Previously he taught for 20 years at Durham University. An accomplished pianist, Spitzer is a world-leading authority on Beethoven, but he also writes widely on the philosophy and psychology of music. He lives just off Penny Lane.

Written by Michael Spitzer
Read by Simon McBurney
Abridged and Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4 Show less