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In Time to the Music

My Funny Valentine

Duration: 28 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for years

In Time to the Music is the story of a piece of music, song, an air or melody travelling through time as a folk tune, a theatre melody, a hymn, a composition, a symphony - reinterpreted across years, centuries or millennia through revival, musical revolution, social fashions or archaeological discovery. 

We examine why certain tunes have managed to reach out over time, across genres, class, race and continents, how some are reimagined by oppressors even though they were written by its oppressed, how melodies from earlier periods are borrowed by subsequent composers, and how these illusive musical engravings change genre - from hymn to reggae, from court song to rock and roll - all with the passage of time.

The first episode explores the journey of My Funny Valentine from Broadway musical in 1937 to Chet Baker's theme tune in 1954 and its most recent variations with R&B artist Justina Valentine, Norwegian singing prodigy Angelina Jordan, and Brooklyn based, Neo-Soul singer Hadassah. The programme also examines other music that has travelled through time.

Featuring musicologists Professor Laura Tunbridge and Professor Richard Dumbrill, writer Will Friedwald, jazz pianist and educator Gareth Williams and jazz singer Ian Shaw.

Written and Presented by Andrew McGibbon

Assistant Producer: Saul Sarne

Producer: Nick Romero

A Curtains For Radio production for BBC Radio 4 Show less

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