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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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The Verb

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Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Radio 4's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance

The Verb: Martin Simpson, Eleanor Bron, Padgett Powell, Ross Raisin

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02/12/2011

Martin Simpson, Eleanor Bron, Padgett Powell, Ross Raisin

BBC Radio 4 - The Verb, Martin Simpson, Eleanor Bron, Padgett Powell, Ross Raisin

With music from guitarist Martin Simpson and Sandeep Parmar on poetry by Hope Mirrlees.

Guitarist Martin Simpson performs new songs, Sandeep Parmar talks about the poetry of Hope Mirrlees, which is read by Eleanor Bron, and Padgett Powell discusses his new book.

Martin Simpson is one of our greatest guitarists. He performs from his new CD 'Purpose and Grace' live in the studio; and talks about the troubadour tradition and his love of Anglo-American ballads. He is especially influenced by the American songwriter Yip Harburg who composed 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', as well as Banjo Bill Cornett, who in the 1950s championed traditional-music making as people all around him fell for rock and roll. 

Sandeep Parmar talks about the poetry of Hope Mirrlees, whose poem Paris has been hailed as a lost modernist masterpiece. Eleanor Bron reads extracts from the poem, which is a journey through one day in post First World War Paris, and was considered by Virginia Woolf as 'obscure, indecent and brilliant'. 

There's new fiction from Ross Raisin, a young writer who's considered one of our most promising authors; one of America's most interesting writers Padgett Powell talks about his new book You and I. 

Produced by Jennifer Chevalier.

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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