The Early Music Show

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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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Music: Classical: Early Music

Performance and news from the world of early music.

An exploration of early music, looking at early developments in musical performance and composition in Britain and abroad. UK only: please note that not all episodes are podcast.

The Early Music Show: The Feast of Stephen

Handel in Cambridge

The Feast of Stephen

BBC Radio 3 - The Early Music Show, The Feast of Stephen

The music, food and traditions of Christmas in Bohemia

Using the words of Good King Wenceslas, Hannah French explores Bohemian festive music and traditions with food writer Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines and language coach Jarmila Karas.

Using the words of the favourite 19th-century English carol “Good King Wenceslas”, Hannah French explores the music, food and traditions of Christmas in Bohemia.

“Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen” 

The carol tells the story of the Bohemian king, Saint Wenceslaus I going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Saint Stephen.  During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following his master’s footprints, step for step through the deep snow.

Saint Stephen’s Day – 26th December – celebrates the saint who is credited with being the first Christian martyr.

“Bring me flesh and bring me wine”

What is the traditional Bohemian Christmas fare? Hannah is joined by food-writer and philanthropist Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines MBE to unpack some of the yuletide traditions still practiced in the Czech Republic today.

“Ye, who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.”
  
As a child, Lady Milena, with the help of Sir Nicholas Winton, escaped Nazi-occupied Prague in 1939 on the last train to leave the city.  That concept of deep selflessness and kindness is surely one Saint Wenceslas might have approved of!

Hannah’s other guest is singer and language coach Jarmila Karas, and together they will also explore some of the traditional Czech music associated with Christmas and pieces related to Saint Stephen by Bach and Zelenka.

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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