Stewart Copeland's Adventures in Music

Stewart Copeland’s Adventures in Music

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BBC Four

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Music

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Stewart Copeland travels the world asking the question, 'How does music work?'

In a three-part landmark series, Stewart Copeland travels the world meeting composers, musicians, film-makers, DJs and scientists to ask the question, 'How does music work?'

In a three-part landmark series, Stewart Copeland travels the world meeting composers, musicians, film-makers, DJs and scientists to ask the question, 'How does music work?

Stewart Copeland has spent a life in music - listening, composing and playing. At the age of seven he was captivated by Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana'; ‘Something powerful took hold of me, some serious magic.’ Sixty years and twenty-five bands later, including The Police, the spell is still strong. But why? How does music ignite that excitement? What exactly is this thing that brings us together, moves us and binds us, communicates stories like no other art form, and which seemingly has transcendental powers?



Series 1

BBC Four HD

Stewart Copeland’s Adventures In Music

Stewart Copeland

Angus Sutherland

Rohan Thomas

Sam Anthony

Jez Nelson

Nico Wasserman

Somethin' Else

Stewart Copeland's Adventures in Music: Series 1: Episode 3

Episode 3

BBC Four - Stewart Copeland's Adventures in Music, Series 1, Episode 3

Stewart Copeland looks at the power of music to create altered states.

Stewart Copeland looks at the transcendent powers of music as he travels to Morocco to play with Gnawa musicians, hangs out with Steve Reich and meets gospel singer CeCe Winans.

Stewart Copeland explores the transcendental powers of music and how certain sounds have the ability to move us, transport the mind and even help us escape this world - if only briefly. 

As a child, Stewart’s path was determined when, despite being raised by strict atheists, he was deeply moved by the massed voices of the Wells Cathedral choir singing Jerusalem. Ever since, he has been fascinated by the ability of music to leave us feeling uplifted.

In this episode, Stewart travels to Morocco to discover the polyrhythms of Gnawa and back to Wells Cathedral to understand the mechanics of choral polyphony. He meets Kanye West collaborator Caroline Shaw to examine melody and the effect of the human voice, CeCe Winans to discuss the roots of gospel, takes a gong bath in New York, and visits minimalist master Steve Reich to unpack the trance-inducing powers of repetition.


Stewart Copeland's Adventures in Music: Series 1

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BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

In a three-part landmark series, Stewart Copeland travels the world meeting composers, musicians, film-makers, DJs and scientists to ask the question, 'How does music work?'

Stewart Copeland has spent a life in music - listening, composing and playing. At the age of seven he was captivated by Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana'; ‘Something powerful took hold of me, some serious magic.’ Sixty years and twenty-five bands later, including The Police, the spell is still strong. But why? How does music ignite that excitement? What exactly is this thing that brings us together, moves us and binds us, communicates stories like no other art form, and which seemingly has transcendental powers?

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Stewart Copeland's Adventures in Music

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