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Prague and Kafka

Music by Mahler, Mozart and the rhythms of Erwin Schulhoff and Josef Kainar alongside readings from works by Franz Kafka, Haruki Murakami, Miroslav Holub and Patrick Leigh Fermor.

Franz Kafka created in his novels and short stories, worlds that are fantastical yet seemingly also realistic. Kafka, who died鈥痠n June 1924, was a native of Prague, a city that for centuries had been a magnet for conjurers, astronomers, inventors, visionary rabbis, social reformers, and for numerous invaders too. Its mosaic of different subcultures inspired symphonies by Mozart and Mahler and piano music by Philip Glass and it also gave rise to the syncopated rhythms of Kafka's contemporary Erwin Schulhoff and the blues of Josef Kainar.
We start our visit to Kafka's Prague with Schulhoff's Hot Sonate and a reminiscence of the writer鈥檚 friend Johannes Urzidil.鈥� Kafka's own words are followed by vivid retellings of his celebrated story of a salesman who becomes an insect, Metamorphosis, by Philip Roth and by Haruki Murakami. 20th-century Czech poets including Miroslav Holub, Vitezslav Nezval and former president V谩clav Havel then paint their vignettes of the city while English-speaking visitors, including Jerome Klapka Jerome and鈥� Patrick Leigh Fermor, surrender to the charm of the Czech capital.

The readers are Jo Herbert and Colin Tierney.

Producer: Radek Boschetty

Readings:
There goes Kafka by Johannes Urzidil (trans. Harold Basilius)
Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (trans. Willa and Edwin Muir)
The Prague Orgy by Philip Roth
A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor
Samsa in Love by Haruki Murakami (trans. Ted Goossen)
Zito, the magician by Miroslav Holub (trans. George Theiner)
Chronica boemorum by Kosmas
To the Castle and Back by Vaclav Havel (trans. Paul Wilson)
Defenestrate by Renee Branum
Three Men On The Bummel by Jerome K. Jerome
Prague Pictures by Joseph Banville
Mozart in Prague by Jaroslav Seifert
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Prague With Fingers Of Rain by Vitezslav Nezval (trans. Ewald Osers)
Franz Werfel by Else Lasker-Schueller (trans. Audri Durchslag-Litt and Jeanette Litman-Demeestere)
The Spirit of Prague by Ivan Klima (trans. Paul Wilson)
Prague Spring by Simon Mawer
Everyone has their reasons by Simona Bohata (trans. Alzbeta Bolanova)

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 2 Jun 2024 18:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    Erwin Schulhoff

    Hot-Sonate III

    Performer: Arno Bornkamp. Performer: Ivo Janssen.
    • Vanguard Classics, 99092.
    • Tr 3.

  • Johannes Urzidil (translated by Harold Basilius)

    There goes Kafka, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:04

    Philip Glass

    Metamorphosis

    Performer: John Lenehan.
    • Sony Classical 82876821452.
    • Tr 18.

  • Franz Kafka (translated by Willa and Edwin Muir)

    Metamorphosis, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:06

    Miroslav Klega

    Pantomima

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Zden臎k Ko拧ler.
    • Panton, 8110 0037.
    • Tr 5.

  • Philip Roth

    The Prague Orgy, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:10

    Josef Kainar

    Cerna Kara

    Singer: Eva Olmerov谩. Ensemble: Gustav Brom Orchestra.
    • Supraphon , SU 5507-2.
    • CD1 Tr 9.

  • Patrick Leigh Fermor

    A Time of Gifts, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:13

    Jaroslav Je啪ek

    Dark Blue World

    Performer: Pocket Band.
    • Multisonic 31 0698 2.
    • Tr 3.
  • 00:15

    V谩clav Jan K艡titel Tom谩拧ek

    Fantasia for Glass Harmonica, Fuga

    Performer: Mich猫le Claude.
    • K617, K617176.
    • Tr 25.

  • Haruki Murakami (translated by Ted Goossen)

    Samsa in Love, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:18

    Josef Suk

    Meditation on an old Czech chorale

    Performer: Talichovo kvarteto.
    • Collins Classics, 13232.
    • Tr 9.

  • Miroslav Holub (translated by George Theiner)

    Zito, the magician, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:22

    anon

    Czaldy Waldy

    Performer: Elthin.
    • Elthin.
    • Tr 11.

  • Kosmas

    Chronica boemorum, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:25

    Bedrich Smetana

    Ma Vlast, Vysehrad

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Pentatone, PTC 5187203.
    • Tr 1.

  • Vaclav Havel (translated by Paul Wilson)

    To the Castle and Back, read by Colin Tierney

  • Renee Branum

    Defenestrate, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:30

    Bedrich Smetana

    Ma Vlast, Vltava

    Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic. Conductor: Semyon Bychkov.
    • Pentatone, PTC 5187203.
    • Tr 2.

  • Jerome K. Jerome

    Three Men On The Bummel, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:35

    Josef Stelibsky

    Praha je krasna

    Performer: Sbor Lubom铆ra P谩nka.
    • Supraphon, VT0781-2.
    • Tr 11.

  • Joseph Banville

    Prague Pictures, read by Jo Tierney

  • 00:40

    Jacobus Gallus

    Quam gallina suum parit ovum (Harmoniae Morales , Book 1, No.7)

    Ensemble: Singer Pur.
    • Moralia - Harmoniae Morales.
    • Ars Musici.
    • 26.

  • Jaroslav Seifert

    Mozart in Prague, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:41

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Don Giovanni, a cenar teco

    Singer: Jan鈥怘endrik Rootering. Singer: Rolando Panerai. Singer: Alan Titus. Orchestra: Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Rafael Kubel铆k.
    • Don Giovanni.
    • RCA Classics.
    • 13.

  • Michael Chabon

    The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:46

    Miloslav Kabel谩膷

    Eight Inventions Op. 45, No. 2 Giubiloso

    Ensemble: Les Percussions de Strasbourg.
    • Varese, Cage, Chaves, Kabelac.
    • Phillips Classics.
    • 5.

  • Vitezslav Nezval (translated by Ewald Osers)

    Prague With Fingers Of Rain, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:48

    Jaroslav Je啪ek

    Bugatti Step

    Performer: Bohemia Saxophone Quartet.
    • Music Vars, VA0882131.
    • Tr 5.

  • Else Lasker-Schueller (translated by Audri Durchslag-Litt and Jeanette Litman-Demeestere)

    Franz Werfel, read by Jo Herbert

  • 00:50

    Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 7. Nachtmusik II: Andante Amoroso

    Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.
    • Mahler Symphony No. 7.
    • Channel Classics.
    • 4.

  • Ivan Klima (translated by Paul Wilson)

    The Spirit of Prague, read by Colin Tierney

  • 00:55

    Trombenik

    Oyfn Oyvn

    • Ay Di Fayer?.
    • Avik.
    • 12.
  • 00:58

    Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    Klid (Silent Woods)

    Performer: Mischa Maisky. Performer: Pavel Gililov.
    • Adagio.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4.

  • Simon Mawer

    Prague Spring, read by Jo Herbert

  • 01:04

    Ed Sanders & The Plastic People of the Universe

    Dream of 1968

    • The Garden is Open - Ed Sanders & the Plastic People of the Univers at the Pragu.
    • Olufsen Records.
    • 1.
  • 01:05

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Symphony No. 38 'Prague'

    Orchestra: Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Conductor: Charles Mackerras.
    • Linn, CKD 308.
    • Tr 2.

  • Simona Bohata (translated by Alzbeta Bolanova)

    Everyone has their reasons, read by Colin Tierney

  • 01:11

    Panagiotis Kalantzopoulos

    Summertime in Prague (feat. Elli Paspala)

    • Ftina Tsigara (Cheap Smokes).
    • WEA.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 2 Jun 2024 18:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3

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