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NATURE STORIES
Who says it's only humans who make art? Have you ever
seen an elephant paint? Move over Jackson Pollock - elephant masterpieces
are heading to the auction block!. And when it comes to music well, Renee
Fleming's got a nice voice, but have you have heard a whale sing? It's
unbelievable. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, tales
from the animal kingdom.
SEGMENT 1:
David Rothenberg is a philosopher and musician
who enjoys playing his clarinet with animals. His new book is "Thousand
Mile Song: Whale Music in a Sea of Sound" which talks about the
duets he played with whales: humpbacks, belugas and orcas. He talks
with Steve Paulson about how and why he did what he did, and we hear
lots of his (their) music. Also, Jennifer Angus is an artist
who finds insects so beautiful she uses them in her work. Anne Strainchamps
visits with her in her studio. Pictures of her work are at http://www.jenniferangus.com/home.htm
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SEGMENT 2:
Essayist Anne Fadiman reads from and talks with
Steve Paulson about her essay "Collecting Nature." It comes
from her latest collection, "At Large and at Small" and talks
about the delight she and her brother took as children with collecting
(and killing) butterflies. Also, David Gessner is a nature writer
who's sick of nature and most nature writing. In his essay "My
Green Manifesto" and in this conversation with Steve Paulson, Gessner
makes the case for wilder, messier, more eccentric writing. Gesner's
books include "Sick of Nature" and "Soaring with Fidel."
He's the editor of Ecotone, an environmental literary magazine.
SEGMENT 3:
Christopher Benfey is the author of "A
Summer of Hummingbirds." He tells Anne Strainchamps why there was
a hummingbird craze in 19th century Massachsetts, how artists and poets
used them as symbols, and why they seem like winged jewels. Benfey teaches
English at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.
CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444.
Ask for program number 08-06-01-A.
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Books:
Christopher Benfey, A Summer
of Hummingbirds (Penguin)
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Anne Fadiman, At Large and At Small: Familiar Essays (FSG)
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David Gessner, Soaring with Fidel: An Osprey Odyssey
From Cape Cod to Cuba and Beyond (Beacon)
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| David Rothenberg, Thousand
Mile Song (Basic Books) |
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Websites:
Music:
- In Rothenberg:
- From David Rothenbergs CD Whale Music:
Never Satisfied
Myagostrov, in the Deep
Duo Orcananda
Terra Nova Music
- From Roger Paynes CD Deep Voices:
Left Over Sea Running
Drifting Off
- In Angus:
Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger w/ Jumping Bush Cricket
- On The Songs of Insects
NatureSound Studio
Don Byron w/ Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairies
On Bug Music
Nonesuch Records
- After Gessner:
Baka Beyond w/ Boulez Boulez
On Rhythm Tree
March Hare Music
- After Benfey:
Richard Stoltzman & Guildhall String Ensemble playing Lawrence Ashmores
Four Seasons
On Clarinet Concerto, Five Bagatelles
RCA Victor
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Distribution dates:
week of 09/26/2010 - hour 2
week of 06/01/2008 - hour 1
click HERE for timings and cues
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Listen! |
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Questions and comments can be
addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org
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