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The EssayEpisodes

  1. Today21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    3. Cicada Summer SongThe Insect Singers

    The Essay hears the musicality and noise of the Cicada, our noisiest insect singers.

  2. Tomorrow21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    4. Autumn Cricket SongThe Insect Singers

    The Essay celebrates the musicality of Earth’s insect singers.

  3. Friday21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    5. Good Vibrations - TreehoppersThe Insect Singers

    The Insect Singers' final trill. 5. Good Vibrations - Treehoppers with Rex Cocroft.

  4. Monday21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    1. Becoming David MunrowDavid Munrow - The Pied Piper

    1/5This series reveals how David Munrow changed how Britain listened to music.

  5. Next Tuesday21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    2. Popularising Early MusicDavid Munrow - The Pied Piper

    2/5Popularising Early Music in the 1960s made David Munrow a controversial figure, but why?

  6. Next Wednesday21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    3. The amorous fluteDavid Munrow - The Pied Piper

    3/5For David Munrow, a musical maverick of the 1960s, the flute became a world of adventure.

  7. Next Thursday21:45
    BBC Radio 3

    4. Radio 3's Pied Piper seriesDavid Munrow - The Pied Piper

    4/5What made David Munrow's long-running children's programmes so popular in the 1970s?

  8. Fri 15 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    5. Leaving a legacyDavid Munrow - The Pied Piper

    5/5The sound of David Munrow's music for now.

  9. Mon 18 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Recasting Ella: PhilanthropistFull Moon on Progress St

    Dr Rommi Smith examines a turning-point moment in the life of five Black female musicians.(R)

  10. Tue 19 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Big Mama Thornton’s Ball and ChainFull Moon on Progress St

    Dr Rommi Smith examines a turning-point moment in the life of five Black female musicians.(R)

  11. Wed 20 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Billie Holliday in Love at MoMAFull Moon on Progress St

    Dr Rommi Smith examines a turning-point moment in the life of five Black female musicians.(R)

  12. Thu 21 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Nina Simone’s Political RomanceFull Moon on Progress St

    Dr Rommi Smith examines a turning-point moment in the life of five Black female musicians.(R)

  13. Fri 22 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Billie Holiday: Strange FruitFull Moon on Progress St

    Dr Rommi Smith examines a turning-point moment in the life of five Black female musicians.(R)

  14. Mon 25 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Black BeautyMiles Beyond

    How Miles Davis navigated racial politics in his life and music.

  15. Tue 26 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    The Man With The HornMiles Beyond

    How Miles Davis changed the tone of the trumpet.

  16. Wed 27 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Title: Sound AdventurerMiles Beyond

    How Miles Davis used technology to expand the sound palette in jazz, and beyond.

  17. Thu 28 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    Style IconMiles Beyond

    Miles Davis’s image evolved alongside his music, making him a style icon.

  18. Fri 29 May 202621:45
    BBC Radio 3

    A New StandardMiles Beyond

    How Miles Davis broadened the jazz repertoire, covering pop hits in the 1980s.