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What's in a name?

Pippa Bennett-Warner and Aidan McArdle read from Margaret Atwood, Henry Reed and Shakespeare with music by Shostakovich, Arvo Part, Nkeiru Okoye and Ravel.

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet but how does my own name define me? In this edition of Words and Music we explore the importance of names with readings from Pippa Bennett-Warner and Aidan McArdle of the writings of Pushkin, Margaret Atwood, Henry Reed, Toluwanimi Obiwole and Shakespeare, and with music by Shostakovich, Arvo Part, Nkeiru Okoye and Ravel.

Producer in Salford: Barnaby Gordon

Readings:
Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet
Warsan Shire More by Warsan
Geoffrey T Hellman James Bond comes to New York
Joelle Taylor Vitrine
Brian Friel Translations
Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale
Toluwanimi Obiwole Sugarcane
Henry Reed The Naming of Parts
Mary Jean Chan Names
Rabbi Benjamin Blech, Elaine Blech Your Name is Your Blessing
Aimee Nezhukumatathil Naming the Heartbeats
Phil Knight Shoedog
Michaela Morgan Names
Alfred Lord Tennyson The Flower
Rumi A Star Without a Name
Alexander Pushkin The Name
Winifred M Letts Your Name

1 hour, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 4 Jan 2026 18:00

Music Played

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

  • 00:00

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Romeo & Juliet (Balcony Scene)

    Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra: Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Marin Alsop. Conductor: Marin Alsop. Conductor: Marin Alsop.
    • Naxos 8.573534.
    • Tr 19.
  • William Shakespeare

    Romeo & Juliet (Act II Scene ii), read by Pippa Bennett-Warner and Aidan McArdle

  • 00:03

    Jerome Jerry Bresler

    Five Guys Named Moe

    Composer: Larry Wynn. Performer: Harvey & the Wallbangers.
    • Gott GOTTCD015.
    • Tr1.
  • Warsan Shire

    More by Warsan, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:06

    Trad.

    Hallowed Be Thy Name

    Performer: The Kenyan Boys Choir.
    • Nascente 5014797137110.
    • Tr5.
  • 00:09

    David Arnold

    Casino Royale (Blunt Instrument)

    Orchestra: Studio orchestra. Conductor: Nicholas Dodd.
    • Sony Classical.
    • Tr4.
  • Geoffrey T. Hellman

    James Bond Comes To New York, read by Aidan McArdle

  • Joelle Taylor

    Vitrine, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:12

    Nkeiru Okoye

    My Name is Harriet, Now (Songs of Harriet Tubman)

    Singer: Louise Toppin. Orchestra: Dvo艡谩k Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Julius P. Williams.
    • Albany Records 034061131427.
    • Tr 15.
  • 00:17

    Trad.

    The Naming of the Child

    Performer: Eddie Butcher.
    • Arran Records 887396164697.
    • Tr3.
  • Brian Friel

    Translations, read by Aidan McArdle and Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:20

    The Ting Tings

    That's Not My Name

    • Columbia.
    • Tr9.
  • 00:20

    Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 84 in E-Flat Major, "In Nomine Domini": (4th mvt Finale)

    Orchestra: Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Conductor: Douglas Boyd.
    • NoMadMusic NMM078D.
    • Tr3.
  • Margaret Atwood

    The Handmaid鈥檚 Tale, read by Pippa Bennett-Warner

  • 00:27

    Howard Shore

    The Song of Names

    Performer: Ray Chen. Performer: Daniel Mutlu. Performer: Daniel Mutlu. Performer: Daniel Mutlu. Performer: Daniel Mutlu. Performer: Daniel Mutlu.
    • Decca.
    • Tr 1.
  • Toluwanimi Obiwole

    Sugarcane, read by Toluwanimi Obiwole

  • 00:34

    Dmitry Shostakovich

    Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op 77 (4th mvt)

    Performer: James Ehnes. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.
    • Onyx ONYX4113.
    • Tr4.
  • Henry Reed

  • 00:40

    Maurice Ravel

    Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn

    Performer: Steven Osborne.
    • Hyperion CDA67731/2.
    • Tr7.
  • 00:42

    Cecilia McDowall

    Shipping Forecast (3rd mvt. Naming)

    Choir: Choir of Merton College, Oxford. Ensemble: Orchestra Nova. Conductor: George Vass.
    • Dutton Epoch AW7629226.
    • Tr9.
  • Mary Jean Chan

  • Rabbi Benjamin Blech, Elaine Blech

    Your Name is Your Blessing, read by Aidan McCardle

  • 00:46

    John Murphy

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Naming)

    Performer: Studio Orchestra.
    • Hollywood Records.
    • Tr2.
  • 00:49

    Arvo P盲rt

    ...which was the Son of...

    Choir: Polyphony.
    • Hyperion CDA67375.
    • Tr9.
  • Aimee Nezhukumatathil

  • 00:57

    Joni Mitchell

    A Melody in your Name

    Joni Mitchell

    • Rhino.
    • 603497849956.
    • 18.
  • Phil Knight

    Shoedog, read by Aidan McArdle

  • 01:01

    Eminem

    My Name Is

    • Aftermath.
    • Tr3.
  • 01:01

    A Winged Victory for the Sullen

    The Haunted Victorian Pencil

    • Ninja Tune ZENDNLS638W.
    • Tr1.
  • Michaela Morgan

  • 01:03

    Igor Stravinsky

    The Rite of Spring (XI. The Naming and Honouring of the Chosen One)

    Orchestra: American Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leon Botstein.
    • American Symphony Orchestra 084854235733.
    • Tr5.
  • Alfred Lord Tennyson

  • 01:05

    Alexander Borodin

    String Quartet on the name 'B-La-F' (3rd mvt; Serenata alla Spagnola)

    Performer: Borodin Quartet.
    • Teldec 4509945722.
    • Tr6.
  • Rumi

  • Alexander Pushkin

  • 01:07

    John Powell

    Faces without Names (The Bourne Ultimatum)

    Performer: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Gavin Greenaway.
    • Decca.
    • Tr6.
  • Winifred M. Letts

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