Exploring different aspects of history, science, philosophy and the arts.
Leading artists, writers, thinkers discuss the ideas shaping our lives & links between past & present and new academic research.
An antidote to today’s frenzied world. Step back, let go, immerse yourself: it’s time to go slow.A lo-fi celebration of pure sound.
Leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, themed across a week - insight, opinion and intellectual surprise.
Every Friday we bring you a new drama from BBC Radio 4 or Radio 3. Exercise your imagination with some of the best writers and actors on radio. Storytelling at its very best.
Matthew Sweet's weekly look at music for the screen.
Jess Gillam hosts the music show for people who like classical and other stuff too. Music, eclectic playlists and chat, with a new guest every week.
Radio 3's regular jaunt into the latest, brightest and best gaming soundtracks.
Discover the world with music. Join local experts for a sonic journey around the globe.
BBC Radio 3's Composer Of The Week is a guide to composers and their music. The podcast is compiled from the week's programmes and published on Friday, it is only available in the UK.
Radio 3's cabaret of the word, featuring the best poetry, new writing and performance
Michael Berkeley's guests share their musical passions and reveal which pieces bring them joy and sustain them through hard times.
Rethink music with The Listening Service. Tom Service presents a journey of imagination and insight, exploring how music works
The stories that matter, the people that matter, the music that matters
The podcast for classical newbies. If you fancy giving classical music a go, start here.
Building a Library: a guide to the best recordings of the greatest classical music. Experts review a wide range of recordings of a well-known piece, ending with a recommendation.
Dramas for English language learners from BBC World Service. Improve your English with retellings of stories classic and new. Each episode is between 6 and 10 minutes long.
An exploration of early music, looking at early developments in musical performance and composition in Britain and abroad. UK only: please note that not all episodes are podcast.
In celebration of Pride Month, Bad People hosts - Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen - explore the history, science and culture of bisexuality.
Seriously is home to the world’s best audio documentaries and podcast recommendations, and host Vanessa Kisuule brings you two fascinating new episodes every week.
In this set of free downloads, BBC Radio 3 presenters introduce a key composer and work featured in BBC Prom concerts.
Artists, musicians and composers introduce fifty key pieces of classical music composed between 1950 and 2000. As featured in the BBC Radio 3 programme, Hear & Now.
Innovative and thought-provoking features that make adventurous use of sound and explore a wide variety of subjects. Made by leading radio producers.
Composer and comedian Vikki Stone unbuttons the BBC Proms and asks the questions everyone else is afraid to ask.
Key pieces of music from the Georgian period explored by Suzy Klein and Christian Curnyn. From BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 Opera guides
World music from the Commonwealth countries for BBC Radio 3’s World on 3, Fridays. Musicians, sportspeople and cultural figures introduce music recorded on location.
Discover classical music loved by celebrated guests from all walks of life. To hear the music in full go to BBC Playlister.
Sara Mohr-Pietsch interviews today’s composers exploring the relationshipbetween their immediate environment and the music they write. From BBC Radio 3’s Hear and Now, published on Sunday mornings.
Home of the best science programmes from BBC Radio 4 introduced by Dr. Alex Lathbridge.
Join NAO to escape the noise of daily life through the power of music and meditation. Experience guided meditations from a range of experts, enhanced by immersive classical sound.
Your one-stop shop for all things Shakespeare. Catch A-List casts in brand new versions of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, plus documentaries from the brightest minds.
The final shortlist of winning carols in the Breakfast Christmas Carol Competition. Composed by listeners, a setting of a poem by Susan Hill specially written for Radio 3
Creative collaborations in new music. A series where the world’s leading composers and performers explain how they cooperate in the creation of new work.
Maurice Ravel revealed through guides to his work and life. First broadcast on BBC Radio 3's Ravel Day, 7 March 2014.
BBC Radio 3's Piano A to Z
Classical music critic Norman Lebrecht talks to major figures in the field
Jonathan Overend and guests provide reaction to the big stories and take listeners behind the scenes at SW19.
Programme offering advice and guidance to those interested in building a library of jazz recordings or adding to an existing one
Insight and analysis from the Test Match Special team - including interviews with top players and special features.
A personal view of classical music from a range of presenters. Authored, themed mini-series and one-off programmes offer a chance to share the musical interests of the presenters.
Katie Derham explores the relationship between music and dance in a variety of genres.
Britten 100. Highlights from Radio 3’s Britten centenary weekend in Aldeburgh with special features, interviews and on location reports recorded in Suffolk.
Mozart’s world rediscovered in objects of his time. Professor Cliff Eisen looks at Mozart’s world through objects that were close to him. From BBC Radio 3.
Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough presents a collection of quirky tales from the corners of history, exploring a different theme in each weekly episode.
Welcome to the Old Time Radio Scifi , From its earliest time, radio has always been interested in Science Fiction. There has been science fiction on the radio since before Buck Rogers in 1932. Radio SciFi characters leaped into your living room as the listener would be taken on an adventure into time and space each week. Join us each week as we explore the unknown universe of science fiction only on the Old Time Radio Network.
Gareth Rhys Owen with the latest Welsh rugby news and views.
Highlights of BBC Radio 3’s special programmes to mark the WW1 centenary. Classical music, art, literature, film, popular songs and cultural life inspired by the war.
Jonathan Overend is back at Wimbledon to bring you all the excitement of day three. Former British tennis player Johanna Konta joins him to reflect on Emma Raducanu’s defeat in straight sets to Caroline Garcia. Jonathan and former player and coach Miles Maclagan avoid the sprinklers and react to Andy Murray’s exit from the Championships, despite mo…
David Chalmers is credited with setting the terms for much of the work done in the philosophy of mind today when he posed the 'hard problem' of consciousness: how does matter, which is fundamentally inanimate, give rise to or interact with consciousness, which is qualitative and phenomenal - always a 'what it's like'?His most recent book, Reality +…
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Wimbledon Daily


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Day 2: Nadal puts best foot forward but journey ends for Williams
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On day two of Wimbledon 2022, Jonathan Overend is back roaming the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis Club to give you access all areas, reviewing today's major tennis talking points alongside 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, sports broadcaster Lee McKenzie, BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller and six-time Wimbledon Doubles champion …
For evolutionary scientists studying religion, it's more fruitful to examine what people do in religious contexts, rather than listen to what they say they believe. There's a new recognition that as well as looking at behaviour, people studying religion must take account of the religious experience of believers. But how do you do that? And what doe…
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Scrum V Rugby


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S5 E42: 'We've come out here to get 3 wins'
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Wales are facing a 3 match test series versus the Springboks. It doesn't get much bigger than this. Lauren Jenkins and Gareth Griffiths have been previewing the tour with Josh Navidi who's looking forward to the 1st test and his wedding.By BBC Radio Wales
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Test Match Special


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Eoin Morgan retires from international cricket
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Jonathan Agnew is joined by Moeen Ali and Michael Vaughan to pay tribute to Eoin Morgan, who has announced his retirement from international cricket. We also hear from Morgan, who explains the reasoning behind his decision.By BBC Radio 5 live
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Test Match Special


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Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole on their retirement from Test Cricket
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Henry Moeran speaks to two of the all time greats of women's cricket. Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt discuss their retirement from International Test cricket and their careers throughout the years.By BBC Radio 5 live
It was a night of intense negotiation which would change the world order as Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons.Clive Myrie examines what was at stake in Budapest in 1994, how the deal was finally reached and how it went on to shape the world we face today.Three decades ago, the newly independent country of Ukraine was briefly the third-biggest nuc…
Join Jonathan Overend as he reflects on all the best bits from the opening day of Wimbledon 2022! The rain couldn’t stop the best of the Brits delighting home crowds at SW19, and Jonathan is joined by former British tennis players Laura Robson and Annabel Croft to review wins for US Open champion Emma Raducanu, No. 1 British male Cameron Norrie and…
Jonathan Agnew, Daniel Norcross, Michael Vaughan, Jeremy Coney and Moeen Ali look back at a stunning day at Headingley in which Joe Root and Johnny Bairstow took just 65 minutes to score the 113 runs needed for England to seal a 3-0 series whitewash over New Zealand.By BBC Radio 5 live
Edward Seckerson compares recordings of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony in E minor and chooses his favourite. Today, Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony is one of the composer's most popular works. Rachmaninov composed it in Dresden, during a period of retirement from concert activities, and conducted its premiere in Saint Petersburg in January 1908, to great cr…
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Test Match Special


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Root and Pope combine to put England in control
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Jonthan Agnew, Michael Vaughan and Jeremy Coney look back at an enthralling day of Test cricket at Headingley, which saw Joe Root and Ollie Pope combine to leave England needing just 113 runs to win on the final day.By BBC Radio 5 live
Did music begin in ancient cave systems? How did medieval cathedrals inspire musical developments? What effect does a particular concert hall have on the music heard there, or the music on the design of the concert hall? And what can we do with our 21st-century ability to change our acoustic environment at the touch of a button?Tom Service looks at…
Vic Marks, Phil Tufnell, Moeen Ali and Alex Hartley talk the art and craft of spin bowling.By BBC Radio 5 live
In this first episode, Jonathan Overend takes you to the heart of SW-19 before the first serve takes place & the competition begins. Take a stroll through Centre Court and find out what preparations go on behind the scenes before the Championships begin.By BBC Radio 5 live
Jonathan Agnew is joined by Michael Vaughan and Jeremy Coney to discuss a fascinating third day of the final Test between England and New Zealand. A flurry of late wickets for the hosts put England in a commanding position ahead of day 4.By BBC Radio 5 live
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Test Match Special


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View from the Boundary: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
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Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson broke over thirty world records and won eleven Paralympic gold medals in a glittering athletics career. She speaks to Aggers about travelling to India with Kapil Dev, accompanying Ian Botham on charity walks and her new role on the board at Yorkshire cricket club.By BBC Radio 5 live
Harpist Lavinia Meijer has worked with an impressive list of people, including Philip Glass, Iggy Pop and Patty Smith, she joins Jess Gillam this week to chat about the music they can't get enough of. Lavinia is declaring her love for the bagpipes with a track by The Chieftains, we’ve two stunning concertos from Unsuk Chin and Korngold, re-worked f…
Tom Service talks to composer Max Richter about his latest project, ‘The New Four Seasons’, a new version of his critically acclaimed take on Vivaldi's piece, played this time on period instruments by Chineke! Orchestra and soloist Elena Urioste. Why period instruments and what new did he learn from the experience? We visit Welsh National Opera, in…
Ian McMillan explores the language and complexities of male friendship with poet Michael Pederson whose book Boy Friends is 'a paean to all the gorgeous male friendships that have transformed his life', comedian Max Dickins who proposed to his girlfriend then realised he had no-one to be his best man, and film expert Adam Scovell who explores on-sc…
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Test Match Special


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Brilliant Bairstow spares England blushes
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Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan, Sir Alistair Cook and Andy Zaltzman pick over a thrilling day which saw Johnny Bairstow and debutant Jamie Overton put on an unbroken 209 for the seventh wicket to claw England back in to the third Test against New Zealand.By BBC Radio 5 live
John Holder with answers to your unusual umpiring conundrums.By BBC Radio 5 live
Connor is a bright, mixed race Newport teenager, but his life is in danger of spiralling out of control, fuelled by his confusion and despair over who he is and why his father is largely absent from his life. Autobiographical drama about second chances, written and performed by Welsh Children's Laureate, Connor Allen.CASTAdult Connor.....Connor All…
Donald Macleod surveys one of the most famed Spanish composers of the Renaissance, Tomás Luis de Victoria.Tomás Luis de Victoria has become the most famed Spanish composer of the Renaissance and ranks alongside Palestrina and Lassus as one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. He was a singer, organist, scholar, teacher, and a priest but i…
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BBC Learning English Drama


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Frankenstein: Episode 4: Creature meets creator
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Viktor Frankenstein meets the Creature at last. Will they be friends or have a fight?By BBC Radio
June 1972 saw the release of David Bowie’s album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars which propelled the South London singer to stardom.Bowie’s creation of the Ziggy Stardust persona was more than just a whimsical costume change, the whole concept had a meticulously planned gestation period and evolved many facets of his c…
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Test Match Special


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Mitchell and Blundell hold firm as England bowlers impress
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Jonathan Agnew is joined by Alistair Cook and Jeremy Coney to discuss an intriguing start to the third Test at Headingley which saw Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell put on an unbeaten 102 for the sixth wicket after the tourists were reduced to 123-5 at tea.By BBC Radio 5 live
Geoff Dyer, Dame Sheila Hancock and Rachel Stott join Matthew Sweet to discuss the work and performance of writers, artists, athletes and musicians near the end of their careers.Old Rage by Sheila Hancock is out now.The Last Days of Roger Federer by Geoff Dyer is out now.Rachel Stott is a composer and plays viola with the Revolutionary Drawing Room…
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Bad People presents: Bi People


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Bi People 3: Could you prove your sexuality?
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Omar comes to the UK after falling in love with a British woman. After his relationship breaks down, he seeks asylum, claiming it is unsafe for him to return to The Gambia because he has been persecuted and assaulted for being bisexual. But can he prove his bisexuality in court? Can anyone?In celebration of Pride Month Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen…
A brand new podcast series is coming your way on this feed.From the First serve, to Game, Set and Match – the ‘Wimbledon Daily’ podcast will take you behind the scenes and to the heart of SW-19. Join Jonathan Overend and a host of big names guests throughout the championships as they bring you reaction to the major stories from each days play. It’l…
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Test Match Special


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5Live Cricket: England's white ball success
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Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by Phil Tufnell, Mark Wood and Tymal Mills to reflect on England men's One Day International 3-0 series win against the Netherlands. The team also preview England men's Test match against New Zealand at Headingley and hear from England women's Test captain Heather Knight ahead of their one and only domestic Test match this…
The German Romantic author of horror and fantasy published stories which form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann, the ballet Coppélia and the Nutcracker. In the theatre he worked as a stagehand, decorator, playwright and manager and he wrote his own musical works. His opera Undine ended its run at the Berlin Theatre after …
Waiting is an inevitable part of life, whether it’s in the waiting room of a GP surgery or waiting for lockdown to end.As part of the Waiting Times project, Dr Michael Flexer, a publicly engaged research fellow at the University of Exeter, explores different concepts of waiting and suggests that some forms of waiting – for seeds to grow, for the cu…
John Gallagher with an exploration of Sheffield's cultural history through new words, music and film.By BBC Radio 3
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Test Match Special


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No Balls: The Cricket Podcast - Hartley's been in Amsterdam and a cat in a car!
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Join Kate Cross and Alex Hartley as they discuss an amazing run-fest in Amsterdam, answer more of your questions and discuss whether it's ever acceptable to have tuna on a pizza.By BBC Radio 5 live
Gigi Salmon and David Law are joined by Wimbledon champions Pat Cash and Marion Bartoli to look ahead to this year's tournament. They discuss who the favourites are and what makes Wimbledon the most prestigious Tennis tournament. Jamie Murray joins the show and we also hear from Queen’s champion Matteo Berrettini. Plus, Jonathan Overend makes an ap…
Join Rachel Hurdley as she opens the front door to step into a story of security, sociability, style and even the supernatural. The front door may seem to be just a simple way of coming in and out of a house, but it almost always reveals more about the householder than they might expect. The style of door, its colour, the letter box, doorbell, even…
Sarah Mulkerrins is joined by Iain Carter, Katherine Downes and Zane Scotland to talk Matt Fitzpatrick after he won the 2022 US Open. The team reflect on his performance in the competition and give an insight to what Matt is like as a person.Hear from Matt Fitzpatrick after his win in Brookline, along with interviews from his father Russell Fitzpat…
Roger Parker chooses his favourite recordings of Haydn's operas.Joseph Haydn is possibly one of the greatest composers who wrote operas which are hardly known. He wrote 17 of them, and opera occupied a great deal of his composing life. During the 1770s and 1780s, Haydn ran an opera company for his employer, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. They put on up…
Betto Arcos reports from the Son Para Milo Festival in Mexico City, with a special focus on Son Huasteco, a traditional style from the north eastern part of the country.By BBC Radio 3
Matthew Sweet marks the 40th anniversary re-release of 'Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan' with music for the film franchise by Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner and Michael Giacchino. The programme includes music from the movies 'Star Trek: Into Darkness', 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn' and 'Star Trek III: The Search …
Jess Gillam is joined by Qanun player Maya Youssef for a listening party of some of the music they love the most. Jess brings some spine-tingling violin by Philip Glass and an absolute classic by Peter Gabriel, while Maya shares an earworm by Dvorak, and like all good parties it all ends with a little studio dance session to tracks by Toufic Farrou…
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Music Matters


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Scottish Opera at 60, Jan Carson, Felix Yaniewicz exhibition
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As Scottish Opera celebrates its sixtieth anniversary, Kate Molleson talks to key figures and artists from the company about its past, present and future including the company's General Director Alex Reedijk, Emerging Artist Lea Shaw, critic Ken Walton and conductor Donald Runnicles.Kate speaks to Josie Dixon, curator of the exhibition ‘Music and M…
Adelle Stripe's Ten Thousand Apologies: Fat White Family and the Miracle of Failure charts the gripping chaos and self-sabotage of a classic " drug band with a rock problem". She shares something in common with all our guests this week, who all stand at the crossroads of words and music. Her book describes a band who while plumbing the depths of pe…
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Test Match Special


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England break the record in the Netherlands!
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Henry Moeran and Alex Hartley bring reaction to England's astonishing 498-4 against the Netherlands in Amstelveen. We hear from centurion Dawid Malan and new coach Matthew Mott.By BBC Radio 5 live
Donald Macleod explores Dvořák’s American years and uncovers what he achieved during his time there.Antonín Dvořák became the first Czech composer to achieve global fame. His gift for transforming the folk styles of his native Bohemia into richly Romantic classical music won him admirers far beyond his homeland. Consequently, Dvořák was approached …
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BBC Learning English Drama


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Frankenstein: Episode 3: Death in the family
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Viktor Frankenstein describes the investigation into the murder of his younger brother.By BBC Radio