Programme Information

Jamie Cullum pays tribute to legendary English jazz composer, saxophonist and clarinettist Johnny Dankworth (above)

Jamie Cullum remembers legendary UK jazz saxophonist, clarinettist and composer Sir John Dankworth, one year after his death (on 6 February 2010), as he continues to showcase his love for all types of jazz, and music rooted in jazz, from its heritage to the future.

Dankworth's long-time trombonist, Bill Geldard, speaks about working with Sir John and Jamie plays an archive recording of one of his performances from the Fifties.

Presenter/Jamie Cullum, Producer/Karen Pearson for Folded Wing

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

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Desmond Carrington continues to celebrate icons of the Fifties using words and music from the BBC and Radio Luxembourg archives. Each one-hour programme features stars interviewed by John Hannam, among them Nat Gonella, Edmund Hockridge, Russ Conway, Lonnie Donegan, Lionel Bart and Al Martino.

This week, he remembers British singer Frankie Vaughan and Eve Boswell. Eve was born in Hungary, moved to South Africa and then came on to Britain. She released numerous records during the Fifties including her hits Pickin' A Chicken and Sugar Bush. John Hannam talked to Eve in 1972 and part of that interview is included in tonight’s programme.

Throughout the series, Desmond's guest is veteran singer and broadcaster Teddy Johnson who, 60 years ago, was the first British presenter of the first-ever radio series of Top 20 record programmes.

Presenter/Desmond Carrington, Producer/David Aylott for Foldback Media Ltd

BBC Radio 2 Publicity

Penny Gore presents the award-winning Pavel Haas Quartet, graduates of the BBC New Generation Artist scheme, in the first of four Lunchtime Concerts from the ensemble this week.

The Pavel Haas Quartet are named after a young Czech composer who was interned by the Nazis in the infamous Thereisenstadt concentration camp. Now based in Prague, from where they are much in demand worldwide, they have built a reputation for the highest level of quartet playing. Last November the quartet played four concerts at LSO St Luke's in London and this, the first of those concerts, pairs two works by their countryman Dvořák.

The quartet members are: violinists Veronika Jaruskova and Eva Karova, viola player Pavel Nikl and cellist Krzystof Jarusek.

In the String Quintet the additional viola is Krzystof Chorzelski, who is the viola player with the Belcea Quartet.

Presenter/Penny Gore, Producer/Bill Nicholls

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

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Gustav Mahler knew that no great composer wrote more than nine symphonies and so, struggling with heart disease, stricken by the loss of a child and tormented by love for his fickle young wife, the last thing he wanted to do was to tempt fate. But in his final completed symphony, he took everything the world had thrown at him and distilled it into some of the most beautiful music of the 20th century. The result is one of the defining works of its time.

Eight decades later, British composer Mark Anthony Turnage faced a tragedy himself and his cello concerto Kai, a heartfelt elegy to a friend who died young, is a fitting complement to Mahler's vision.

Both works can be heard in tonight's Performance On 3, performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Presenter/Martin Handley, Producer/Janet Tuppen

BBC Radio 3 Publicity

Dominic Arkwright meets Alex Evans, who was shopping with his mum when he took a distress call from his friend on board a sinking ship in the Caribbean, as the series that meets people who have made or received life-changing phone calls continues.

Alex was in an Aberystwyth DIY store when he took a call from his friend Mark Corbett. Mark said he was on board a ship in the Caribbean which was sinking. The radio was not working and the only number he could remember was his best friend's.

Alex grabbed a till receipt, borrowed a pen from his mum, and started to take down the details. Both Alex and Mark are volunteers for the RNLI, but when Alex heard the name of the vessel in distress, there was a moment of hesitation.

Alex recalls: "When he said the yacht was called Titanic, I did have to ask if this was a wind-up. But there was real panic in his voice, so I knew it was the real thing."

Presenter/Dominic Arkwright, Producer/John Byrne for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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The Bosphorus Ep 1/3

Tuesday 8 February

11.00-11.30am BBC RADIO 4

Edward Stourton explores the life and history of the Bosphorus, the remarkable body of water that marks the meeting point of Europe and Asia, in this new three-part series.

Flowing through the heart of Istanbul, in Turkey, the Bosphorus has been a flash point between cultures, religions and imperial powers for thousands of years; from the Roman and Byzantine Empires, to the clash between Islam and Christianity and the Cold War between the super powers of the East and West.

The Bosphorus has a rich and bloody history that's inspired poets, writers and artists from around the world. In this programme, Edward looks at that rich history and how the Bosphorus works today.

Some 50,000 vessels make their way through the narrow straits every year – everything from small fishing boats to giant oil and gas tankers battle through the treacherous currents, making it one of the busiest and most dangerous international waterways in the world.

Presenter/Edward Stourton, Producer/Phil Pegum for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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Womanly Wiles Ep 1/3

Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 February

3.30-3.45pm BBC RADIO 4

American actress Kathleen Turner stars in one of the three Womanly Wiles stories: tales which are written by women from different moments in history.

The stories, set in 2011, 1985 and 1925, explore ways in which the women come to terms with their various worlds.

Ties That Bind, performed by Kathleen Turner in her story-telling debut for BBC Radio 4, is written by novelist and screenwriter Christine Conrad. It tells the story of a woman who decides to return to live on Cape Cod to be near her sister and mother. But she begins to wonder if family proximity creates its own problems.

The Weighing Up, written in 1985 by Angela Huth, tells the story of a wife who discovers her husband has fathered a child by another woman. It is read by Gemma Jones.

In the final tale, Mrs Windemere, by Elizabeth Bowen, something strange happens when a young wife and an older woman encounter each other in a London restaurant, having previously met in Italy. Performed by Sara Badel, the younger woman, Esmée, finds herself unwillingly drawn into something peculiar and distasteful by Mrs Windemere, who is almost hypnotic.

Producer/Martin Jarvis for Jarvis And Ayres Productions

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

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A Good Read

Tuesday 8 February

4.30-5.00pm BBC RADIO 4

In the first of a new series, science writer Matt Ridley and author Rebecca Abrams talk to presenter Kate Saunders about their favourite books.

Presenter/Kate Saunders, Producer/Beth O'Dea for the BBC

BBC Radio 4 Publicity

Mark Pougatch presents a comprehensive round-up of the day's sports news.

Presenter/Mark Pougatch, Producer/Mike Carr

BBC Radio 5 Live Publicity

Huey Morgan is joined by Cold War Kids for a live session in the BBC 6 Music studios. The Californian band formed in 2004 and have since released two highly acclaimed albums full of intense emotional alternative rock songs. They released their third album, Mine Is Yours, in late January. It is produced by Jacquire King, who has previously worked with Kings Of Leon and Modest Mouse.

They come in to play their latest single, Louder Than Ever, and tell Huey what they're up to this year.

Presenter/Huey Morgan, Producer/Gary Bales

BBC 6 Music Publicity

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BBC 6 Music presenter Gideon Coe

Tonight's show features music from the Sex Pistols at Finsbury Park in 1996 and Glasgwegian rock 'n' rollers Sons & Daughters live in 2005. Session tracks include some early Simple Minds from 1979, the evergreen The Sundays and, all the way from Calgary, the Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir.

Presenter/Gideon Coe, Producer/Mark Sheldon

BBC 6 Music Publicity