Restoration England

You'll hear extracts from the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, and John Dryden's epic poem 1666, describing events from the reign of Charles II in England. On stage, battling husbands and wives were stock characters as theatres re-opened and drew in the crowds.

As Radio 3's series exploring the history of music Key Changes reaches the Restoration Court, Words and Music provides an accompanying selection of readings and music evoking the period from Rose Tremain's novel Restoration, Lucy M Boston's The Children of Green Knowe and Edward Bond's play Restoration. Our composers include Purcell and Blow, Michael Nyman’s film score for The Libertine, which depicts the life of the poet courtier the Earl of Rochester. There's also music from the court of the Sun King in France and from Vaughan Williams, inspired by Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. There were scientific discoveries both big and small, such as Halley’s Comet and the use of microscopes by Robert Hooke, and we'll hear words and music reflecting one of the great tragedies of the age, the Great Fire of London, and a celebration of women stepping on to the theatrical stage for the first time, including the famous Nell Gwyn.

Producer: Simon Funnell