Lines and Dots

The title of this episode should be preceded by a disapproving tut or a disdainful whistling of air through the teeth. Looking at the concept of something becoming outdate or inappropriate in a more modern context, Chris and Maurice consider Nabokov's Lolita, the book of Leviticus, the music of Grease and go on the hunt for a lost cord. All of this while enjoying a reminiscent round or two of the Generation game... didn't they do w...

Travelling, in at least their own minds, to the village of Upperthong for a spot of Welly Wanging, Chris and Maurice explore the intrac(tor)able influence of the countryside and agriculture on creativity through the ages. From a glorious setting of a tractor catalogue by Milhaud, and an opium-fuelled stroll through the fields with Berlioz to an oddly named memorial by Milton and a bit of post-funereal hanky-panky with Hausmann - it...

In this week's (somewhat delayed) episode, Maurice and Chris explore what makes a really good bit of humour. From the genius of Mozart's Musical Joke through to the mischievous Book of Moromon and the magnificently maligning poetry of the Roman poet Martial not to mention the confidence trickster Frank Abagnale Jr. 

There is a single profanity in this week's podcast. But it's Classical, so surely that's allowed?

First recorded on 1...

A tricky topic this week as Maurice and Chris attempt to find a recipe for greatness in the worlds of culture and politics. Exploring 'battlefield experience' with Alexander the Great, longevity, with Handel's Messiah, intelligence and scale of ambition with Tolkien and tact and sensitivity of approach with John Williams - it's clear that there is no one, surefire path! All of this while attempting to demonstrate prowess in that gr...

From Terry Pratchett and Jane Eyre to Bob Dylan and Adele - Maurice and Chris pelaton-spin their way through a smorgasbord of cultural giants that they desperately want to like ... but just don't. It's a question of things having everything they need to be fantastuc and yet, for some reason, not appealing ... 

I lied. Chris does not desperately want to like Adele and I have a feeling that comes across.. 

First Recorded on 27th Marc...

This week, Chris and Maurice take on the difficult challenge of finding pieces of text and music that are so very straightforward one could almost imagine having written them oneself. It soon emerges, however - during an excellent match of noughts and crosses - that such things are hard to find and that such cultural artefacts as a Bach Prelude, a nine-line poem by Frost, haiku poetry and a well-known nursery rhyme are actually far...

From the terrifying illustrations of the ladybord books of our youth to the animated features of today, fairytales not only inspire and direct children but also become valuable artefacts of the cultures who created them.

Today's discussion looks at the literary works of the Brothers Grimm as well as Hans Christien Anderson and then takes in the extraordinary and evocative musical compositions of Schubert and Delius.

First recorded ...

In keeping with this week's theme, Chris and Maurice meet for an in-person version of the podcast, broadcast from the shed in Maurice's back garden.

Exploring the differences between extemporisation and improvisation, the discussion takes in a Jazz score by Miles Davis, some phenomenal organ work, reflections by Wordsworth and Chief Joseph's chilling 'speech of surrender'! There is also a thrilling game of dominos ...

First recorde...

With Chris unusually - and, on the basis of this, uniquely - in the driving seat for this episode as Maurice battles a croaky throat, the topic for our synchronised swimmers is 'undervalued'. 

This highly subjective topic takes us from Patrick Appleford's 'Living Lord' through to Shirley Jackson's 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' by way of obscure biographies of composers and the outer orbits of Holst's Planets - we also consid...

To celebrate the fact that 24 hours of Lines and Dots are now available for download, Maurice and Chris embark on a terrifying le mans (mainly because Maurice doesn't drive) of culture.

From the extraordinary compositional power of Hindemith and Herodotus' account of the battle of Marathon through to Carol Ann Duffy's 'The Christmas Truce' and that wonderful psychotropic work 'A Day in the Life' by the beatles, we explore the imp...