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Dawn Chorus

Episode 6 of 6

From sunset until sunrise on the solstice, Verity Sharp presents a special dream-like night of radio documentaries from Radio 3's archives - accompanied by music for enchantment.

From sunset until sunrise on the solstice, Verity Sharp presents a special dream-like night of radio documentaries from Radio 3's archives, celebrating the imaginative possibilities of radio and accompanied by music for enchantment.

During nine hours of overnight programming, Between the Ears documentaries are interspersed with music that speaks to the theme of the night (midsummer, nighttime, dreams, the forest, enchantment...). Midsummer Dreaming also pays homage to the spirit of the Third Programme, Radio 3鈥檚 predecessor, which took to the air 80 years ago in 1946.

Dawn is beginning to break as our night exploring the vast imaginative possibilities of the radio draws to a close with birdsong, the vocalisations of a forest choir of field recordists and a selection of music for midsummer morning.

04.58
Nightingales of Berlin (2021)
Produced by Jeremy Grange

In early summer, as darkness descends, Berlin resonates with the sound of nightingales. You can hear their haunting, ever-changing songs in parks, woodlands and gardens across the city. From Kreuzberg to Treptower, Tempelhof to Hasenheide, Berlin has become a refuge for one of the most celebrated and mythologised birds on earth. This programme gathers memories of the nightingale鈥檚 lingering, multi-faceted song and the sounds of city evenings to create an audio portrait of Berlin, its people and the bird to whom it鈥檚 given refuge.

05.26
Place-responsive vocal improvisation (2026)
Performed by murmuration 7鈥� vocal ensemble, led by Hanna Tuulikki
Recorded by Jez riley French on 2nd June 2026
murmuration is curated and led by Jez riley French & Pheobe riley Law

05.30
Aubade - a selection of music for a midsummer morning.

Midsummer Dreaming was produced by Alan Hall and Eleanor McDowall
Exec produced by Phil Smith from Reduced Listening
A Falling Tree production for 91福利社 Radio 3

27 days left to listen

1 hour, 41 minutes

Last on

Sunday 04:49
91福利社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Manu Delago

    The Silent Flight of the Owl

    • Circadian.
    • One Little Independent.

  • Midsummer Dreaming

    Nightingales of Berlin (2021)

    • Nightingales of Berlin (2021).

  • Hanna Tuulikki & Murmuration Number Seven Ensemble

    The forest answers in the way you call to it

    • The forest answers in the way you call to it.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Soluppg氓ng Op.37 No.3 (Sunrise)

    Performer: Tine Thing Helseth. Ensemble: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Eivind Aadland.
    • Storyteller.
    • EMI Classics.

  • C茅cile Chaminade

    Aubade

    Performer: Elisabeth Remy.
    • Quest.
    • Albany Records.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Sinfonia Concertante For Violin And Viola In E Flat Major K 364, II. Andante

    Performer: Josef Suk. Performer: Ivan 沤enat媒. Conductor: Ji艡铆 B臎lohl谩vek. Ensemble: Prague Chamber Orchestra.
    • Complete Works For Violin And Viola.
    • Clarton.

  • Samuel Barber

    Summer Music, Op. 31

    Ensemble: Les Vents Fran莽ais.
    • Les Vents Fran莽ais: French Music for Winds & 20th Century Wind Quintets.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Pyotr Tchaikovsky

    The Seasons, VI. June (Barcarolle)

    Performer: Bruce Liu.
    • The Seasons.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Toru Takemitsu

    Waltz (From Face Of Another)

    Conductor: Marin Alsop. Ensemble: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
    • A Flock Descends Into The Pentagonal Garden 鈥� Spirit Garden 鈥� Dreamtime.
    • Naxos.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 22 In E Flat Major, "The Philosopher", I. Adagio

    Conductor: 脕d谩m Fischer. Ensemble: Austro-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra.
    • Symphonies Nos. 22 The Philosopher, 24 And 45 Farewell.
    • Nimbus Records.

  • Cyril Scott

    2 Pieces Op. 47, No. 2 Lotus Land

    Performer: Leif Ove Andsnes.
    • Horizons.
    • EMI Classics.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Octet For Strings In E Flat Major, Op. 20 (Critically Revised Edition 1832), I.

    Performer: Daniel Hope. Conductor: Thomas Hengelbrock. Ensemble: Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
    • Mendelssohn.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Robert Schumann

    Dichterliebe Op. 48, XII. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen

    Performer: J枚rg Demus. Singer: Dietrich Fischer鈥怐ieskau.
    • Dichterliebe 鈥� Liederkreis Op. 24.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

Broadcast

  • Sunday 04:49
    91福利社 Radio 3