4. Radio 3's Pied Piper series

Available for over a year

In this episode of the series analysing David Munrow's life and career, fifty years after his death, Edward Blakeman assesses what made his long-running children's series for Radio 3, comprising more than 600 programmes, so popular in the 1970s. Using samples from this seminal series, taken from Radio 3's archives, this programme reflects on Munrow's skills as supreme communicator, his broad knowledge and enormous enthusiasm for music of all kinds, well beyond the Western Classical canon, all of which made this series a must-listen not only for children around Britain, but adults as well. This episode also recounts how the series was put together, including fascinating anecdotes from people who collaborated with him at the time. Recorded at the Royal Academy of Music, before papers from Munrow's rich archive, with contributions by Edward Breen, an expert on the maverick musician's life and career.