The Birth Of Music

The ancient West Kennet Long Barrow burial chamber near Avebury in Wiltshire was built around 3650 BC. Its cave-like spaces, formed by vast rocks, are the setting for Jude Rogers' exploration of how Neolithic people of that time might have made music.

We can't know for sure of course, but music, ritual and dance are universal features of human life, and so it must have been even in pre-history. So what might be the links between prehistoric music gatherings and dance music culture today? A rave in the cave?

Jude is joined by Professor Rupert Till from the University of Huddersfield aka Professor Chill, a DJ and electronic music producer who knows about sound frequencies in ancient sites, and Letty Stott, a musician and PHD student who can get a tune from a conch. Historical context is provided by Dr Ben Chan, a highly experienced archaeologist from the University of Bristol who works at Avebury nearby.

We also hear from Ritta Rainio in Finland, whose research into prehistoric pendants culminated in a wild dance in a costume of rattling elk teeth. Artist and musician Jem Finer tells us the story of the Gurdy Stone.

Meanwhile musician ‘Spaceship' Mark Williamson is hard at work recording sounds inside a neolithic tomb in Anglesey.

Presented by Jude Rogers

Producer: Victoria Ferran

Executive Producer: Susan Marling

A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4.

What music did Neolithic peoples make? Jude Rogers and guests have fun speculating.

Music is a universal impulse but what do we know about music in Neolithic times? Jude Rogers and guests test out some theories with instruments in a prehistoric burial chamber.

The ancient West Kennett Long Barrow burial chamber near Avebury in Wiltshire was built around 3650 BC. Its cave-like spaces formed by vast rocks is the setting for Jude Rogers' exploration of how Neolithic people of that time might have made music.

We can't know for sure of course, but music, ritual and dance are universal features of human life, and so it must have been even in pre-history. So what might be the links between prehistoric music gatherings and dance music culture today? A rave in the cave? Jude is joined by Professor Rupert Till aka Professor Chill, DJ and electronic music producer, who knows about sound frequencies in ancient sites, by Letty Stott, a musician who can get a tune from a conch and Ritta Rainio from the University of Helsinki, whose researches into ancient music culminated in a wild dance in a costume of rattling pendants. Historical context is provided by Ben Chan, a highly experienced archaeologist who works at Avebury nearby. And we hear briefly from composer Max Richter and musician ‘Spaceship' Mark.

Produced by Victoria Ferran

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