Fugal invention has proved a successful line of analytical inquiry in recent studies of repertoires from Josquin to J. S. Bach. Alan Howard brings similar insights to the music of Henry Purcell, and proposes the first analytical approach to his music to examine compositional methods alongside historically contemporary theory, focusing particularly on Purcell's 'artificial' approach to imitative counterpoint. Through this methodology Howard challenges previous responses to Purcell's music t...

Rosebud Dreamworld is a compelling coming-of-age novel that blends literary storytelling with elements of the supernatural.Fourteen-year-old Raif Williams has left school behind to work at his family’s junkyard—an unusual place filled with strange machinery and lingering mysteries. Haunted by the disappearance of his father and unsure of what is real, Raif is drawn into a journey that takes him through forgotten cemeteries, underground waterways, abandoned dwellings, and d...

An epic BBC radio adaptation of John Galsworthy's complete Forsyte Chronicles, narrated by Dirk Bogarde and with an all-star cast'Hallmarked with elegance and craftsmanship' The Evening StandardFirst broadcast in 1990, this monumental adaptation of John Galsworthy's Nobel Prize-winning novel series was a radio event. It was the most expensive drama serial ever produced, featured one of the biggest, most star-studded casts ...

Brought to you by Penguin.Bletchley Park: the top-secret landmark of World War Two, where a group of young people were fighting to defeat Hitler, and win the war. March 1943, the Second World War hangs in the balance, and at Bletchley Park a brilliant young codebreaker is facing a double nightmare. The Germans have unaccountably changed their U-boat Enigma code, threatening a massive Allied defeat. And as suspicion grows that there may be a spy inside Bletchley, Je...

Dramatisations and readings of Pushkin's most famous works - plus biographical programmes and an original play based on his lifeOne of Russia's most iconic poets, Alexander Pushkin is often described as the 'father of Russian literature'. A gambler, playboy and social reformer, he was exiled by the Tsar for his controversial poetry and died aged 37 in a duel defending his wife's honour.This BBC Radio anthology opens with full-cast dramatisations of his two ...

A play replete with puns and double-entendres, this is one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most lighthearted.The young king of Navarre and three of his courtiers have vowed to lock themselves away for three years of study and fasting, and to forswear the company of women for this period. No sooner is their vow made than it is tested, however, as the princess of France and three of her ladies arrive in Navarre on a diplomatic mission. The young men fall instantly and hopelessly in lov...

This controversial play follows the declining fortunes of a man of extravagant contradictions.The fabulously rich Timon believes all his friends to be as open-hearted and generous as himself. When his wealth suddenly evaporates, however, he discovers the truth and his altruism turns to a bitter hatred of mankind. Stirred up by the cynical Apemantus, Timon retreats to the woods where he plots the destruction of Athens, the city that had formerly seemed to embody everything pleasurab...

New York Times bestseller for fans of First Man: A "breathtaking" insider history of NASA's space program—from astronauts Alan Shepard and Deke Slayton ( Entertainment Weekly).On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, and the space race was born. Desperate to beat the Russians into space, NASA put together a crew of the nation's most daring test pilots: the seven men who were to lead America to the moon. T...

“Readers of Paula Hawkins, Tana French, and Ruth Ware will love this exceptionally well-crafted thriller.”—Library Journal (starred review)“A very satisfying and twisty tale.”—Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling authorEdgar Award nominee for Best NovelHer first love confessed to five murders … but the truth was so much worse.Will Hurley was an attractive, charmi...

The acclaimed debut thriller from the internationally bestselling author of The Liar’s Girl and 56 DaysThe day Adam Dunne’s girlfriend, Sarah, fails to return from a Barcelona business trip, his perfect life begins to fall apart. Days later, the arrival of her passport and a note that reads “I’m sorry—S” sets off real alarm bells. He vows to do whatever it takes to find her.Adam is puzzled when he connects Sarah to a cruise ship called the...

Remembering songs from the radio, from dance bands and music halls, from the popular films of the period, and from the ENSA tours that took British entertainers to the troops, this audiobook recaptures the spirit of the World War II years through the music and songs. It includes information about the legendary entertainers of the era, along with 23 full-length original recordings of the songs they made famous.These songs, moving and inspiring in equal measure, allow a glimpse into ...

A collection of 67 original recordings of speeches significant in United States and world history. Hear presidents, politicians, activists, sports figures and more in their own words as they talk about some of the most important events in the 20th century.