Sally Beamish: Spinal Chords [Live]

Spinal Chords is a piece of music set to a text written by Melanie Reid, a columnist for The Times who broke her neck and back following a horse-riding accident in April 2010 which left her paralysed. Melanie's weekly 'Spinal Column' in the The Times is an inspirational account of how she deals with raised and dashed hopes of recovery and how she in turn has been inspired by the many young people on her ward, many of them injured in sporting activities. Sally's piece will reflect the positive spirit of Melanie and the many other people, including Paralympians, who display such a life-affirming attitude in the face of adversity.

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20 outstanding new works, each lasting 12 minutes, commissioned to feature centre stage of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. New Music 20x12 is a UK-wide commissioning programme consisting of twenty new pieces of music, each of 12 minutes in length, celebrating the talent and imagination of the UK’s musical community as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Juliet Stevenson narrator

AUDIOREVIEWS

'Reid's powerful words compel ...' Gramophone

FUNDERS

Produced in association with BBC Radio 3 and PRS for Music Foundation

RECORDING CREDITS

The performance of Spinal Chords by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and narrated by Juliet Stevenson, was recorded on 5 February 2012 by the BBC at Turner Sims, Southampton and was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 21 April 2012.

(P) 2012 BBC
© 2012 NMC Recordings Ltd

Catalogue number: NMC DL201204
Release Date: 30 April 2012