Date/Time: Thursday 14 May 2020, 17:30 - 18:00

Jointly hosted by INSIGHTS Public Lectures and LIVE Music from King's Hall.

‘The central delight’ was the phrase used by Oliver Postgate to describe the music and songs written, arranged and recorded by Sandra Kerr & John Faulkner for Smallfilms’ award-winning and iconic films of ‘Bagpuss’ . In this talk, Sandra Kerr explores the influences and origins of the compositions, from the use of a medieval piece ‘harmonised in the Northumbrian fashion’ to create a mending mouse-round, to the adaptation of an erotic English folk song for the story of a Frog Princess, and from a Scottish weaving song for the tale of the Bony King of Nowhere to jigs, hornpipes and reels to accompany rhymes & legendsof sailors, mermaids, furry Hamishes, and all manner of other strange, charming and exotic characters. There will be some of the original instruments on show (and played) and the possibility of some singing...

The lecture will be followed by a live Q&A with the speaker.