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8. On Boredom and Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams
21:19||Season 1, Ep. 8In this new episode, we join the dots between, inter alia, boredom, The Shining, Vilhelm Hammershoi's painting (Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams, 1901) and émigré poet and critic, Joseph Brodsky.Notes and links:Music: 'Nuages' (Django Rheinhardt avec le Quintette Hot Club de France)"Midnight, the Stars and You", Ray Noble and His Orchestra'Maison De Mes Rêves', Django RheinhardtElla Fitzgerald: 'I'm Beginning To See The Light'T. Humes, 'Loves Farewell' performed by Luciana ElizondoMulatu Astatke - Tezeta (Nostalgia)Beethoven String Quartet No. 16 op. 135, slow movement, Busch QuartetHauser & Wirth Unconscious GesturesBBC4 Michael Palin and the Mystery of Hammershoi'In Praise of Boredom', Joseph BrodskyAll clips used either under fair usage or because they're out of copyright.All other nonsense is my own. Neil Fitzgerald 2026.
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7. On an Increasingly Faint Memory of your School Days
22:31||Season 1, Ep. 7Running order:Clunt, AppernackGrange Hill theme tuneClip from the film Dead Poet's SocietyBagpuss opening theme and narration'When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer', Walt Whitman, excerpt from Breaking Bad'The School Boy', William Blake'Friends, Romans, Countryman...' speech by Mark Anthony from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Marlon Brando)'Dives and Lazarus', Vaughan Williams'I vow to thee, my country'Intros from Indie Britpop and a Leicestershire hiphop legend whom only God can judge - 'Going for Gold' by Shed Seven, 'Return of the Mack' by Mark Morrison, 'On and On' by The Longpigs, 'Town' by Northern Uproar'I like me, my wife likes me' - Del Griffith (John Candy), Planes, Trains and Automobiles'Power To Believe (instrumental)', Planes, Trains & Automobiles soundtrackVarious sounds and field recordings freesound.orgAll original music by Neil Fitzgerald. All samples used under Fair Usage.6. On Melancholy
29:36||Season 1, Ep. 6Running order of the 'culturescape':A Young Blackbird Dies in My Hands, AppernackHamlet soliloquy 'I have of late but wherefore I know not...' from the film Withnail & I (1989, Richard E Grant as Withnail)Dido's Lament - 'When I Am Laid in Earth' from Dido & Aeneas, Henry Purcell - Kirsten FlagstadPhilip Larkin reading his poem Home Is So SadChopin's Prelude 13, Op.28 played by Alfred Cortot 'The Optimism of Melancholia | Slavoj Žižek | Big Think' (excerpt)Fading Lights Are Fading, Set Fire To Flames Clip from Melancholia - 'Justine and Claire' (2011, Lars von Trier)Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde prelude Various field recordings from freesound.orgFor more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.comIf you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com5. On the River as God or Gods
28:35||Season 1, Ep. 5Running order of the 'culturescape':Prelude from Das Rhinegold by Richard Wagner (Rudolfe Kempe, Bayreuth performance)opening of TS Eliot's 'The Dry Salvages' from Four QuartetsCharley Patton, High Water Everywhere Part 1Hermann Broch, The Death of Virgil excerptRobert Petway, Catfish BluesPike, Ted Hughes (read by the poet)Má Vlast, 2. Vltava, ou La Moldau, Smetana (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Talich, 1954)Various field recordings of rivers large and small from freesound.orgFor more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.comIf you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com4. On Nonsense and Silliness, or why Wittgenstein was right
23:53||Season 1, Ep. 4Wittgenstein was right! Being silly is necessary for human happiness.NB. This episode contains contextualised use of the 'n' word in a sound clip from a gangster rapper* (see bold and asterisked below)Photo of Wittgenstein (see below)A Life in Pieces (BBC), Peter Cook, Ludovic Kennedy, Ep. 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree (1990)Take The Money And Run (1969), Woody AllenAnnie Hall (1977), Woody AllenTim Dog, Phone Conversation with Reporter (1991)*Play Better Golf with Peter Aliss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOGP7V2ezE&ab_channel=kiuvideo (?)Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.comPhoto of a serious-looking Wittgenstein:3. On Bill Callahan and Authenticity
23:00||Season 1, Ep. 3Some reflections on the authenticity that runs like a rich seam of truth in Bill Callahan's songs. How does he do it?'When It Shows' - an old attempt at song-writing by yours truly'Say Valley Maker' (live) - from Rough Travel for a Rare Thing (2010) by Bill Callahan'Jim Cain' - from Sometimes I wish We Were An Eagle (2009) by Bill Callahan'Cowboy' - from Gold Record (2020) by Bill CallahanWith huge thanks to Bill Callahan and Drag City Records for permission to use clips from the songs for this audio essay. :)Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com2. On Kathleen Ferrier's Vocal Timbre
23:03||Season 1, Ep. 2A meandering exploration of why Kathleen Ferrier's voice is so unbearably moving.'My Bonnie Lad (trad. Northumbrian folk song)Ca' the Yowes' (trad. Scottish folk song)'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gerkommen' - Gustav MahlerSymphony No. 4, 3rd movement (Ruhevoll) - Gustav MahlerGet in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com