R4 Archive Hour - BBC Schools "Singing Together"

[mercia]

Radio 4 Saturday 8pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30210485

I'm not sure whether I remember Singing Together or not at school. I certainly remember BBC Schools being switched on regularly on the wall-mounted radio and I can also remember singing the likes of the Skye Boat Song, I guess these two events coincided.

[vinteuil]

... o, very much part of my primary school memories.

We even had that William Appleby come and visit us in person once

:bragging rights emoticon:

[cloughie]

... o, very much part of my primary school memories.

The songs of my formative years - great tunes and we remember them for life. I think The National Songbook was the basis of the repertoire. I remember gems from the programme such as The Lass of Richmond Hill, The Mermaid, The Keeper, Vicar of Bray, Twankydillo - the list goes on.
I guess I would have participated around 1954-8. Anyone remember the name of William's accompanist?

[Mary Chambers]

We didn't have schools broadcasts at school, but I used to listen to them at home when I was away from school or in my school holidays, which were quite long. I remember William Appleby and Singing Together very well. I also loved Music and Movement, but that may have been at a younger age.

[cloughie]

We didn't have schools broadcasts at school, but I used to listen to them at home when I was away from school or in my school holidays, which were quite long. I remember William Appleby and Singing Together very well. I also loved Music and Movement, but that may have been at a younger age.

There was also 'Rhythm and Melody'.

[Alison]

Why and when did schools broadcasting finish?

[jean]

They happen in the middle of the night sometimes.

[cloughie]

Why and when did schools broadcasting finish?

I seem to remember probably in the 80s or 90s that R3 used to host the schools programmes for a couple of hours per day and then they were moved to late night/overnight so that they could be recorded for daytime use in schools. Don't know how long this went on but I guess the demise of cassettes and then minidisc and the lack of a real user friendly recorder showed in use of the service and the broadcasts became history.

[jean]

No, they still happen. In the middle of the night.

[mercia]

I like the artwork of the booklets

http://www.lightstraw.co.uk/faded/notes/singing1.html

[Cockney Sparrow]

Mrs CS is a dedicated and enterprising (still!) primary music teacher of long experience- despite the many frustrations and obstacles in her path, including those placed there, whether unthinkingly or not. To address the topic - she tells me she has no recollection of the programme, but has the books in her extensive archive of teaching materials which containing standard material, can still be useful. Of course she has a lot of more modern collections, "sing up" material, etc.

I only remember Music and movement - prancing around the school hall as a new infant entrant. As to music, it was a welsh teacher at the inevitable solid upright piano I recall, and it didn't really make much impression on me.

[Lordgeous]

The songs of my formative years - great tunes and we remember them for life. I think The National Songbook was the basis of the repertoire. I remember gems from the programme such as The Lass of Richmond Hill, The Mermaid, The Keeper, Vicar of Bray, Twankydillo - the list goes on.
I guess I would have participated around 1954-8. Anyone remember the name of William's accompanist?

Well it was I in the latter series of those broadcasts and I remember William with great affection. I was also involved in a number of other BBC Schools programmes, but perhaps the less said about those the better now!

[mangerton]

I remember Music and Movement around the age of 5/6, and Singing Together around 10/11. As cloughie points out, there were some great songs including one called "Old Zip Coon" which would probably be banned now. There was also a Religious Service for schools shortly after 9.00.

Schools broadcasting was on the (Scottish if in Scotland) Home Service. Tape recorders were not very common, so we had to listen to the live broadcasts.

[Serial_Apologist]

No, they still happen. In the middle of the night.

Things that go bump?

While I don't specifically remember singing per se, I do recall some sort of BBC morning broadcast for the toddler age range, which must have been around 1948/9 (I was 3 or 4), but this seemed to require us forming a large circle with hands linked, dancing or skipping foreward then back to folk and Mediaeval tum-ti-tum tunes that I haven't forgotten to this day. The radio emitted loud raspberries much of the time, to the embarrassment of the exceptionally straight-laced teacher, probably originating my scatological sense of humour.

[cloughie]

Things that go bump?

While I don't specifically remember singing per se, I do recall some sort of BBC morning broadcast for the toddler age range, which must have been around 1948/9 (I was 3 or 4), but this seemed to require us forming a large circle with hands linked, dancing or skipping foreward then back to folk and Mediaeval tum-ti-tum tunes that I haven't forgotten to this day. The radio emitted loud raspberries much of the time, to the embarrassment of the exceptionally straight-laced teacher, probably originating my scatological sense of humour.

Sounds like 'Music and Movement'!

Did the radio have an accumulator and a high tension battery, the former needing regular recharging at your local hardware/electrical store?