Showing results by author "David Angus" in All Categories

The magic of ballet is evoked in these enchanting stories presented with many musical excerpts from the works themselves. Jenny Agutter, who before turning to acting was a dancer, presents the stories of two French ballets - Giselle and Coppelia - and the three great ballets by Tchaikovsky, in engaging style. A perfect introduction to the ballet.

The Victorian era was a time of great change and rapid progress. Britain was undergoing the most tremendous development. Scientific discoveries had prompted the Industrial Revolution, which made Britain the world leader in iron and steel production. Science was undergoing a revolution, enabled by the groundbreaking work of Michael Faraday, who led the Royal Institution. Great swathes of Central Africa were mapped by the explorer David Livingstone and the understanding of humankind’s place in the world was being redefined by the theories of the great naturalist Charles Darwin.

Nine remarkable men produced inventions that changed the world. The printing press, the telephone, powered flight, recording, and other innovations have made the modern world what it is. But who had these ideas and made realities of them? As David Angus explains, they were very different: quiet, boisterous, confident, or withdrawn. But all had a moment of vision that they combined with single-minded determination to battle through numerous obstacles and produce something that really worked.

One thing that hasn't changed much at all in the last 10,000 years is the human brain. The relentless curiosity of the human mind, combined with our ability to solve problems, has resulted in huge innovation and change. Here, then, are some of the most revolutionary ideas of the last 300 years.

This is a story from the Great Explorers collection.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

Here are the stories of nine great adventures and the lives of the men who took part in them. They pushed back the frontiers of man's knowledge of the world by their vision, courage, and sheer doggedness. They were very different people, from bold adventurers facing the unknown with enjoyment to careful, more scientific individuals. Their journeys are placed within their historical context, but also contain the words of the men themselves.

Here are the main stories from The Old Testament: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's Ark, Abraham and Isaac, Moses, The Ten Commandments, David and Goliath, Jonah and the Whale, Daniel and the Lion's Den and more. In these days where religion plays a diminishing role, it is important that we know the stories of The Bible not least because they appear repeatedly in art, literature, drama, music and even in films and computer games!

Between the 8th and 11th centuries, Vikings stormed out of their Scandinavian homelands to raid and loot along the coasts of Europe. In old Norse, to "go viking" meant to take to sea in a long ship for an adventure. Sometimes this was a trading trip, sometimes a piratical raid. Often it was both. Explorers and traders, warriors and poets, they ranged between Byzantium in the south and ventured as far as Iceland and even North America. Their fame lives on.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

Ancient Egypt: The Glory of the Pharaohs tells us about civilization under the pharaohs, of mysterious statues and tombs, incredible obelisks, and the Sphinx. In this selection, the ancient Egyptian kingdom is brought to life in a way that fuels the listener’s imagination, teaching and entertaining in equal measure.

Here is a collection of some of the best-loved Christmas stories from around the world, accompanied by the magical singing of the Cardigan Choir school.

This is a story from the Ballet Stories collection.

This is a story from the Great Explorers collection.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.

This is a story from the Great Explorers collection.

The shadowy figure of Robin Hood has been central to English folklore for centuries. Through time he has become the legendary English hero - living a life of splendid ease in the green wood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and vanquishing injustice in the shape of Prince John and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. And this is how we present him in a collection of the best known stories.

This collection features the lives of nine remarkable people, whose stories have inspired generations of adventurers. With Francis Drake we raid the Spanish Main and sail around the world. With Richard Burton we cross the deserts of Arabia. Hiram Bingham discovers the lost city of the Incas. Amelia Earhart personifies the heroic exploits of the early days of aviation. With Scott and Amundsen we race to the South Pole, with Hillary and Tenzing we conquer the summit of Everest.

This is a story from the Moses and Other Stories from the Old Testament collection.