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The Sheep of Art
Podcast |
Between the Ears
Publisher |
BBC
Media Type |
audio
Podknife tags |
Interview
Music
Society & Culture
Sound
Categories Via RSS |
Society & Culture
Publication Date |
May 12, 2018
Episode Duration |
00:28:31
What's the difference between the sheep found in art and real sheep? In a sheep bell-rich melange, we go in hunt of the real thing, with sheep farmer, author of world best-seller "Driving Over Lemons" and ex-Genesis member Chris Stewart, and academic, writer and potential Bo-Peeper Alexandra Harris. Those famous shepherds watching their flocks by night were, of course, following in a great tradition - guarding sheep, leading them to pasture, and then probably killing their babies - just like Able, the first shepherd. From ancient times, the shepherd and the sheep they care for, have been the most consistent of rural sights - they appear in poetry, plays and painting, inaccurately, romanticised, and highly symbolic. The closest Alexandra Harris has been to real sheep has been wandering past a few woolly bundles on the South Downs. She is, of course, more familiar with the Pastoral in art - from the Greek idyll to Shakespeare's 'A Winter's Tale'. To her - 'shepherding suggests knowing the real facts of life, wisdom of all time coming down through the ages'. Chris Stewart, who left the UK 25 years ago to pursue a new life as a shepherd in Spain, has 40-plus years of shepherding under his belt. He is more than familiar with the sheep's ways - their smells, herd mentality, incontinence and vulnerability. He knows how to feed one, find one and kill one, when necessary, although he still loves them dearly. To help Alexandra get to grips with the reality of the pastoral life, Chris suggests 'get your own flock of sheep and become a shepherdess....' Enter Paco - hardy Alpujarran mountain shepherd, bachelor and philosopher - although when asked what he thinks about whilst watching his flocks all day, he can only answer 'No, pienso nada!' Let the sheep bells fly.... Producer Sara Jane Hall Music Sheepwrecked - from the traditional Combined with Yan Tan Tether (Trad) And Mangare Peformed by Nathaniel Mann Count Your Blessings (instead of Sheep) sung by Bing Crosby Poets Edmund Spencer Sir Walter Raleigh Read by Richard Burton Sheep and bells Recording on location in Olias and El Valero, Alpujarra mountains, Spain, and Shearwell Farm, Exmouth Extra baas from a biscuit tin

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