Main: Music of the time of Austen & Gainsborough

Today's programme takes us back to the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries, with music from the time of novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) and the painter (Thomas) Gainsborough (1728-1788) - in other words, music that takes us from the late Baroque to the early Classical period.

However (writes Elrik Merlin), I have tried to keep away from the obvious choices from this period: there's little J S Bach in the programme today for example, although there are some pieces from Johann Christian Bach, his youngest son; and I've omitted the more obvious works of Handel. There are works by Purcell, including the original piece that formed the inspiration for Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, the Rondeau from Abdelazar; songs and concerti by Boyce and Arne; and some composers you may not have heard of, such as the younger and elder Linleys, Dibdin, and the Earl of Abingdon, the works of whom were included in Jane Austen's personal music collection, and in some cases were friends, acquaintances and subjects of Gainsborough's paintings.

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by gullar sahir in conjunction with our friends at the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme in-world now at http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here to start your player, if your browser is configured to do so. Listeners in the United States are encouraged to tune in using this link: http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.