More about 'Communicative Musicality'

Following the airing of 'Language of Lullabies' there's been lots of interest in the work of Colwyn Trevarthen and his colleagues.

Here's a link:

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/soundanth/work/trevarthen/

Lullabies on BBC World Service Outlook

Several short lullaby pieces on BBC World Service Outlook over the next few weeks, and people are posting their favourite lullabies on the their facebook page too

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Outlook-BBC-World-Service/149887627901

Language of lullabies on BBC World Service this weekend

Listen to 'Language of Lullabies' this weekend on BBC World Service:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p010z9yc

and enjoy a Lullaby a Day in December:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Lullaby-A-Day-for-December/452188884829617?ref=hl

More Lullabies: A Collaboration with BBC Arabic

Months have passed since I last wrote about this project, and although all quiet on the surface, there's been all sorts of activities going on behind the scenes, plus a change in the schedule due to a new collaboration.
Instead of one programme I am now making two programmes, the first programme 'Language of Lullabies' will air on BBC World Service on 1st December the second which is a collaboration with the BBC Arabic Service will air later in the month. Lily Al-Tai my collaborator and I have gathered recording about a 2000 year old Babylonian lullaby, we've lullabies from Kuwait, Syria, Iraq... and many more, Lily has been recording in Kuwait recently and brought back some wonderful material, and soon we will be in Morocco - recording high in the Atlas Mountains.

Oh and we're still collecting Lullabies from around the world, once the programmes are finished the collection will be available here or on the BBC website - so please keep sending them my way.

Recording a Somali Lullaby

Last week I visited a group at 'Love to learn' an organisation working with refugee communities in London http://www.rhssp.org.uk/

A group of Somali women at the centre very kindly sang the lullaby 'Hoobeey Hoobeey' (or 'Huwaya Huwaya'.) This lullaby had been suggested by 2 people, firstly Khadija who I met here in the UK and also by someone working at the BBC World Service in Africa. It's the first lullaby I've come across that is designed to be sung by someone other than the mother.

Psychology and Lullabies plus recording lullabies at The Royal London Hospital

On Friday I recorded an interview with Sally Goddard Blythe,  http://www.sallygoddardblythe.co.uk/index.php  author of 'The Genius of Natural Childhood'. Sally talked about how singing lullabies help child development amongst other fascinating insights into the subject. Yesterday Laura and I went to record some very very young babies at the Royal London Hospital where musicians from Spitafields Music http://www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk/ , working with Vital Arts http://www.vitalarts.org.uk/ were performing lullabies in the wards.

More about the project here:

http://www.vitalarts.org.uk/spitalfields-music-in-residence

Iraqi lullaby

Today I recorded a beautiful sad Iraqi lullaby, suggest by the BBC Arabic service. We've received many emails, tweets and calls, we continue to collect lullabies, so please keep sending them in. The name of the lullaby recorded today is 'Delilol' it's a real treat..

Collecting lullabies from around the world for BBC World Service

This is a production blog for a BBC World Service radio feature called 'Language of Lullabies'

Around the world lullabies path the road to sleep and dreams but curiously they often contain dark or threatening imagery; babies falling from cradles (UK) or being taken out into the cold in the depths of winter (Iceland), or being eaten by monsters (Caribbean). This feature explores the music and narratives of a vivid selection of lullabies from around the world, examining their themes, rhythms and melodies, their universal qualities and difference as well as the role they play in child development. 

Please send us your lullabies, in the first place you might like to just let us know about your favourite lullaby, but we're also looking for recordings of lullabies with a translation written in english. We're particularly interested in lullabies with interesting or unusual stories such as this lullaby from Nigeria:

Whose mother is the crying

Is it Eagle? Is it Vulture? Is it Human?

Bring black pepper, bring pepper,

Bring ingredients for soup, let the birds feed themselves

Baby oh, baby stop.

Add your favourite lullaby in the comments box below or get in touch via twitter:

https://twitter.com/Soundslikenina