Lines and Dots

There are some pieces of music and some works of literature that we revisit over and over again - either because they have such brilliance that they need a repeat watch or because we find them oddly comforting. From the musical Hamilton to the Dilbert Principle and from Douglas Adams' genius to the ingenuity of Will Todd, Maurice and Chris explore what it is that pulls us back to these things so o...

From the windswept deserts of Arrakis to the Republic of Plato and from the riot-inspiring ballet music of Stravinsky through to Mahler's Ressurrection symphony, this week Maurice and Chris tackle those pieces of text and music that reward the dertermined listener. What is it that makes something impenatrable? Why do we feel so delighted when we come to appreciate them? And why on earth am I still...

From poetry that meets the needs of business through to a ballet for Barbie, this week's episode explores the intractable pull of the new and the risky - what is it that makes a piece of culture truly new and different? Styling themselves as a breakdancing crew, Maurice and Chris throw down moves to explore the music of Tippet and the extraordinary Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. First recorded on 3...

The title of this episode should be preceded by a disapproving tut or a disdainful whistling of air through the teeth. Looking at the concept of something becoming outdate or inappropriate in a more modern context, Chris and Maurice consider Nabokov's Lolita, the book of Leviticus, the music of Grease and go on the hunt for a lost cord. All of this while enjoying a reminiscent round or two of the...

Travelling, in at least their own minds, to the village of Upperthong for a spot of Welly Wanging, Chris and Maurice explore the intrac(tor)able influence of the countryside and agriculture on creativity through the ages. From a glorious setting of a tractor catalogue by Milhaud, and an opium-fuelled stroll through the fields with Berlioz to an oddly named memorial by Milton and a bit of post-fune...

Inspired by an intense if typically short British heat wave, Maurice and Chris play some French Cricket as they explore the inspirational power of the Summer. Discussion includes The Pines of Rome, the prescrtiptivism of Tennessee Williams' stage directions, a sonnet by Vivaldi and, of course, a cuckoo. No shins were harmed in the making of this podcast.   First recorded on 7th May 2025.

In this week's (somewhat delayed) episode, Maurice and Chris explore what makes a really good bit of humour. From the genius of Mozart's Musical Joke through to the mischievous Book of Moromon and the magnificently maligning poetry of the Roman poet Martial not to mention the confidence trickster Frank Abagnale Jr.  There is a single profanity in this week's podcast. But it's Classical, so surely...

A tricky topic this week as Maurice and Chris attempt to find a recipe for greatness in the worlds of culture and politics. Exploring 'battlefield experience' with Alexander the Great, longevity, with Handel's Messiah, intelligence and scale of ambition with Tolkien and tact and sensitivity of approach with John Williams - it's clear that there is no one, surefire path! All of this while attemptin...

From Terry Pratchett and Jane Eyre to Bob Dylan and Adele - Maurice and Chris pelaton-spin their way through a smorgasbord of cultural giants that they desperately want to like ... but just don't. It's a question of things having everything they need to be fantastuc and yet, for some reason, not appealing ...  I lied. Chris does not desperately want to like Adele and I have a feeling that comes ac...

This week, Chris and Maurice take on the difficult challenge of finding pieces of text and music that are so very straightforward one could almost imagine having written them oneself. It soon emerges, however - during an excellent match of noughts and crosses - that such things are hard to find and that such cultural artefacts as a Bach Prelude, a nine-line poem by Frost, haiku poetry and a well-k...

From the terrifying illustrations of the ladybord books of our youth to the animated features of today, fairytales not only inspire and direct children but also become valuable artefacts of the cultures who created them. Today's discussion looks at the literary works of the Brothers Grimm as well as Hans Christien Anderson and then takes in the extraordinary and evocative musical compositions of S...

In keeping with this week's theme, Chris and Maurice meet for an in-person version of the podcast, broadcast from the shed in Maurice's back garden. Exploring the differences between extemporisation and improvisation, the discussion takes in a Jazz score by Miles Davis, some phenomenal organ work, reflections by Wordsworth and Chief Joseph's chilling 'speech of surrender'! There is also a thrillin...

Backwards going with obsession humanity's explore Maurice and Chris episode, in this.  From the fugey brilliance of Bach to the experimental music of Paul Simon in Graceland and from clever palindromic poems to the curious case of Benjamin Button we consider what it is about this sort of symmetry that the race seems to find so very satisfying. We forgot about Valentine's day.   First Recorded on 1...

With Chris unusually - and, on the basis of this, uniquely - in the driving seat for this episode as Maurice battles a croaky throat, the topic for our synchronised swimmers is 'undervalued'.  This highly subjective topic takes us from Patrick Appleford's 'Living Lord' through to Shirley Jackson's 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' by way of obscure biographies of composers and the outer orbits...

To celebrate the fact that 24 hours of Lines and Dots are now available for download, Maurice and Chris embark on a terrifying le mans (mainly because Maurice doesn't drive) of culture.   From the extraordinary compositional power of Hindemith and Herodotus' account of the battle of Marathon through to Carol Ann Duffy's 'The Christmas Truce' and that wonderful psychotropic work 'A Day in the Life'...

Buildings and human designs for them are a remarkable expression of creativity and also share a remarkable creative space with music and literature. In this week's episode, Maurice and Chris explore Xeankis' Metastasis, the writings of Kepler, Solomon's Temple and Chris takes a hatchet to Ed Sheeran's 'Castle on the Hill'. This is all acheived while engaging in some very impressive parkour.   Firs...

In this episode, Chris and Maurice play a risky game as they consider the power of conflict in creating revolutionary concepts in music and text. From the powerful words of Homer and Oliver Cromwell to contrasting compositions by Berlioz and Britten (not to mention tips for holidaying in Rome) we look at the ways that humanity expresses its response to warfare and loss.   First recorded on 16th Ja...

To kick off season three, Maurice and Chris explore a poem by Tennyson, two ancient chants - including a performance every bit as live as it is ill-advised - and a column by Mark Twain. Look forward to discussions of naivete, new year's resolutions, the development of polyphany and - as per usual - unnecessary oversharing. Firs recorded on 9th January 2025.

Awash with Christmas spirit - or is that spirits? - Chris and Maurice take a fond stroll down memory lane as they recount their experiences of writing and producing a musical from scratch.  For those keen to see the production, performed at Canford School in 2011 - a version can be found on Christ' YouTube channel... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMYihyAVMZw We couldn't reccomend it to you more...

Chris and Maurice explore this slightly misunderstood season through the words of Isaiah and John as well as through two well-known Advent Carols.  There is an ill-judged vocal performance by Maurice and much spleen is vented. First recorded on 13th December 2024.

In this festival of bile, Chris and Maurice pick up their swords and do battle over which of them has produced the worst cultural artefacts for discussion. Will Pam Ayres' dentally based poetry win out? Will Handel's Sarabande eat dust? Will Tess of the D'Urbevilles or the musical Six ultimately fall suffer fatal blows? Tune in to find out.   Originally recorded on Thursday 28th November.

Despite continental separation and the trials of fickle technology, Chris and Maurice bring you this episode to celebrate the wonders of extreme contrast. From Top Gear's capricious visit to Magnetic North and the sumptuous glory of Vaughan Williams' Symphony Antarctica through to the contrasts between Athens and Sparta and a piece of music that doesn't seem to please anyone, the discussion takes...

In this week's episode of Lines and Dots, Chris and Maurice explore the complex world of codes. From the the inventiveness of Caesar's cipher and some acrostic-loving monks to the motifs of Schumann and Shostakovich, the discussion considers humanity's love of hiding things in plain sight. All of this, of course, presented in the mode of an orienteering expedition... First recorded on 5th November...

A waxing and waning discussion (punctuated by much 'clean and jerk' action) of this extraordinarily powerful feature of the cultural landscape. From impressionistic organ pieces and (yet more) French poetry through to the Norse myths and the vocal stylings of Cat Stevens, Chris and Maurice ponder what it is that makes the moon such a magnet for creativity. Anna Lapwood, if you are out there, pleas...

Departing the chalet and heading for the slopes (having stopped off at the ski shop to rent equipment, skill and courage) Chris and Maurice explore the twinned concepts of height and depth in this week's episode. From the very literal heights of the alpine symphony to the metaphorical highs and lows of Gershwin's quest to be taken seriously as a composer - not to mention the poetic endeavours of a...