An inspiring journey in music and words, through an amazing and varied landscape...
MUSIC from five centuries, the most recent from 2026 (Nightingale / Bill Connor), the oldest from 1590 (Robin Hood / William Byrd), with a huge range of musical styles and settings combining live performance with modern audio technology.
STORIES and LEGENDS from six of the ten locations visited in this journey, including humour, drama, poetry, classic literature and thought-provoking observations.
NATURAL SOUNDSCAPES using original sound recordings made by Laurence Perkins on location, from the dramatic moods of a wild sea or a wintry mountain to the beautiful peace of a gentle woodland setting - all reproduced in stunning SurroundSound.
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Details of the ten destinations, music and stories on this musical journey
Biographical details of Laurence Perkins and the six narrators.
1. Shetland Dawn
Our journey begins in the most northerly part of the British Isles, in Shetland. The rich culture of traditional folk music on the Shetland islands includes some stunning tunes, two of which are featured in 'Shetland Dawn'. The first is an upbeat melody called 'Da New Rigged Ship', while the second is a very old melody entitled 'Da Day Dawn' which is associated with the Winter Solstice and New Year - almost like an incantation for the daylight to return after those long dark winter nights.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'Shetland Dawn' (32 seconds)
2. Loch Ness
The live concert performances include an unusual version of the legend of the 'critter' at Loch Ness with a possible link to Shetland, told by Sandra Voe (The Bill, Midsomer Murders, Shetland) in Shetland dialect. The music is a contemporary folk setting of a traditional melody 'The Banks of Loch Ness' - a slow, lyrical version of the original Strathspey dance tune.
LISTEN to a music excerpt from 'The Banks of Loch Ness' (26 seconds)
3. Roman soldier at Hadrian’s Wall
The story of a Roman soldier patrolling this legendary landmark (around 160 AD) is told in the live concert performances by international storyteller Sef Townsend, who expresses the soldier's feelings of wishing to return to his home in Rome where he enjoyed a very different environment, climate and culture. The music ('E lucevan le stelle' from Act III of 'Tosca' by the Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, set in Rome) expresses this longing very powerfully in this purely instrumental version of the famous operatic aria.
LISTEN to a music excerpt from this version of the Puccini aria (32 seconds)
4. Irish Idyll
This is a purely musical visit to the 'Emerald Isle', celebrating another rich and very beautiful traditional music culture. 'Irish Idyll' features two melodies, starting with 'The Lark in the Clear Air', a famous 19th century tune from the west coast of Ireland, set here to the sound of skylarks. The other tune appears in the middle - this is Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (pronounced "Shee-beg, Shee-more"), composed in the late 17th century by the renowned blind harpist and composer Turlough O'Carolan (born in County Meath). The title refers to the myth of the 'little people' living in small and large hills.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'Irish Idyll' (33 seconds)
5. Wizard of Alderley Edge
The legend of the wizard of Alderley Edge originated in the early 19th century - a sleeping army of horsemen and their horses beneath the Edge, guarded by a wizard. Our invisible 'wizard' in the concert performances is the actor James Quinn (Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Holby City). The music is a fantasy piece based loosely on the legend - the melody is a 'Ciciliana' from the Sonata No. 2 by the 18th century composer Johann Ernst Galliard, but presented here with harmonies and digital effects that the composer never dreamed of!
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'Wizard of Alderley Edge' (42 seconds)
6. White Snowdon
This is a purely musical visit to North Wales, with atmospheric settings of two folk melodies associated with the highest Welsh mountain. ‘Eryri Wen’ (‘White Snowdon’) is a traditional 18th century Welsh folk melody with a slightly bleak, plaintive quality that fits the image of that mountain in winter. Bwlch Llanberis (The Pass of Llanberis) is very close by, and the melody that uses this place name has a warmer, more gentle character.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'White Snowdon' (34 seconds)
7. Robin Hood in the Woods so Wylde
The legend of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest and his lifelong mission to feed the poor is world-famous, and is more relevant now than ever, centuries after the story became so well-known. The story is told in concert performances by actor and award-winning playwright Stephen Bill. The music in this sequence is roughly contemporary with the legend - William Byrd composed 'The Woods so Wylde' in 1590, using a popular melody attributed to Henry VIII. It was originally a keyboard piece, but its light-hearted quirky character is ideally suited to the characterful sound of an ensemble of bassoons.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'The Woods so Wylde' (36 seconds)
8. Conversation with a Nightingale
Set in a Sussex woodland, this beautiful sequence starts with an evocative poem by Edward Carpenter, 'Among the Ferns', which can be heard in the concert performances read by Sir Derek Jacobi (BAFTA and Olivier Awards, I Claudius, Cyrano de Bergerac). The music that follows, 'Conversation with a Nightingale', was composed specifically for the 'Wylde Britain' concert programme by Bill Connor (composer for BBC and Granada TV productions and worldwide media and theatre), and includes a location recording of a nightingale made by Laurence Perkins in 2019. As the title suggests, the music is a dialogue between the solo bassoon and the bird, in a beautifully peaceful musical setting.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'Conversation with a Nightingale' (46 seconds)
9. Mermaid of Zennor
This old Cornish legend of a mermaid that falls in love with a singer in the Cornish coastal village of Zennor has been the source of much inspiration. In the concert performances, we hear William Shakespeare's wonderful observations of a mermaid from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', recorded specially for the 'Wylde Britain' concerts by Dame Judi Dench OBE. This is followed by another creation specifically for the concert, a piece for unaccompanied bassoon by Cornish composer Judith Bailey entitled 'The Mermaid of Zennor' which includes a characterful dialogue between the mermaid and the singer.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'The Mermaid of Zennor' by Judith Bailey (32 seconds)
10. Land’s End - The beginning of the World
The 'Wylde Britain' concert end on a purely musical note. Land's End can also be the beginning, and the lively dance melody 'The Beginning of the World' has a sense of optimism very much needed in present times. The tune comes from the 17th century Playford Collection of English dance tunes, and its quirky upbeat character conveys a positive wordless message as only music can. The soundscape at the beginning of this track are natural sounds recorded by Laurence Perkins near Land's End, adding to the sense of presence in this very special place.
LISTEN to an excerpt from 'Land’s End - The beginning of the World' (34 seconds)
Laurence Perkins - soloist and creator of 'Wylde Britain'
Laurence Perkins is well-known worldwide for his pioneering work as a solo bassoonist. He was principal bassoonist in Manchester Camerata until 2017, playing in orchestral and chamber concerts throughout the UK, Europe and worldwide. His live broadcasts include solo performances on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. Laurence’s recordings for Hyperion include the Mozart Concerto which was a top recommendation on BBC Radio 3’s Record Review programme. He has also made solo recordings with the CBSO, the New London Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the English Chamber Orchestra, with four albums between 2019 and 2025 entering the UK Classical Charts. Laurence was bassoon tutor and Director of Wind Chamber Music at Dartington International Summer School for 18 years, and continues to be very committed to working with amateur musicians as a bassoon and chamber music tutor.
Recorded narrations in the 'Wylde Britain' live concert performances
Sandra Voe
The 'critter' at Loch Ness
Sandra Voe's acting career spans 60 years, beginning with an episode of Dr. Finlay's Casebook in 1966. Alongside her theatre performances including the Royal Shakespeare Company, she has appeared in numerous television dramas including Shetland, Coronation Street, Taggart, Monarch of the Glen, The Bill and Midsomer Murders. Her film appearances include 'Local Hero' in 1983.
Sef Townsend
A Roman soldier at Hadrian's Wall
Sef Townsend has been telling traditional stories in shanty towns and cultural centres; refugee camps and festivals for the past 25 years. Apart from regular work in London schools, he works on cross-cultural, interfaith and peace & reconciliation projects both in the UK and internationally. He was recently designated ‘Education Goodwill-Cultural Ambassador’ by the international group, Dream On, for his ‘long-standing and generous contribution to its mission that benefits children and youth around the world’.
James Quinn
The Wizard of Alderley Edge
James has appeared in UK theatres including the Royal Exchange, Sheffield Crucible, the Old Vic, Birmingham Rep, Coventry Belgrade, Oldham Coliseum, Leicester Haymarket, Bolton Octagon and Greenwich Theatre. His TV and screen work includes Early Doors, Doctor Who, Father Brown, Bancroft, Gentleman Jack, Coronation Street, Fat Friends and the film Apostasy. James has performed in dozens of BBC radio dramas and comedies including his own comedy series, Sir Ralph Stanza’s Letter from Salford. James co-founded JB Shorts, Manchester’s award-winning festival of new short plays. His short, At the End of the Day, became BBC Radio 5 Live’s first drama commission.
Stephen Bill
Robin Hood in the Woods so Wylde
Stephen's television appearances include the part of Humphrey Pyecroft in Irate Dinner Tables, as well as rôles in Churchill's People, Survivors, Spearhead, Crown Court, Barriers, The Olympian Way, The Bill and Full Stretch. His film appearances include 'Prick Up your Ears' in 1987. As a writer, his plays include The English Programme, The Darling Buds of May, The Locksmith and Maisie Raine. He was made Playwright of the Year in 1996 for his production of “What the Heart Feels” at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond.
Sir Derek Jacobi
'Among the Ferns' by Edward Carpenter (Sussex sequence)
After the launch of his career as a founding member of the National Theatre alongside Sir Laurence Olivier, Derek Jacobi went on to appear in numerous Shakespeare productions, including Much Ado About Nothing in 1985 which won him a Tony Award for Best Actor. His other awards include the British Academy Television Award in 1976 for his rôle in the BBC series I Claudius, and Primetime Emmy Awards for The Tenth Man (1988) and Frasier (2001). His endlessly wide range of roles include playing Adolf Hitler in the television drama Inside The Third Reich (1982), and voicing Mr Jeremy Fisher in The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1994).
Dame Judi Dench
'The Mermaid of Zennor'
In a career spanning seven decades, Judi Dench has won a vast number of major awards. Her early work included numerous Shakespeare productions, with regular work for the RSC over many years. She moved into films with a part in Room With a View in 1985, followed by her rôle as M in Golden Eye in 1995, the first of eight Bond films in which she appeared. She was awarded an OBE in 1970, a DBE in 1988 and a CH in 2005. The Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End will be renamed the Judi Dench Theatre in February 2027.
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