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Join two amateur Grimmologists round the fire to read and discuss the tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
Tuesday Feb 08, 2022
In Brother Lustig, a discharged soldier is bankrupted by Saint Peter. The two then team up to start a venture bringing the dead back to life. But when Lustig eats an undercooked lamb's heart, St. Peter decides to go his own way. Will this mismatched pair ever make up? And how will St Peter keep Brother Lustig on the straight and narrow?
Find out in this epic buddy road caper, filled with haunted castles, undead princesses, and magical knapsacks.
After the tale, we try to unpick this piece of moral philosophical genius and discover how the story it connected to one of the oldest tales in human existence, The Smith And The Devil.
This episode is Certified Grimm and may not be suitable for all listeners.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Camille Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre, Op. 40 Performed by University of Chicago Orchestra & Christoph Zbinden // Josef Suk's Serenade for strings in E flat major, Op. 6 Performed by Filharmonický orchestr Iwasaki
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
Sunday Jan 23, 2022
A surprise story this time - the Grimms' version of Beauty And The Beast! Called ‘The Summer And Winter Garden’, join us on a breathtaking journey of kidnapping, heartache, and love against the odds.
In the deep of winter, a father’s most beautiful daughter asks him to bring back a rose from his work trip. When he takes a rose belonging to a hideous beast, the monster demands the man’s daughter in marriage - to which he agrees. Can the daughter escape this fate? Or will she perhaps see another side to this supposed beast?
A powerful tale of inter-species love, this gargantuan episode is one of our longest yet so settle in for a biggie where we explore the meaning behind the tale, its French origins in the Salons of Paris, and its ancient roman cousin, Cupid And Psyche.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Dvořák's Slavonic Dances Op.72 No. 2: Allegretto Grazioso (Herbert von Karajan; Berliner Philharmoniker) // Mozart's Serenade in G, Eine kleine Nachtmusik // Chopin's Valse No. 6 in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 ('Minute' Waltz).
Monday Dec 20, 2021
Monday Dec 20, 2021
It's once more time to the annual Grimm Reading Christmas party! Get cosy round the fire for another dose of festive joy, complete with presents, pies, crackers, alcohol-free mulled wine and more!
We get two stories this year. Firstly, a radical choice with the unseasonal story The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen. Soon followed by the decidedly Dickensian tale The Story of a Cat by Mary De Morgan.
Merry Christmas everyone! For more festive mayhem, join us over on Grimm Fables for another Andersen story. Otherwise, thanks so much for listening and we'll see you in the new year.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite Performed by Gabriel Antonio Hernandez Romero on Piano // Tchaikovsky's "Clara and the Nutcracker" for the Nutcracker Suite performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and "Pas de Deux" from The Nutcracker Suite - from the music.org European Archive
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
In a village full of rich peasants, one little peasant alone remains destitute. But through a series of cunning and devious tricks, this little guy is going to turn the tables on everyone in quite spectacular fashion. Join us for The Little Peasant by the Brothers Grimm, where we meet a fatally gullible Shepard, a soothsaying squeezable raven and - shocker - a nice miller!
After the story we uncover other tales that use similar motifs of trickery, including in works by legendary fairy tale authors Straparola, Basile (of course), and even Hans Christian Andersen.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 performed by Kassia & Arthur Nickisch // Brahms' 4 Piano Pieces Performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
In The Good Bargain, a peasant loses all his money and possessions to some animals. Angered, he goes to the king for justice. But instead of helping him, the king has other ideas.
This 'humorous' tale is the first one we've come across that is anti-Semitic. So, once we've finally deciphered the convoluted story, we then explore antisemitism in the Grimm's collection, putting the Grimm brothers on trial. We also look into how the Nazis co-opted the Grimms to spread propaganda in Nazi Germany.
Finally, we play a clip from a chat Matt had with Rachel O'Brien - who's recently written her thesis on the Grimms and the holocaust - where she shares her thoughts on the hidden side of anti-semitism in the Grimms.
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
Sunday Oct 31, 2021
In The Three Feathers, an old king tests his three sons to see who will inherit the kingdom after his death. When the youngest brother emerges triumphant - thanks to an overweight toad - the older brothers demand satisfaction, and plot a jump to the death to settle the succession once and for all.
Join us on the final adventure of The Simpleton Trilogy, where we find magical turnips, a popcorn-munching monarch, and a secret underground world.
After the story we discuss fatalism, pub names, and take a deep-dive into the taboo world of animal-human love - a surprisingly popular and potent part of folklore.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No.3 in D major, BWV 1054 performed by the Paillard Chamber Orchestra & Robert-Veyron-Lacroix // Bach's Harpsichord Concerto no. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052 - III. Allegro - European Archive // Debussy's Arabesque No. 1. Andantino con moto performed by Gerluz
Sunday Oct 17, 2021
Sunday Oct 17, 2021
We’re back for series 4! We open the series with a poor family starving to death and the Virgin Mary abducting their daughter. Years later, the Virgin goes off on a work trip and forbids the girl from opening a certain door. When the inevitable happens, the child is banished from heaven and things get weirder from there.
Join us once more round the fire for “Our Lady’s Child” (aka “Mary’s Child”), where we meet an unlikely assortment of characters including the 12 Apostles, James Bond, Cousin Itt, and Nelly Furtado.
After the tale, we discuss Pandora’s Box and explore the earliest stories of ‘curious women’. Finally we reveal the results of our last story poll, launch a new one, and put to rest some lingering Puss In Boots business.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Ravel's string Quartet in F major - II. Assez vif, très rythmé // Dvořák's serenade for Strings Op.22 3 Scherzo (Piano arr.)
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Another mini-special before the new series. This time we shamelessly plug our Patreon!
We explain how you can support the podcast through our Patreon platform, then we announce some exciting new things we've got coming up for our patrons - including a Q&A episode and the release of The Pied-Piper.
We then play a clip from our patron-only podcast Grimm Fables, before finally giving some patron shout-outs.
Check out our patreon.
Buy our episode The Pied-Piper at payhip.com (available from 26th September 2021)
And do give a listen to our pod-friend Tudoriferous.
Sunday Sep 05, 2021
Sunday Sep 05, 2021
Greetings from a grim meadow! Massive constitutional changes are afoot in this special episode as we share our roundup of the winners and losers of series 3 for the first time for non-Patrons.
We then share a piece of deleted audio from our Little Snow White recording - the incredible connection between Snow White and the siege of Troy.
Finally we're pleased to announce our new Grimm Reading Spotify playlists:
Series 1 Grimm Reading Soundtrack
Series 2 Grimm Reading Soundtrack
Series 3 Grimm Reading Soundtrack
And please do check out the excellent Stories From Lore podcast.
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Komiko.
Sunday Jun 13, 2021
Sunday Jun 13, 2021
It’s the series 3 finale so it’s time for a big one - settle in for an epic adventure as we read Little Snow White!
Filicide, attempted cannibalism, talking mirrors, seven little helpers, a very poisonous apple - it’s the story you know and love but even more unpleasant and violent.
Chatting with her mirror, a queen learns that her step-daughter has grown more beautiful than she is. So she decides to kill her and eat the girl's heart. But Little Snow White escapes and finds shelter in a strange cottage, home to seven unexpected tenants. When the queen discovers Snow White is alive, she beings to weave dastardly plots, determined to put an end to Snow White for good.
After the story we ask the important questions, including why would you drink wine from a mug? And is Snow White really a shoe? We then compare the story with other incarnations of the folktale, speculate on the validity of the “real-life” Snow White, hear tell of the incredible connection to Alan Turing, and finally explore the true meaning of the tale.
We’ve had a total blast this series, we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. Stay safe and keep it grimm!
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Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Beethoven's Allegretto in B-flat Major, WoO. 39 performed by the Claremont Trio // Chopin's Étude Op. 10, no. 5 in G flat major - 'Black Keys' // Carl Czerny's Variations on a popular Viennese Waltz by Franz Schubert
Sunday May 30, 2021
Sunday May 30, 2021
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Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Brahms' Violin Concerto, Op.77 Performed by Henryk Szerng & Orchestre National de France
Sunday May 23, 2021
Sunday May 23, 2021
Hans is back! In his first starring role since the pilot episode, we follow Hans as he attempts to woo Gretel by demanding presents from her. Will Hans get the girl of his dreams? Or will it all end with some livestock losing their eyes? And how is this story related to quantum physics? Find out all this and more, as we slip into a the nightmare groundhog day that is Clever Hans by the Brothers Grimm.
After the story, we try and piece together the shaky Grimm Reading cinematic universe, hear a 15th century version of the tale, and finally dip into the fascinating history of Clever Hans the magical German maths horse.
Hear the other stories mentioned in the episode:
Hans In Luck
Hansel And Gretel
Clever Gretel
Clever Elsie
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Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - I. Morning performed by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra // Mendelssohn's Lieder ohne Worte, Op.19b - 3. Molto allegro e vivace performed by Benjamin Moser // Chopin's Etude Op. 10, no. 8 in F major
Sunday May 09, 2021
Sunday May 09, 2021
Welcome to Extra Grimm, where we delve a little deeper into the world of the Brothers Grimm for the curious.
In this episode, we talk to Brothers Grimm expert Jack Zipes. The conversation centers around a particular folk tale type, that of ATU 325 “The Magician And His Apprentice”.
The interview starts with Jack recalling how his journey into this tale type all started with wondering why the Harry Potter series has achieved such phenomenal success. Eventually, he concluded that it’s because it’s really a gigantic version of “The Magician And His Apprentice.” From this bombshell opening, we discuss Richard Dawkins concept of memes as well as why fairy tales are so important, Hegel's theory of dialectics, and how ATU 325 is perhaps one of the most important tales in the history of oral storytelling.
Fortunately, we have already done one of the Grimm’s two stories of this type - you can hear our episode The Thief And His Master here. (highly recommended background homework for this episode!)
You can pick up a copy of Jack’s 2017 book “The Sorcerer's Apprentice: An Anthology of Magical Tales” which examines this type of folktale, charting is journey from antiquity to the modern day.
And here’s a link to his own fairy tale publishing company, Little Mole And Honey Bear.
And here’s Jack Zipes’ website.
This episode contains spoilers for as yet unread stories and also contains themes that may not be suitable for all listeners.
Sunday Apr 25, 2021
Sunday Apr 25, 2021
While out on his daily rounds, a poor fisherman nets an enchanted fish prince. When his wife hears how he let the fish go, she demands he return and ask the fish to give them a cottage. Things then escalate fast, as the fisherman's wife gets a taste for the property market and chases a career in politics.
Will they be content with their lot, or will greed see them fall to their ruin? Find out all this and more in the absolutely massive tale, The Fisherman and His Wife.
After the story we discuss it's meaning and form, including the idea of an anti-fairy and the shadow of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Grimms then lead us back to our old friend Shakespeare, and finally we learn about the legend of Pope Joan thanks to our pod-friends Pontifacts.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Ravel's Miroirs - III. Une barque sur l'ocean performed by Robert Ewen Birchall // Byrd's Mass for Four Voices - I. Kyrie Eleison performed by the Ensemble Morales // Má vlast - Vltava performed by the Musopen Symphony
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
As a penniless woodcutter’s health fades, he leaves his three sons the only things he has in the world - a cat and scythe and a cock. To find fortune, he instructs them to seek out a country in which these things are unknown. One by one the sons head out into the wide world with their gifts. But, when the final son finds himself on an island plagued by mice and rats, the inhabitants get more than they bargained for.
Will they make their fortune? And can you use a cannon for everything? Find out all this and more in The Three Sons of Fortune.
After the story, the Grimm’s lead us down the rabbit hole where we meet the famous English folk hero Dick Whittington and delve into the history of Dick Whittington and his cat. Finally, deep in the rabbit hole, we find ourselves exploring the history of pantomime and its roots in the ancient world. Hey, someone had to do it.
Patreon
grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 8 in G major - 1. Allegro assai, performed by Paul Rosenthal & Edward Auer // Max Lewandowsky's String Sextet, Op. 5.