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Join two amateur Grimmologists round the fire to read and discuss the tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Episodes
Apr 19, 2020
Apr 19, 2020
35 min
A magical fish, a boy dressed as a bear, and a nosy father in law all make an appearance in this week’s episode: The Gold Children.
After the story, discover how this largely unknown tale is connected to a tale from the Neapolitan Pentamarone, as well as to a German marketing agency and a heavy metal band.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Schubert's Violin Sonata in A major Op. 162 performed by Oliver Colbentson // Ravel's Miroirs - III. Une barque sur l'ocean performed by Robert Ewen Birchall
Apr 5, 2020
Apr 5, 2020
27 min
When two clumsy children fall down a well, a Water Nixie forces them to do unpleasant chores for her. Will they ever get out? And how will a hairbrush and slippery mirror come to their aid? Find out in the shortest story we’ve ever read: The Water Nixie.
After the tale, we present a mental-somersault of a theory on what the story could mean, before being taken on a journey by Jacob Grimm into the history of Nix and Nixies.
We then read out correspondence on sexism in fairy tales and our story Sweetheart Roland by some surprising contributors.
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grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Debussy's Reflets dans l'eau ("Reflections in the Water") performed by Jacopo Salvatori // Debussy's Ondine ("The Water Sprite"), Preludes Livre 2, performed by Ivan Ilić
Mar 22, 2020
Mar 22, 2020
40 min
In The Dog And The Sparrow, a callous waggoner gets his comeuppance after he destroys a blossoming friendship between a dog and a sparrow.
Learn why you should never mess with sparrows, how bad deeds don't go unpunished, and where Alfred Hitchcock got inspiration for his masterpiece 'The Birds'.
We also hear what Shakespeare, the bible, and Chaucer have to say about these common little birds, and finish with the incredible Japanese story 'The Tongue-Cut Sparrow'.
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op.34 by Johannes Brahms, Performed by Le Quatuor Hongrois // Piano Quartet No.1, Op.25 by Johannes Brahms, Performed by Musicians from Ravinia's Steans Music Institute
Mar 8, 2020
Mar 8, 2020
40 min
In The Thief and His Master, an unholy priest prank leads one boy on an unforgettable journey where he learns the dual arts of thievery and shapeshifting. However, things turn south when his master doesn't receive his desired pay.
After the Story, we discuss thievery in fairy tales and explore two related stories: the original Venetian version by Straparola and the myth of the Welsh witch Ceridwen.
Finally we choose the next three stories and reveal the winning tale from our Patreon poll!
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grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Camille Saint-Saëns's Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 - I. Allegro non troppo // Schubert's Sonata in B Flat Major, D. 960 - IV. Allegro ma non troppo performed by Paul Pittman
Feb 23, 2020
Feb 23, 2020
37 min
In Jacob Grimm's official favourite story, a jealous fox puts his wife to the test by playing dead. But will any of her new suitors hold a candle to her late husband's attributes? As their family cat servant tries to control the ensuing mayhem, we get an impromptu crash course in butter beer and bread milk making.
Find out how this strange story taps into a world of suppression in occupied Napoleonic Germany, why it doesn't pay to indulge your jealousy, and what someone called Wooden Johannes has to do with it all.
What at first appears as nothing more than a wacky story, gets right to the heart of debates on fairy tales and crosses continents in an explosive meeting of east and west.
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Johannes Brahms' Piano Trio No.1 Op.8 Performed by Claremont Trio // Johannes Brahms' Piano Sonata No.1 Op.1 Finale. Allegro Con Fuoco Performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni
Feb 9, 2020
Feb 9, 2020
32 min
In Gambling Hansel, an anti-hero with a chronic gambling addiction has dangerous run ins with Luficier, God, St. Peter, and our old friend Death.
In what we’re calling 'Hansel and Gretel Part II', Hansel threatens to destabilize heaven itself with the aid of loaded dice, a troupe of demons, and a magical tree. Will he win his battle against celestial deities? Or will his dark-side prove his downfall.
After the story, we interrogate the surprising conclusions of a linguistic paper on emotional text analysis, before checking back in with Death and hearing the world’s oldest tale about cheating the afterlife.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Beethoven's Piano Trio No7 in B-flat Major Op97 // Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor, Op. 9 no. 1.2
Jan 26, 2020
Jan 26, 2020
37 min
In our final adventure of the cock and hen trilogy, things go south fast for the incurable rascals and Chanticleer is soon faced with a life without Partlet. Can he ever move on? And will the beasts of the forest ever make it to the funeral?
Meet some old friends, find out the true meaning behind the trilogy, and discover what two murderous chickens have to do with The 12 days of Christmas, in this week's episode: The Death of the Little Hen.
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Johannes Brahms' Clarinet Quintet Op. 115 Performed by William McColl and the Oxford String Quartet
Jan 12, 2020
Jan 12, 2020
54 min
Despite the machinations of an evil king, a prophecy sees a cocky luck child marry the princess. But his happily ever after is cut short when he is forced to embark on an epic quest that will take him to the very depths of hell, and into the dress of the devil’s grandma…
In our first ever Patron chosen story, we embark on one of our biggest adventures yet, where we meet confused city guards, soft-hearted robbers and even some good millers.
We then try to pick apart this extremely dense tale and find ourselves chatting about everything from ancient Greek funerary rites to Jack and the Bean Stalk and Star Wars.
Happy new year Grimm Readers! We hope you enjoy The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs as much as we did.
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Chopin’s Nocturne in C sharp minor 'Lento con gran espressione', B. 49 performed by Aaron Dunn // Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, no. 5 in G flat major - 'Black Keys' performed by Martha Goldstein.
Dec 22, 2019
Dec 22, 2019
1 hr 3 min
Join us for the second annual Grimm Reading Christmas Party! We get into the festive spirit once more with port, mince pies and crackers! We also exchange gifts, enjoy an epic Christmas story, and have a bit of a round up of the year's scores.
Thank you once again to everyone who has messaged us, supported us on Patreon and social media, and listened to the podcast throughout the year - it's been a really fun one and we're both excited for the year to come!
Keep it Grimm.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko (+ sleigh bells)
Other Music: Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite Performed by Gabriel Antonio Hernandez Romero on Piano // Tchaikovsky's "The Magical Castle in the Kingdom of Sweets" and "The Christmas Tree" from The Nutcracker Suite - from the music.org European Archive
Dec 15, 2019
Dec 15, 2019
37 min
In this week’s episode, a young girl embarks on a psychedelic quest to rescue her brothers. after their father accidentally turns them into ravens.
Glass mountains, dwarf butlers and helpful stars all make an appearance in the strange, gothic tale The Seven Ravens.
We discuss the significance of the motifs, learn about ravens in folklore, and contemplate a popular socio-historical approach to the meaning of the story.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Schubert's Serenade // Schubert's Impromptu No. 4, op. 90.2
Dec 1, 2019
Dec 1, 2019
42 min
After escaping her murderous witchy step-mother, a girl and her sweetheart take flight on a magical journey of heartbreak and betrayal.
In this week’s epic, lovelorn story, meet a lonely Shepard, a house-keeping flower, talking drops of blood, a complicated couple, and some pushy village girls.
After the tale, we discuss the thorny issue of sexism in fairy tales, consider the peculiar Hansel and Gretel connection, and recount the incredible french story Hop o’ My Thumb.
This episode is Certified Grimm and may not be suitable for all listeners.
Nov 17, 2019
Nov 17, 2019
38 min
The cock and hen continue their mischievous adventure, this time with some new friends and a souped-up carriage. In part two of The Adventures of Chanticleer and Partlet, the motley crew pay a visit to the unfortunate Mr. Korbes where things escalate quickly.
After the story, we look into the history of Chanticleer and his dealings with Reynard the Fox, Geoffrey Chaucer, US mountain ranges, the French national rugby team, and of course Shakespeare.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other music: Chopin’s Concerto #2 in F Minor 1st and 2nd Movements, performed by the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra
Nov 3, 2019
Nov 3, 2019
47 min
A poor cobbler, an illiterate sweeper and a distraught mother all have run ins with some cheeky elves – it’s finally time for the festive tale 'The Elves and the Shoemaker'!
After the story, we discuss the history of elves from the Anglo-Saxons to Queen Elizabeth, Iceland and Victorian Christmas, as well as belief in changelings and the surprisingly early theory of relativity.
Finally, we choose the next batch of stories we’ll be reading and reveal the results of our first Patreon listener story poll!
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other music: Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Op. 46 III. Anitra's Dance, recorded at Omega Studios, Edward S. Petersen conducting // Liszt's Liebesträume
Oct 20, 2019
Oct 20, 2019
37 min
A passing queen hears a daughter being beaten, she intervenes and whisks her off to the royal palace. Setting her a spinning challenge, the girl loses all hope before three mysterious women come to her aid...
In the three spinners, a lazy girl has the chance to escape poverty, will she find her way out of a life of spinning?
After the story, we discuss the importance of spinning through history and the surprising incarnations of the three spinners through time.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other music: Handel's Messiah, 1st Movement performed by the MIT Concert Choir, Cutter // Haydn's Symphony No. 101 in D major (Hoboken 1/101) - 2nd movement: "The Clock" performed by Amigos do JPC with Pedro Carlos Silva, violin
Oct 6, 2019
Oct 6, 2019
38 min
After a vicious duck attack, a cock and a hen find shelter at an inn. But the host is unsure about this unscrupulous bunch, and after first refusing them entry, he eventually lets them in. Will they prove his prejudices wrong?
Find out why you should always judge a book by its cover, and why you should never put an egg shell near a fire, in this week’s story: The Pack of Ragamuffins.
The sound quality isn't great during the story but rest assured, it gets better after the first few minutes. It won't happen again, promise!
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other music: Chopin's Concerto 2 in F Minor 3rd Movement performed by the Seattle Philharmonic // Chopin's Mazurka D Major Op.33 no. 2 performed by Lubka Kolessa