BBC to broadcast A Cymbal Tale

Tune into BBC Radio 4 at 1.30pm on Tuesday 10 November to hear writer, comedian and English rock drummer Andrew McGibbon (Morrissey, Bucks Fizz) tell the story of a one hundred and seventy five year old cymbal!

Here's what the BBC have to say about the story:

Andrew uses this journey to explore cymbals. We trace the earliest cymbals from Ancient Assyria and China, their development by Avedis Zildjian in Turkish military bands to their arrival in Europe in the 1670s, their unlimited deployment by modern orchestral composers and jazz musicians and why cymbals became so popular in the sixties and now form part of every rock drummer's kit.

With dynamic contributions and insight into cymbals and crotales from Archeomusicologist Richard Dumbrill from the British Museum, showing us the earliest cymbals ever found, Heather Corbett, chief percussionist with the Scottish Symphony Orchestra taking us through a cymbal and crotale featured John Adams composition performed at the BBC Proms earlier this year, and John Keeble from Spandau Ballet explaining the fabulous layout of his live cymbal array and what cymbals mean to him.

The show also includes interviews with Craigie Zildjian, John De Christopher and metallurgist Paul Struble from Zildjian and some surprise appearances from cymbal lovers all of whom who help to unravel the intriguing delights of this evocative, iconic idiophone.