TODAY’S RADIO

The Age Of Bowie

9.45AM (FM), 12.30AM, RADIO 4 David Bowie released his album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars in 1972, and went on tour in his Ziggy persona. In this week-long exploration of Bowie’s career, Paul Morley shares some Stardust memories. Shakespeare’s Restless World 1.45PM, RADIO 4 (FM) James I’s coronation was in the summer of 1603, but an outbreak of plague in London meant that the ceremony was on the brief side. A year later, when the plague had abated, there was a coronation procession for James. Neil MacGregor explains how London was turned into Rome for the King. David Baddiel Tries To Understand 8.45PM, RADIO 4 There are primaries and caucuses. There’s Super Tuesday, electoral colleges, hanging chads, butterfly ballots and all sorts of other puzzles. In his continuing series in which he clears up life’s great mysteries, David Baddiel tries to get to grips with the US electoral system. Stalking Under Scrutiny 9PM, RADIO 4 It’s not just the famous who get stalked. Huge numbers of people, trying to get on with their lives, find themselves the victim of a stalker. Some stalkers are just sad and socially inept; some are delusional and some are frighteningly psychotic. Raj Persaud wonders what can be done to stop stalkers and prevent them from reoffending. Beautiful Death 10PM, RADIO 3 The Viennese in the late 19th century were half in love with death. They would spend many a happy hour planning their funerals, while thoughts of death pervaded their art and their culture. Stephen Johnson looks at the morbid side of Viennese society and its effect on the music of Gustav Mahler, whose Third Symphony was used to such effect in the film Death In Venice. The People’s Songs 11PM, RADIO 2 Stuart Maconie goes back to 1962, when Jo Meek, in a makeshift studio on the Holloway Road, created the instrumental hit Telstar – and the sound of the future. SJ

David Bowie (9.45am, Radio 4)