Listening In

George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 is best known for its most famous ideas - Newspeak, Big Brother and Room 101 to name a few. But little has been written about the musical imagery and metaphor that permeates the novel. In this essay, I explore how IngSoc, the ruling party in Oceania, uses music to control and oppress the people and, as a result, how freedom of expression in music, and singing in particular, becomes the embodiment of an idealistic future for Winston. ‘The birds sang, the proles sang. The Party did not sing.’ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com

I’ve spent years half-loving James Horner’s score for Titanic, but revisiting it now, I can see why it affected me so deeply. What once felt embarrassing or overly sentimental makes sense when I understand the film as a modern melodrama – a form where music exists to say what characters can’t. Horner’s score, with its intimate textures, recurring themes, and emotional directness, doesn’t just heighten the drama, it makes it readable. From the ship’s departure to the first full statement of Rose’s theme, the music carries the love story. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com

Carol of the Bells, one of the most recognisable pieces of Christmas music, is almost always thought of as American. But the story of this song begins over a century ago in Ukraine, as a folk song called Shchedryk, wishing households wealth and abundance for the New Year. In this essay, I trace how Mykola Leontovych transformed a simple four-note melody into a choral masterpiece, and how the Ukrainian National Chorus, under Alexander Koshetz, carried it across a war-torn Europe to introduce the world to a culture under siege. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com

Tchaikovky's 'The Nutcracker' may be the most well-known ballet every written, famed for his beautiful and instantly recognisable melodies. But behind the music lies a story that will completely change the way you think about this Christmas classic. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com

'Over the Rainbow', written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, has become a cultural icon since its inclusion in MGM's 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. But despite its current fame, it very nearly didn’t see the light of the day. This is the story of how Over the Rainbow was written, but also how it was nearly lost to history. Thank you to AustinMcConnell (https://www.youtube.com/user/austinmcconnell) and Trace Dominguez (https://www.youtube.com/user/TravellinTrace) for their cameos. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com

A breakdown of the music from Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men. Let's over-analyse some music. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit barnabymartin.substack.com