The Still, Sad Music: Wordsworth, Harmony and the Tired Soul episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 11, 2026 · 26 MIN

The Still, Sad Music: Wordsworth, Harmony and the Tired Soul

from Musical Poetry · host Michael Appelt

In this second contribution to our Musical Poetry series linking poetry with King Charles III’s concept of Harmony, we turn to William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.”This episode explores nature, memory, exhaustion of the soul, and the hope of restoration. Wordsworth’s phrase “the still, sad music of humanity” becomes the emotional centre of the discussion and inspires the song featured at the end of the episode.Our colleagues from Google’s NotebookLM discuss the attached letter, which reflects on Wordsworth, King Charles’s idea of Harmony, and the need not only to cope with the world we have created, but to become bearers of harmony ourselves.Featuring the song: “The Still, Sad Music.”Read the full companion letter attached to this episode here:The Still, Sad Music: Wordsworth, Harmony and the Tired Soul

In this second contribution to our Musical Poetry series linking poetry with King Charles III’s concept of Harmony, we turn to William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.”This episode explores nature, memory, exhaustion of the soul, and the hope of restoration. Wordsworth’s phrase “the still, sad music of humanity” becomes the emotional centre of the discussion and inspires the song featured at the end of the episode.Our colleagues from Google’s NotebookLM discuss the attached letter, which reflects on Wordsworth, King Charles’s idea of Harmony, and the need not only to cope with the world we have created, but to become bearers of harmony ourselves.Featuring the song: “The Still, Sad Music.”Read the full companion letter attached to this episode here:The Still, Sad Music: Wordsworth, Harmony and the Tired Soul

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The Still, Sad Music: Wordsworth, Harmony and the Tired Soul

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This episode was published on June 11, 2026.

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In this second contribution to our Musical Poetry series linking poetry with King Charles III’s concept of Harmony, we turn to William Wordsworth’s “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey.”This episode explores nature, memory, exhaustion of...

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