60 acast.com Day Trips for Nihilists https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists en Neil Fitzgerald Nihilism,classical music,mindfulness,soundscape,culturescape,chillout,relaxing,meditation,sleep,Melancholy Neil Fitzgerald Slow down, enjoy the world. A meandering essayistic mix of music, film and literature, field recordings, and humour, all with one goal in mind: to provide a short audio day trip for nihilists wherein they slow down and enjoy the world.


All music clips and recordings are (hopefully) either out of copyright or used under fair usage.


To get in touch: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com or neil-fitzgerald.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A meandering essayistic mix of music, film and literature, field recordings, and humour, all with one goal in mind: to provide a short audio day trip for nihilists wherein they slow down and enjoy the world.


All music clips and recordings are (hopefully) either out of copyright or used under fair usage.


To get in touch: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com or neil-fitzgerald.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> true Neil Fitzgerald neilsfitzgerald@gmail.com 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 day-trips-for-nihilists episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/660bfbc6699df5001645b219/1771578125283-22035a36-5844-49aa-bad1-70fd959a25d0.jpeg https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists Day Trips for Nihilists On Boredom and Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams On Boredom and Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:35:17 GMT 21:19 69c2e4ab034bb238fb0fc0bc true https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-boredom-and-dust-motes-dancing-in-sunbeams 69c2e4ab034bb238fb0fc0bc 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-boredom-and-dust-motes-dancing-in-sunbeams full 1 8 In this new episode, we join the dots between, inter alia, boredom, The Shining, Vilhelm Hammershoi's painting (Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams, 1901) and émigré poet and critic, Joseph Brodsky.


Notes and links:



All clips used either under fair usage or because they're out of copyright.


All other nonsense is my own. Neil Fitzgerald 2026.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In this new episode, we join the dots between, inter alia, boredom, The Shining, Vilhelm Hammershoi's painting (Dust Motes Dancing in Sunbeams, 1901) and émigré poet and critic, Joseph Brodsky.


Notes and links:



All clips used either under fair usage or because they're out of copyright.


All other nonsense is my own. Neil Fitzgerald 2026.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On an Increasingly Faint Memory of your School Days On an Increasingly Faint Memory of your School Days Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:04:30 GMT 22:31 68779007610560d3efdae5fa false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/6-on-an-increasingly-faint-memory-of-your-school-days 68779007610560d3efdae5fa 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 6-on-an-increasingly-faint-memory-of-your-school-days full 1 7 Running order:

  • Clunt, Appernack
  • Grange Hill theme tune
  • Clip from the film Dead Poet's Society
  • Bagpuss opening theme and narration
  • 'When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer', Walt Whitman, excerpt from Breaking Bad
  • 'The School Boy', William Blake
  • 'Friends, Romans, Countryman...' speech by Mark Anthony from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Marlon Brando)
  • 'Dives and Lazarus', Vaughan Williams
  • 'I vow to thee, my country'
  • Intros from Indie Britpop and a Leicestershire hiphop legend whom only God can judge - 'Going for Gold' by Shed Seven, 'Return of the Mack' by Mark Morrison, 'On and On' by The Longpigs, 'Town' by Northern Uproar
  • 'I like me, my wife likes me' - Del Griffith (John Candy), Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • 'Power To Believe (instrumental)', Planes, Trains & Automobiles soundtrack
  • Various sounds and field recordings freesound.org


All original music by Neil Fitzgerald. All samples used under Fair Usage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Running order:

  • Clunt, Appernack
  • Grange Hill theme tune
  • Clip from the film Dead Poet's Society
  • Bagpuss opening theme and narration
  • 'When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer', Walt Whitman, excerpt from Breaking Bad
  • 'The School Boy', William Blake
  • 'Friends, Romans, Countryman...' speech by Mark Anthony from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Marlon Brando)
  • 'Dives and Lazarus', Vaughan Williams
  • 'I vow to thee, my country'
  • Intros from Indie Britpop and a Leicestershire hiphop legend whom only God can judge - 'Going for Gold' by Shed Seven, 'Return of the Mack' by Mark Morrison, 'On and On' by The Longpigs, 'Town' by Northern Uproar
  • 'I like me, my wife likes me' - Del Griffith (John Candy), Planes, Trains and Automobiles
  • 'Power To Believe (instrumental)', Planes, Trains & Automobiles soundtrack
  • Various sounds and field recordings freesound.org


All original music by Neil Fitzgerald. All samples used under Fair Usage.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Melancholy On Melancholy Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT 29:36 686e300aea74e132fb0e71df false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-melancholy 686e300aea74e132fb0e71df 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-melancholy full 1 6 Running order of the 'culturescape':


  • A Young Blackbird Dies in My Hands, Appernack
  • Hamlet soliloquy 'I have of late but wherefore I know not...' from the film Withnail & I (1989, Richard E Grant as Withnail)
  • Dido's Lament - 'When I Am Laid in Earth' from Dido & Aeneas, Henry Purcell - Kirsten Flagstad
  • Philip Larkin reading his poem Home Is So Sad
  • Chopin's Prelude 13, Op.28 played by Alfred Cortot
  • 'The Optimism of Melancholia | Slavoj Žižek | Big Think' (excerpt)
  • Fading Lights Are Fading, Set Fire To Flames
  • Clip from Melancholia - 'Justine and Claire' (2011, Lars von Trier)
  • Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde prelude
  • Various field recordings from freesound.org


For more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.com


If you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Running order of the 'culturescape':


  • A Young Blackbird Dies in My Hands, Appernack
  • Hamlet soliloquy 'I have of late but wherefore I know not...' from the film Withnail & I (1989, Richard E Grant as Withnail)
  • Dido's Lament - 'When I Am Laid in Earth' from Dido & Aeneas, Henry Purcell - Kirsten Flagstad
  • Philip Larkin reading his poem Home Is So Sad
  • Chopin's Prelude 13, Op.28 played by Alfred Cortot
  • 'The Optimism of Melancholia | Slavoj Žižek | Big Think' (excerpt)
  • Fading Lights Are Fading, Set Fire To Flames
  • Clip from Melancholia - 'Justine and Claire' (2011, Lars von Trier)
  • Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde prelude
  • Various field recordings from freesound.org


For more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.com


If you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On the River as God or Gods On the River as God or Gods Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:03:43 GMT 28:35 686e29dee52066772f746e8b false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-the-river-as-god-or-gods 686e29dee52066772f746e8b 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-the-river-as-god-or-gods full 1 5 Running order of the 'culturescape':


  • Prelude from Das Rhinegold by Richard Wagner (Rudolfe Kempe, Bayreuth performance)
  • opening of TS Eliot's 'The Dry Salvages' from Four Quartets
  • Charley Patton, High Water Everywhere Part 1
  • Hermann Broch, The Death of Virgil excerpt
  • Robert Petway, Catfish Blues
  • Pike, Ted Hughes (read by the poet)
  • Má Vlast, 2. Vltava, ou La Moldau, Smetana (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Talich, 1954)
  • Various field recordings of rivers large and small from freesound.org


For more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.com


If you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Running order of the 'culturescape':


  • Prelude from Das Rhinegold by Richard Wagner (Rudolfe Kempe, Bayreuth performance)
  • opening of TS Eliot's 'The Dry Salvages' from Four Quartets
  • Charley Patton, High Water Everywhere Part 1
  • Hermann Broch, The Death of Virgil excerpt
  • Robert Petway, Catfish Blues
  • Pike, Ted Hughes (read by the poet)
  • Má Vlast, 2. Vltava, ou La Moldau, Smetana (Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Talich, 1954)
  • Various field recordings of rivers large and small from freesound.org


For more info about the curator: neil-fitzgerald.com


If you have an idea for a theme, or want your music or field recording used in a future episode: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Nonsense and Silliness, or why Wittgenstein was right On Nonsense and Silliness, or why Wittgenstein was right Sun, 14 Jul 2024 06:00:37 GMT 23:53 6667fe8e9264d00012d76341 false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-nonsense-and-silliness-or-why-wittgenstein-was-right 6667fe8e9264d00012d76341 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-nonsense-and-silliness-or-why-wittgenstein-was-right full 1 4 Wittgenstein was right! Being silly is necessary for human happiness.


NB. This episode contains contextualised use of the 'n' word in a sound clip from a gangster rapper* (see bold and asterisked below)


  1. Photo of Wittgenstein (see below)
  2. A Life in Pieces (BBC), Peter Cook, Ludovic Kennedy, Ep. 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree (1990)
  3. Take The Money And Run (1969), Woody Allen
  4. Annie Hall (1977), Woody Allen
  5. Tim Dog, Phone Conversation with Reporter (1991)*
  6. Play Better Golf with Peter Aliss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOGP7V2ezE&ab_channel=kiuvideo (?)


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Photo of a serious-looking Wittgenstein:

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]]> Wittgenstein was right! Being silly is necessary for human happiness.


NB. This episode contains contextualised use of the 'n' word in a sound clip from a gangster rapper* (see bold and asterisked below)


  1. Photo of Wittgenstein (see below)
  2. A Life in Pieces (BBC), Peter Cook, Ludovic Kennedy, Ep. 1 Partridge in a Pear Tree (1990)
  3. Take The Money And Run (1969), Woody Allen
  4. Annie Hall (1977), Woody Allen
  5. Tim Dog, Phone Conversation with Reporter (1991)*
  6. Play Better Golf with Peter Aliss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTOGP7V2ezE&ab_channel=kiuvideo (?)


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Photo of a serious-looking Wittgenstein:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Bill Callahan and Authenticity On Bill Callahan and Authenticity Sun, 07 Jul 2024 14:02:42 GMT 23:00 6667525c347d870012597d6f false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-bill-callahan-and-authenticity 6667525c347d870012597d6f 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-bill-callahan-and-authenticity full 1 3 Some reflections on the authenticity that runs like a rich seam of truth in Bill Callahan's songs. How does he do it?


  • 'When It Shows' - an old attempt at song-writing by yours truly
  • 'Say Valley Maker' (live) - from Rough Travel for a Rare Thing (2010) by Bill Callahan
  • 'Jim Cain' - from Sometimes I wish We Were An Eagle (2009) by Bill Callahan
  • 'Cowboy' - from Gold Record (2020) by Bill Callahan


With huge thanks to Bill Callahan and Drag City Records for permission to use clips from the songs for this audio essay. :)


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Some reflections on the authenticity that runs like a rich seam of truth in Bill Callahan's songs. How does he do it?


  • 'When It Shows' - an old attempt at song-writing by yours truly
  • 'Say Valley Maker' (live) - from Rough Travel for a Rare Thing (2010) by Bill Callahan
  • 'Jim Cain' - from Sometimes I wish We Were An Eagle (2009) by Bill Callahan
  • 'Cowboy' - from Gold Record (2020) by Bill Callahan


With huge thanks to Bill Callahan and Drag City Records for permission to use clips from the songs for this audio essay. :)


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[On Kathleen Ferrier's Vocal Timbre]]> Sun, 30 Jun 2024 06:00:41 GMT 23:03 66674c75347d870012589d81 false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/on-kathleen-ferriers-vocal-timbre 66674c75347d870012589d81 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 on-kathleen-ferriers-vocal-timbre full 1 2 A meandering exploration of why Kathleen Ferrier's voice is so unbearably moving.


  • 'My Bonnie Lad (trad. Northumbrian folk song)
  • Ca' the Yowes' (trad. Scottish folk song)
  • 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gerkommen' - Gustav Mahler
  • Symphony No. 4, 3rd movement (Ruhevoll) - Gustav Mahler



  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A meandering exploration of why Kathleen Ferrier's voice is so unbearably moving.


  • 'My Bonnie Lad (trad. Northumbrian folk song)
  • Ca' the Yowes' (trad. Scottish folk song)
  • 'Ich bin der Welt abhanden gerkommen' - Gustav Mahler
  • Symphony No. 4, 3rd movement (Ruhevoll) - Gustav Mahler



  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Emptiness On Emptiness Sun, 23 Jun 2024 06:00:54 GMT 29:27 660e5db67ee18a00172dd63a false https://shows.acast.com/day-trips-for-nihilists/episodes/interiorsunlight-on-the-floor-or-the-beauty-of-ennui 660e5db67ee18a00172dd63a 660bfbc6699df5001645b219 interiorsunlight-on-the-floor-or-the-beauty-of-ennui full 1 1 A generally uplifting audio essay on emptiness and its consolations...ideal for day-tripping nihilists, naturally.


Tracklist:


  • Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Anchin Kfu Ayinkash
  • GF Haas - Concerto Grosso No. 2 for ensemble and orchestra
  • TS Eliiot reading an excerpt from 'Burnt Norton' from his Four Quartets
  • Vilhelm Hammershoi, 'Interior in Strandgade, Sunlight on the Floor'
  • Excerpt from GF Haas - Traum in des Sommers Nacht for orchestra
  • Franz Kafka quote
  • John Fahey - Yes Jesus Loves Me
  • Excerpt from GF Haas - Traum in des Sommers Nacht for orchestra
  • Django Reinhardt - Manoir De Mes Rêves
  • Virginia Woolf, excerpt from 'Time Passes', To The Lighthouse (1927)
  • Philip Larkin reading his poem 'Home is so sad'
  • Beethoven performed by the Busch Quartet - String Quartet No. 12 in E-Flat Major, Op. 127: II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile
  • Hamlet soliloquy - I have of late but wherefore I know not... from Withnail & I (1987)
  • Macbeth - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow soliloquy - Orson Welles (1948)
  • GF Haas - String Quartet No. 2 (1998)
  • Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Anchin Kfu Ayinkash


All the above used under fair usage rights.


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> A generally uplifting audio essay on emptiness and its consolations...ideal for day-tripping nihilists, naturally.


Tracklist:


  • Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Anchin Kfu Ayinkash
  • GF Haas - Concerto Grosso No. 2 for ensemble and orchestra
  • TS Eliiot reading an excerpt from 'Burnt Norton' from his Four Quartets
  • Vilhelm Hammershoi, 'Interior in Strandgade, Sunlight on the Floor'
  • Excerpt from GF Haas - Traum in des Sommers Nacht for orchestra
  • Franz Kafka quote
  • John Fahey - Yes Jesus Loves Me
  • Excerpt from GF Haas - Traum in des Sommers Nacht for orchestra
  • Django Reinhardt - Manoir De Mes Rêves
  • Virginia Woolf, excerpt from 'Time Passes', To The Lighthouse (1927)
  • Philip Larkin reading his poem 'Home is so sad'
  • Beethoven performed by the Busch Quartet - String Quartet No. 12 in E-Flat Major, Op. 127: II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile
  • Hamlet soliloquy - I have of late but wherefore I know not... from Withnail & I (1987)
  • Macbeth - Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow soliloquy - Orson Welles (1948)
  • GF Haas - String Quartet No. 2 (1998)
  • Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Anchin Kfu Ayinkash


All the above used under fair usage rights.


  • Get in touch to nit-pick and/or berate my inadequacies: daytripsfornihilists@gmail.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>