The Essay: Erland Cooper’s Mythic Mountains

In his second series for The Essay, composer Erland Cooper turns his attention once again to the mythical world.

This time he embarks on five imaginary journeys to mythic mountains from around the world. Accompanying him are writers and storytellers who know all about these legendary locations. Each of these evocative stories are beautifully scored with Erland’s own music.

We begin with a visit to Mount Qaf with novelist Elif Shafak, who first heard about this mythical mountain as a child growing up in Turkey. We end with Bald Mountain and a Polish folktale about a priest’s wild night out.

Produced by Victoria Ferran

Broadcast: 21-25th April  2025