I just checked, and in fact it was The Swan which we saw played on the violin (about 7 or 8 mins into the programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01bzs2l/Call_the_Midwife_Episode_4/), but obviously in a different key to that used in the Yo Yo Ma normal cello version.

I’ve also now found out that there is an arrangement for violin and piano by none other than Jascha Heifitz. Here’s a clip of Rudolf Koelman and Ferenc Bognar playing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L41pDHOmVIA

I don’t recall any mention of this piece of music in the book, either, but Jennifer Worth did of course move from midwifery to become a professional classical musician, so perhaps she told someone about it when they were planning the programme? Or maybe someone just thought it was nice…?

And much of what we are told in this series of stories relates closely too of course with the work also in the 1950s / 60s of people such as the social researchers Willmott and Young, who published their findings in a number of books including ‘Family Life in East London’.

When is someone going to write a true account of how life was for people in those days ? But oh no wait what would be the point as the BBC wouldn’t want to broadcast that, it would rather please those who prefer to believe all this crap was true! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the author should be hanging her head in shame!