Desert Island Discs

[vinteuil]

I've always thought of DID as requesting music that made an impression on one at certain points in a life rather than simply being 'My favourite eight records'.

There seem to be various approaches. Yes, one is to respond biographically - 'these have been important to me, because... ' ; others have wished to take the music which wd provide most 'nourishment' - even to the extent of taking pieces of music they don't know at all, as something new to learn.

I have often wondered whether poor Schwarzkopf had just been badly briefed, and heard it as being a chance to take 'her' favourite records, and understood this as 'records made by her'.






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[BBMmk2]

There seem to be various approaches. Yes, one is to respond biographically - 'these have been important to me, because... ' ; others have wished to take the music which wd provide most 'nourishment' - even to the extent of taking pieces of music they don't know at all, as something new to learn.

I have often wondered whether poor Schwarzkopf had just been badly briefed, and understood it as being a chance to take 'her' favourite records, and heard this as 'records made by her'.


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Well, mine is. Throuighout my life I have come across the works I have chosen that have made a profound affect. For instance, when I first heard Mahler's 6th, I was completely bowled over by it and thus made quite an impact on my life. The same goes with Beethoven's 9th. Especially that performance that Bernstein gave at the reunification of Germany.

[Beef Oven!]

Yes - the criteria for what's defined as "practical" has changed over the presenters. IIRC, Roy Plomley once allowed someone to take a piano only on the strict understanding that they didn't shelter underneath it! (And Princess Margaret nearly had him sent to the Tower for not letting her take a cat.)

It wouldn't look nice anyway as a sunhat. I'd just feel people were looking at my wondering why I had a laptop on my head. Perhaps I'll change my luxury item to a bar of chocolate. Probably Galaxy.

[Beef Oven!]

There seem to be various approaches. Yes, one is to respond biographically - 'these have been important to me, because... ' ; others have wished to take the music which wd provide most 'nourishment' - even to the extent of taking pieces of music they don't know at all, as something new to learn.

I have often wondered whether poor Schwarzkopf had just been badly briefed, and heard it as being a chance to take 'her' favourite records, and understood this as 'records made by her'.






.

I've only ever taken the view that the choices concern music that I'd most miss hearing and wouldn't like not having available to me.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It wouldn't look nice anyway as a sunhat. I'd just feel people were looking at my wondering why I had a laptop on my head.

You could tell them it was a Mac.

Perhaps I'll change my luxury item to a bar of chocolate. Probably Galaxy.

- took me a moment or two, but I got there!

[Beef Oven!]

You could tell them it was a Mac.

- took me a moment or two, but I got there!

[Richard Barrett]

I have often wondered whether poor Schwarzkopf had just been badly briefed, and heard it as being a chance to take 'her' favourite records, and understood this as 'records made by her'.

She was badly briefed about a lot of things if you ask me.

Surely the main point is for the castaway to have something interesting to say about the music, whether it's an association it has or why they like it so much or whatever else.

[MrGongGong]

I suspect my own experinece would be a bit like this

Moved to the country for city reasons: to start summer theatre; to set up electronic music studio. Instead took to walking in the woods.: Cage: from M

I know the whole conceit of this is to use music as a way of talking about the narrative of one's life
but why always have music that one already knows?

Or even... what's wrong with the sounds of where you are ?

[ahinton]

It wouldn't look nice anyway as a sunhat. I'd just feel people were looking at my wondering why I had a laptop on my head.

But which people? You're supposed to be cast away alone on a desert island, for all that the sheer number of people that now inhabit it after 70 years of series suggests otherwise!

Whilst it's somewhat off topic, I remember that David Dimbleby chose Kirsty Young as his luxury, at which she was evidently less than amused (which is hardly surprising given the implication that she was a mere luxury rather than a necessity)...

[ahinton]

I suspect my own experinece would be a bit like this



I know the whole conceit of this is to use music as a way of talking about the narrative of one's life
but why always have music that one already knows?

Or even... what's wrong with the sounds of where you are ?

Possibly nothing other than the likelihood that they are not already captured on 8 separate commercially available recordings.

[MrGongGong]

Possibly nothing other than the likelihood that they are not already captured on 8 separate commercially available recordings.

They might be here

http://www.gruenrekorder.de

[LMcD]

Elgar Symphony No. 2 (LPO/Handley) My first classical 'discovery' after the 'classical pops' we'd listened to at school.
Sibelius Symphony No. 5 (BPO/Karajan) For itself and also to remind me of many other Nordic works.
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 (Brendel or Perahia). For itself and also to remind me of many other great works by WAM.
10 CC I'm Mandy Fly Me My 'way back' into popular music following the departure of The Beatles.
Ravel String Quartet, To recall France and all things French.
Britten Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings. Especially Robert Tears's performance of the Dirge. Also to remind me of Suffolk.
Vaughan Williams Tallis Fantasia (Halle/Elder) To remind me of England and the birth of our son (It's a longish story....) This is the one I would 'save from the waves'
The Beatles Revolver. To remind me of the 60s in general and of university in particular.

Book: Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively

Luxury: A case of the sort of wine I can't normally afford.

[BBMmk2]

Whilst this programme is on Radio 4, I have been thinking of starting a thread that could be in general use throughout the year, rather than one just for Advent and Christmas. Be good if forum members could mention the details of the recording, as well.

In no particular order

Mahler Symphony No.6(Berliner Philjharmoniker/Claudio Abbado
Bax Spring Fire; Northern Ballad No.2; Northern Ballad No.3, Prelude for an Solemn Occasion; Mediterranean; Symphonic Scherzo(RPO and LPO, Vernon Handley)
Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem, Sancta Civitas(Christina Pier, Andrew Staples, Matthew Brook, Winchester Cathedral Choristers, Winchester College Quiristers, Bournemouth SO, David Hill.
Beethoven: Symphony No.9(Karita Matila, Violetta Urmana,Thomas Moser, Thomas Quasthoff, etc,BPO, Abbado)
Rachmaninov PC No.3(Ashkenazy, LSO, Previn)
John Pickard Gaia Symphony(Eikhanger Bjorsvik Musikklag, Andreas Hanson)
Shostakovich: Symphony No.8(LSO/Previn)
John Adams Harmonielehre; The Chairman Dances; Two Fanfares: Tromba Lontana; ii) Short Ruide in a Fast machine(CBSO/Rattle)

One to savour: Mahler Symphony No.6

Over to you!

I didn't say my luxury! A mixed case of real ales!

My book would have to be Lord of the Rings.

[Conchis]

There seem to be various approaches. Yes, one is to respond biographically - 'these have been important to me, because... ' ; others have wished to take the music which wd provide most 'nourishment' - even to the extent of taking pieces of music they don't know at all, as something new to learn.

I have often wondered whether poor Schwarzkopf had just been badly briefed, and heard it as being a chance to take 'her' favourite records, and understood this as 'records made by her'.






.

I defintely prefer the 'favourite records' approach. I wouldn't want to take things like Ob La Di Ob La Da (first record I can remember hearing) by the Marmalade to the island with me.

[french frank]

I wouldn't want to take things like Ob La Di Ob La Da (first record I can remember hearing) by the Marmalade to the island with me.

Indeed (in a general way). Nevertheless, I think the idea of DID is to tell a 'human interest' narrative about the guests, so what they say between the pieces of music are rather more important than the music itself. I don't really associate music with memories (or rather the ones I remember are less important to me now), but in the spirit of the game:

1. The intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana - an old recording I found in the lid of our wind-up gramophone when I was aged about 7 and which I took a particular fancy to (it had a damaged groove and always got stuck part way through).

2. Pierre Monteux, Boston Symphony,Tchaikovsky 6: one of the handful of classical records my brother owned and which he often played on a Sunday when his schoolfriend Clive came to tea; my interest in classical music began at that time.

3. Dalla sua pace from Don Giovanni, sung by Richard Tauber, from a 10" LP of Mozart arias which my mother gave me when I was about 12 or 13. That's when my love of Mozart and opera began.

4. Mon vieux Lucien, from Edith Piaf at the Paris Olympia (she forgets her words part way through) - reminds me of when I was a paying guest living well above my station with a posh family in a leafy square just off Brompton Road, Knightsbridge - another PG had the record and used to play it often and we smoked Gauloises.

5. Palestrina, Missa Papae Marcelli - it was performed by our university choir when I was there and is still quite a favourite. Choir West. Cath./David Hill

6. Orlando Gibbons, This Is The Record of John, which was the record du jour of a friend in hall in Aberdeen.

7. Mozart Piano sonata K 310, played by Peter Katin, to remind me of one of the most modest and generous men who has frequented these boards.

8. Bach Art of Fugue: just so that I can indulge in sadness when it peters out at the end.

Book: JL Borges Labyrinths

Luxury: Small blackboard (too small to be useful), supply of white chalk and duster.