Desert Island Discs

[Michael]

Good news for fans of this long-running BBC radio programme:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011...archive-online

[Peter]

It appears there aren't any budding Robinson Crusoes!! Actually the idea of being stranded with the same 10 pieces for the rest of my days whatever they are would make me hate music, though I suppose I could ration them out to once a year! Today on Radio 3, Vivaldi the Four seasons - I honestly think that piece is capable of driving a person to commit some serious crimes!

[Michael]

I actually remember one candidate choosing the complete works of Beethoven because he didn't like him, but was told by his friends that B was "very, very great". He said he wanted to spend his time on the island trying to find out why.
This is true, but I cannot remember who he was.

[Michael]

It appears there aren't any budding Robinson Crusoes!! Actually the idea of being stranded with the same 10 pieces for the rest of my days whatever they are would make me hate music, though I suppose I could ration them out to once a year! Today on Radio 3, Vivaldi the Four seasons - I honestly think that piece is capable of driving a person to commit some serious crimes!

Reminds me of a cartoon I once saw of a castaway on tiny island with his arms wrapped around a palm tree saying: "If I hadn't you to talk to I'd have gone crackers long ago."

Incidentally, I think I read somewhere that a "desert isle" is a misnomer - what people really mean is a "deserted" isle.

[Sorrano]

I was hoping more for a desserted island.

[Quijote]

Reminds me of a cartoon I once saw of a castaway on tiny island with his arms wrapped around a palm tree saying: "If I hadn't you to talk to I'd have gone crackers long ago." [...]

Luckily Michael, you have this forum and not a palm tree.

[Sorrano]

Seriously speaking, this time, my preference would be to have music scores and a piano (plus lots of blank music paper). Now that would be ideal for me!

[Michael]

I notice that our friend B is quite a popular desert island choice:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz....html?ITO=1490

And here is the link to the archive:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features...t-island-discs

[Ed C]

Yeah, I'm planning to write about that in a future blog post. Really amazing to hear recommendations from these celebrities.

Good trivia question:
So what do Stephen Hawking and Yoko Ono have in common?
They both have Edith Piaf on their desert island picks.

[Michael]

Here are all the 718 episodes in which a certain composer was chosen:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features...ind-a-castaway

I see you have to click "musical choices" and put "Beethoven" (or anybody, for that matter) in the search box to get up the actual page.

Scrolling to the bottom of page one, I notice that Margaret Thatcher picked "Be Not Afraid" by Beethoven. Being the Iron Lady, I should imagine her choice would be: "Be afraid. Be very afraid." In fairness to her, the Emperor Concerto was her top choice.

Never heard of "Be Not Afraid" by Beethoven. I think they meant Mendelssohn's "Elijah".

It's worth downloading James Ellroy's interview - the first on the list, with an unprecedented choice of five Beethoven works. He talks a great deal about him, too.

[Quijote]

It appears there aren't any budding Robinson Crusoes!! Actually the idea of being stranded with the same 10 pieces for the rest of my days whatever they are would make me hate music, though I suppose I could ration them out to once a year! Today on Radio 3, Vivaldi the Four seasons - I honestly think that piece is capable of driving a person to commit some serious crimes!

You have gone up enormously in my estimation, Headmaster, with this posting. Would you be content finally then on your desert island, with ten long, lonely years of environmental sounds? The wind through the palm tree leaves, the lapping waves, the rain, the fauna and flora ... ? Things could be worse.

[Sorrano]

You have gone up enormously in my estimation, Headmaster, with this posting. Would you be content finally then on your desert island, with ten long, lonely years of environmental sounds? The wind through the palm tree leaves, the lapping waves, the rain, the fauna and flora ... ? Things could be worse.

I'm bringing a chainsaw....

[Quijote]

Surely not the Texan Chainsaw Massacre? Aw, why do I always attract all the losers?

[Quijote]

Don't answer that, Sorrano !!

[Quijote]

Well anyway, if I had to be on a desert island (in a vain attempt to escape bovine methane and Texan impotence [same thing, really]), then I suppose it would have to be ...