André Previn

Speaker 40:01

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. Hi, I'm Laura Laverne. Welcome to this archive edition of Desert Island Discs. The programme was broadcast in October 1967. The castaway was the composer and conductor Andre Previn, who was being cast away for the first time by Roy Plumley. He would be cast away again by Sue Lawley in 1996. What you're about to hear was recorded off-air, so the sound isn't of broadcast quality. You can find the list of tracks chosen on the Castaways page on the Desert Island Discs website. The music has been shortened for rights reasons. We hope you enjoy listening.

Presenter0:37

Desert Island discs.

André Previn0:39

Yeah.

Presenter0:47

Each week a well-known person is asked the question, if you were to be cast away alone on a desert island, which aid gramophone records would you choose to have with you?

Presenter0:56

As usual, the castaway is introduced by Roy Plumley.

Presenter1:00

Our castaway this week is an American musician and a very versatile musician. It's André Previn.

Presenter1:07

mister Brevin, could you reconcile yourself to indefinite loneliness?

Presenter1:12

Well, I suppose I could. Uh I have never been terribly gregarious. I love to be with friends, but I don't need uh a city kind of life. Of course there's quite a difference between a city and being marooned, isn't there? But I suppose I could cope with it. I'm terribly optimistic about things, and I think that would not leave me.

André Previn1:27

Uh

Speaker 21:27

Bad things about what

Presenter1:28

What would you be happiest to have got away from?

Presenter1:32

Well, I know this may sound like a joke, but I would be happiest to get away from the telephone, which I think interrupts uh work, leisure, uh, rest, whatever.

Presenter1:42

What was the principal motivation in choosing your eight records? Was it remembrance of things past, great performances, music for music's sake? What? Well, I think it's all a part of those. I think it's simply a matter of not being able to do without these specific eight. You know, you've given me a great many sleepless nights because I think my first list ran to 164 and to pare it down is not easy, but these are among the eight works which I simply couldn't fathom doing without. What's the first one?

Presenter2:13

The first one is the Mozart Symphony No. 40, G minor. Why'd you choose this?

Presenter2:19

Well, uh first of all, and quite generally speaking, I think Mozart is the musical equivalent of Shakespeare, meaning it's the cornerstone, and I couldn't do without it.

Presenter2:27

And as a conductor I would choose a symphony and this I think is in many ways the perfect piece.

Presenter3:35

The opening of the Motard Symphony No. forty in G minor, Giolini conducting the new Philharmonia Orchestra.

Presenter3:42

What's your second choice?

Presenter3:44

My second choice still remains with Mozart, but this time chamber music. You can't be on a desert island without chamber music. Besides which the chances are you can always get four more people marooned, but not a whole orchestra. And uh this is the slow movement of the G minor quintet. Mm-hmm. G minor again. Yes, but that's uh ask Mozart why, not me.

Presenter5:07

The beginning of the third movement of the Mozart G minor quintet, the Amadeus string quartet with Cecil Aronowitz.

Presenter5:14

mister Previn, were you born in the United States?

Presenter5:16

No, I was born in Germany, in in Berlin, and went over uh to the United States in about 1939.

Presenter5:22

Do you come from a musical family? Only by interest. I mean, uh my father was a very, very good amateur pianist and uh even gave lessons uh once we went to the United States, but no one in my family had ever been a professional, no. So you heard a lot of music as a child? Oh yes, from the earliest recollection I have, I remember chamber music in the house quite constantly, several times a week. Yes. Were you put to the piano, or or did you go to it?

Presenter5:47

Well, I'm told I went to it, which sounds

Presenter5:50

Um

Presenter5:51

kind of smog and awful, but I I suppose I did. Yes, I asked for lessons.

Presenter5:56

So when your family went to the United States you you carried on with your lessons of course. When did you decide that music was to be your career? I don't think I ever had any choice about it. I was stuck in the conservatory at a very early age and didn't see uh fresh air for about ten years, you know, so it never occurred to me to be anything else.

Speaker 26:11

Seriously

André Previn6:11

No, so it never

Presenter6:14

When did you start as a professional?

Presenter6:17

As a professional, by which you mean that I got paid for what I did?

André Previn6:20

The end.

Presenter6:21

Uh, approximately when I was sixteen, doing what?

Presenter6:25

Well, strangely enough, I became an orchestrator at MGM Studios in Hollywood. Yes. In those days, MGM was the home of the the big glassy musicals. Oh yes, I wrote endless uh you know harp glisses for Esther Williams Swimming. And um

André Previn6:38

Uh

Speaker 26:38

Bam

André Previn6:38

Mm-hmm.

Presenter6:39

But I was an orchestrator for three years orchestrating other people's music and then I was given my own films. I know you've won four Oscars for scoring musicals.

Presenter6:47

Which was it?

Presenter6:48

Um

Presenter6:50

Let's see, they were GZ.

Presenter6:52

Forgiven Bess, Dear Melodeuce and My Fair Lady. Now which of the many film scores that you've composed do you write to remember?

Presenter7:01

I don't really like to remember a great many of them. Uh I've done probably more bad films than any composer you've ever spoken to, but

Presenter7:07

There were a few that I liked and they all go quite a way back. I liked an early Spencer Tracy movie called Bad Day at Black Rock.

Presenter7:14

I liked a movie called Elmer Gantry.

Presenter7:17

Um, and there was a a really horrendous movie called The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, to which I wrote a score of which I'm occasionally fond. Now, although your main musical interests lie elsewhere nowadays, you still write film music occasionally.

Presenter7:32

Yes, by now with my conducting schedule and abstract composing schedule I only have time for about one a year. Yes. Do you like the discipline of it?

Presenter7:40

Well, I like the application of the technique a lot, yes, and and I do enjoy scoring films, but not to the exclusion of other things.

Presenter7:48

You've just written an original screen musical.

Presenter7:51

Yes, my wife and I just wrote an original screen musical on Goodbye Mr. Chips and that's finished and will go into production soon and now we're starting on

Presenter8:00

The same kind of work on Great Expectations. Yes. Your wife does the lyrics. My wife does the lyrics, and she also writes an occasional libretto. Although, in these cases, Terence Radigan wrote the screenplay to Goodbye, Mr. Chips. Did you meet your wife professionally at the studios? Yes, I met her professionally, and I think we worked together for about a full year before I ever asked her out to dinner.

Presenter8:22

Let's have your third record. What next? Alright, well, we're still with Mozart. This is uh.

Presenter8:27

My favorite notes of piano concert are the C minor K four nine one.

Presenter8:31

And this is the beginning of the last movement. This is a work you played many times in the concert hall yourself.

Presenter8:38

Well, yes, uh you see by now I've kept up my piano playing, hopefully, but not to the degree where I go out and I'm a recitalist, you know it's impossible for me. But occasionally I will play and conduct from the keyboard and I love to play chamber music. And this is one of the concertos that of course is quite feasible to do from the keyboard. But I must say that the performance we're about to hear is infinitely better because it's by my favourite pianist, Solomon.

Presenter10:01

Solomon as soloist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24, The Beginning of the Third Movement.

Presenter10:08

Now apart from knowing your name as a familiar one on motion picture credit titles, we first came to know you in this country on records as an outstanding jazz pianist.

Presenter10:18

Have you lost interest in Jasna?

Presenter10:20

No, I haven't lost interest as a musician at all, but I've lost interest in terms of having to play it, because you see, I was never a jazz musician. I like to think of myself as a musician who also played jazz. And now with the amount of conducting that I'm doing, it would be simply impossible in terms of the calendar to add any other form of music to it. I had to make up my mind what to me was expendable, and I'm afraid the jazz was it. Yes, how long ago did you have to make that decision? About six years ago.

Presenter10:49

And since then you've conducted pretty well every major American orchestra. Yes, I think so. You're now conductor-in-chief of one of the orchestras? Yes, of the Houston Symphony in Texas. And it's a very frightening thing for me because the last three conductors they've had have been Sir Thomas Beachemstokovsky and Sir John Barbaroli. So do keep your fingers crossed for me, won't you? I will indeed. This year you made your very successful debut as a conductor in London.

Presenter11:18

Yes, with the London Symphony Orchestra last spring and that is the orchestra with which I do all my recordings.

Presenter11:26

You've also conducted your first concert in a number of other European cities this year. Yes, I have Holland and Sweden and uh Denmark and uh I'm planning on quite a few other places to go. Mm-hmm. Rather surprisingly, although you're known best perhaps for conducting twentieth century music,

Presenter11:42

You gave us in in London first uh a mainly Mozart programme.

Presenter11:46

Well, that's my predilection. You know, there's a great deal of self-indulgence in conducting, I think, and which is as it should be, and I would rather conduct Mozart than anything. But for my opening concert in the Houston season, I have a program that I hope typifies the season, and that is that I'm doing a new symphony by William Schumann, the contemporary American composer, and Beethoven 5, and there, kind of as an example, is what I would like the seasons to be.

Presenter12:12

What's your next record? What's number four? Well, aptly, the uh the Beethoven Five.

André Previn12:14

Um

Presenter12:17

See, it's very difficult for me to leave out the Beethoven V as a conductor because it is, I think, the perfect piece. It's the most perfectly constructed piece of symphonic writing I know and I would hate to have to do without it and this is the beginning of the first movement.

Presenter13:31

Kleiberg conducting the Concert Gebau Orchestra of Amsterdam in the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

Presenter13:39

Now, with the exception of your films, mister Previn, we haven't talked about your work as a composer.

Presenter13:44

What have been your principal compositions?

Presenter13:48

Well, to tell you the truth, the only ones that I would even speak about were the ones that that I'm currently involved in. And uh

Presenter13:54

I just last month finished a uh rather lengthy cello concerto.

Presenter13:59

which will be premiered in Houston in uh approximately six weeks' time by the principal cellist. Poor fellow, he's got no choice, you know, I gave it to him to learn. And then hopefully will be played in Europe next year.

Speaker 214:07

I gave it to him to learn.

Presenter14:12

And I'm in the process right now of writing some songs for soprano and orchestra. And that being current is really the only work in which I'm very interested.

Presenter14:21

You've been working on a on a new Broadway musical.

Presenter14:24

Yes, that's on the other side of the of the coin now, and I'm I'm very fortunate because my partner in that is Alan Lerner, who of course wrote My Fair Lady, among other things.

Presenter14:33

And that's a play called Coco, which will be based loosely on the career of Coco Chanel, the designer, and that will be on next season on Broadway. You're one of the few musicians who works with equal facility at every musical level, from jazz to the concert hall with film music in the middle. Do you think it's easier to find acceptance at all those levels in the United States than it is? Oh, no, I find it infinitely easier here.

André Previn14:55

Just for it.

Presenter14:58

Because in the United States I think anyone who is much never mind working in films I think anyone who's ever flown over Hollywood in an airplane is looked at with alarm and suspicion. But here the one of the reasons I find this such a terribly pleasurable place to work is that I find that one is judged whether concerts or records only by what that particular concert or or record has within it and not on how one spends or misspends one's youth. Do you find the musical scene more exciting here than it is in America?

Presenter15:30

Well, I find London the most stimulating city in the world, as a musician, so much so that I'm planning on moving here permanently. Are you? Yes, it'll it'll take me a few years to get sorted out, but then I will.

Speaker 215:37

Casa

Presenter15:42

This i is a corny question, Mr. Previn, but your musical ambition, if the telephone were to ring now with an offer, a suggestion, what would you like it to be?

Presenter15:53

Ah, totally selfish, you mean.

Presenter15:55

Well, that's very simple. I would like to be offered the the uh

Presenter15:59

Conductor-in-chief of the London Symphony.

Presenter16:01

Well that's a very flattering thing to say.

Presenter16:04

Well, I I it would be a very flattering thing to have happened. Right, let's have record number five.

Presenter16:10

We're still with Beethoven and this is the fourth piano concerto, the G major, and this is one of my favorite bits which is coming out of the cadenza in the first movement, into that really

Presenter16:20

Lovely ending, and this again is mister Solomon.

Presenter17:23

The end of the first movement of Beethoven's fourth piano concerto with Solomon as soloist.

Presenter17:30

Which brings us now to your sixth record.

Presenter17:33

Well, I couldn't very well uh live for the rest of my life without hearing a Brahms symphony.

Presenter17:39

And although each Brahm symphony, I think the best one is always the one I've just heard, this one in particular would be the ending of the last movement of the fourth.

Presenter18:49

The closing passage of the Brahms Fourth Symphony

Presenter18:53

Carrian conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Presenter18:56

Now we've dumped you on this desert island, mister Preven.

Presenter18:59

How well would you be able to look after yourself? You you mean from a practical point of view? From a practical point of view. Hopeless. Hopeless. Not at all. I can't even change a light bulb without exploding the house, or make a sandwich without slicing my finger off.

André Previn19:03

Look right.

Presenter19:13

I am really, and it's not an affectation, I am a complete cripple when it comes to anything practical at all. No shelter.

Presenter19:21

No, no, no.

André Previn19:22

Nope.

Presenter19:24

Uh you mean on the island? On the island. No, I think I'd have to look for, you know, a hollow tree or something. I'm I'm I read these things I remember from my childhood, you know, the Swiss family Robinson and all that, and it's it's just complete fantasy. Right, no boat building. Suppose a raft was washed up, would you try to escape on it? Would you do a contiki?

Presenter19:42

Oh no, I don't think so. I think one must have more than just a beard and willingness to to go on kantiki. I think I would simply wait and trust to my optimism that someone would eventually come by.

André Previn19:47

I'm Canti.

Presenter19:54

Right, now your hobbies you have no practical hobbies. Do you have any other hobbies? Do you collect anything? Yes, I collect paintings, and my wife and I have a rather nice collection. Yes. Modern paintings? Yes, modern paintings, uh in point, uh mostly American paintings, but quite good. Do you paint yourself at all? No, no, I'm much too fond of pictures to paint myself.

Presenter20:13

Any other occupations?

Presenter20:15

Uh no. You mean in terms of a hobby? Yes. Uh no, I don't suppose so. I think the only sport that I practice with the the slightest amount of finesse is fencing, of all things. Uh I do go fencing a lot, but that, of course, for one one one must have a partner, so that won't do me much good.

Presenter20:32

Well, let's get back to music. What your seventh record?

Presenter20:35

At the seventh record, I think it's time for me to indulge myself in some very glamorous orchestral sounds, and this would be the end of La Mer.

Presenter21:42

Debussy's La Mer

Presenter21:44

Played by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Now we come to your last record.

Presenter21:50

The last record, uh I wanted to be contemporary.

Presenter21:54

And in in my own opinion, I think the greatest living composer is Benjamin Britton.

Presenter22:00

And uh so I pick

Presenter22:02

at random from his War Requiem, which I think is the most admirable piece in my memory.

Presenter22:08

Of contemporary works. This would be the beginning of the DS era. I believe you're going to do this work in Houston.

Presenter22:14

Yes, yes, I'm terribly pleased about that and uh I'm looking forward to it. It's quite a piece to try and put on, but I will be hopefully given extra rehearsals and I will hopefully not disgrace mister Pritton.

Speaker 222:48

Uh

Speaker 222:48

Uh

Speaker 223:07

Love, think, cook, and sing, and feel love, text and dark people sing in

André Previn23:10

Bill Best and Dark

Presenter23:26

The opening of the Dies Iré from the Benjamin Britton War Requiem.

Presenter23:31

Mr. Prebin, if you could take only one of the eight records you played, if seven of them slipped into the surf, which one would you like left? Oh, that's impossible. Do you know what I'd do? I think I'd chuck the eighth one after the other seven and just think about all eight. I don't think I could keep one, no.

Presenter23:47

I think that's a very sensible answer.

Presenter23:50

Um, one luxury to take to the island with you.

Presenter23:53

Inanimate? Inanimate, I see. Well

Presenter23:56

I suppose in that case it would be a piano. Mm-hmm. Is that uh a cheat, or may I have that? Of course you can have that. Yes, we we all stipulate it must be an upright one because you can live under a grand.

Presenter24:06

Ah, very good. Yes, I hadn't thought of that. I suppose, yes, then I would have a piano.

Presenter24:11

Do you prepare the works that you're going to conduct on the piano?

Presenter24:15

Uh yes, I uh I will study them for quite a bit first, silently, and then I will, especially with contemporary scores, try to play them through from the score. And the same thing with composing. I I will compose away from the piano, but I like to have access to one to to check it out later.

Presenter24:31

and one book

Presenter24:32

leaving aside the Bible and Shakespeare, which we assume are already on the island.

Presenter24:36

Well, that's very difficult indeed, because I thought of taking uh the joyous Ulysses or even war and peace, but

Presenter24:43

But with Shakespeare there, that that should keep me occupied with all the literary uh feel that I want. So I think if I may, I would like to have some huge collection of of reproduction of paintings. Mm-hmm. Of all times, of all periods?

Presenter24:58

Oh, yes, very big book indeed. All right, the biggest we can find. And thank you, Andre Previn, for letting us hear your desert island discs. Thank you so much. Goodbye, everyone.

André Previn25:22

The guest in today's programme was Andrei Prebin. The interviewer was Roy Plumley and the producer Monica Chappelle.

André Previn25:30

The program will be