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Desert Island Discs
Presented by Roy Plomley
A contralto singer, best known for her performances in opera and concert.
Eight records
Bach Double Violin Concerto, second movementFavourite
Guest says: 'Uh' [reason unclear from transcript]
The keepsakes
The luxury
In conversation
Presenter asks
Have you ever daydreamed about being a female Robinson Crusoe?
Well, I've often thought I'd like to be alone, not necessarily on an island.
Presenter asks
What would you be happiest to have escape from?
Uh people I think. All of them? No no no not all.
Presenter asks
What would you want music to do for you on a desert island? Evoke the past? Bring you great performances? Cheer you up?
Well, uh I've chosen records of music that I could really live with … because I'm not a great record collector. Um we spend our lives making music … but if I found myself on an island without any music, that I couldn't bear.
“Well, I've often thought I'd like to be alone, not necessarily on an island.”
The recording
Timestamps play the recording from that turn
Helen Watts
BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.
Speaker 1
Hello, I'm Lauren Laverne and this is the Desert Island Discs podcast. This is the only extract the BBC has of this episode, and for rights reasons the music is shorter than on the original broadcast. The presenter is Roy Plumley. I hope you enjoy listening.
Presenter
Our castaway this week is a singer, the contralto Helen Watts.
Presenter
Have you ever daydreamed about being a female Robinson Crusoe?
Speaker 4
Well, I've often thought I'd like to be alone, not necessarily on an island.
Presenter
Hmm what would you be happiest to have escape from?
Speaker 4
Uh people I think. All of them? No no no not all.
Presenter
What would you want music to do for you on a desert island? Evoke the past? Bring you great performances? Cheer you up?
Speaker 4
Well, uh I've chosen records of music that I could really live with.
Presenter
Uh
Speaker 4
Uh because I'm not a great record collector. Um we spend our lives making music.
Helen Watts
Music
Speaker 4
Uh but if I found myself on an island without any music, that I couldn't bear.
Helen Watts
Yeah.
Helen Watts
That's all right.
Helen Watts
Please don't see
Presenter
The opening of the second movement of the Bach double violin concerto, Igor and David Ostrach.
“Uh people I think. All of them? No no no not all.”
“Well, uh I've chosen records of music that I could really live with. … but if I found myself on an island without any music, that I couldn't bear.”