Kirsten Flagstad

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and you are listening to Desert Island Discs.

Speaker 10:05

This edition of Desert Island Discs was archived without the music, so although the Castaway's choices are introduced, they're not part of this recording.

Speaker 10:15

Full details can be found on the Castaways page on the Desert Island Discs website.

Speaker 30:39

Desert Island Disc.

Speaker 10:47

This is a recording of Desert Island Discs as it was being broadcast, rather than the studio recording.

Speaker 10:53

And for that reason you may hear some interference and some degradation in the sound quality.

Speaker 31:09

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

Speaker 31:19

Assuming, of course, that you also had a grammophone and an inexhaustible supply of needles.

Speaker 31:24

As usual, Roy Plumley introduces this week's castaway.

Presenter1:28

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Presenter1:30

The introduction isn't going to take very long this evening.

Presenter1:33

A castaway is an artist whose records are featured very often in other castaways' choices.

Presenter1:38

She's the possessor of a voice

Presenter1:40

A great and very beautiful voice that has been acclaimed in the opera houses and concert halls of most of the big cities of the world.

Presenter1:47

Kirsten Flagstad.

Presenter1:49

Well, Madam Flagstad, what do you think about this desert island proposition?

Kirsten Flagstad1:53

Not much.

Kirsten Flagstad1:55

I feel rather like Toscanini did when he was asked in an American radio programme which one opera score he would choose to have with him on a desktop.

Presenter2:03

Which one did he choose?

Kirsten Flagstad2:04

He didn't.

Kirsten Flagstad2:06

He said if he was only allowed one,

Kirsten Flagstad2:08

He would drown himself right away.

Presenter2:11

Well, let's play your eight records. Perhaps hearing them will give you a a brighter outlook on Desert Island. What's the first one?

Kirsten Flagstad2:17

The trio from Rosencavalier.

Presenter2:19

Why?

Kirsten Flagstad2:20

I would want to take at any rate one record from Opera.

Kirsten Flagstad2:24

It would be Wagner. That I can sing myself without the help of a gramophone. Yes, indeed. So for my desert island I would like something else.

Kirsten Flagstad2:31

And I think this is my favorite part of any non-Wagnerian opera.

Speaker 32:35

Did you know Richard Stripe?

Kirsten Flagstad2:37

I once sang the solo part in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Bayreuth under this direction.

Kirsten Flagstad2:42

But he wouldn't have remembered that though.

Presenter2:43

I wonder.

Kirsten Flagstad2:44

By weather.

Kirsten Flagstad2:48

Isn't that lovely?

Kirsten Flagstad2:49

Now another paper it

Kirsten Flagstad2:51

That's been my favorite for years and years.

Kirsten Flagstad2:54

Mendelssohn's Music to the Midsummer Night Stream, conducted by Sir Thomas Peacher.

Presenter2:59

What's the reason? Anything to do with Shakespeare?

Kirsten Flagstad3:01

No.

Kirsten Flagstad3:02

Entirely to do with Mendelson and Sir Thomas.

Presenter3:04

Yeah.

Presenter3:05

You can't have it all, I'm afraid. And only one record, Romis. Which part do you want? The Avatar, the Scarsa?

Kirsten Flagstad3:11

Clear overture.

Presenter3:12

Right here it is.

Kirsten Flagstad3:16

And now for my favorite composer, Beethoven.

Kirsten Flagstad3:19

and for one of the earliest pieces of music that I can remember.

Kirsten Flagstad3:23

His arch duke three or four piano, violin and crello.

Kirsten Flagstad3:27

In my home I was used to hearing a lot of champagne music.

Kirsten Flagstad3:31

And I remember my brother used the opening bars of this trio as an overture when we acted our childish theatrical plays.

Kirsten Flagstad3:37

He used to make a most impressive noise by blowing down the spouts of kettles half full of water.

Presenter3:42

Yeah.

Presenter3:43

Did you learn any instrument yourself as a child? Apart from kettles full of water?

Kirsten Flagstad3:48

Well, I played the piano, but not very not very well. But I'm going to take it up again.

Presenter3:53

Okay. And who would you like to play the trio?

Kirsten Flagstad3:56

Hi Fitz, Squire Marlanz Rubenstein.

Kirsten Flagstad4:02

My next choice is from where this requiem, one of my

Kirsten Flagstad4:05

Favorite word.

Kirsten Flagstad4:07

The Inchimisko and sung by my favourite tenor, Jusip Jolin.

Kirsten Flagstad4:11

I never get tired of listening to that one.

Presenter4:16

And I'm flagged that how would you cope with life on a desert island? Would you be able to look after yourself, do you think?

Kirsten Flagstad4:22

I don't think I would be very good at it.

Kirsten Flagstad4:25

I wouldn't mind the solitude, but

Kirsten Flagstad4:28

That wouldn't worry me at all. I like to be alone.

Presenter4:30

Yes, well what about practical things? I mean I mean lighting a fire and cooking.

Kirsten Flagstad4:35

Well, I think I could light the fire all right.

Kirsten Flagstad4:37

I had my reading spectacles with me.

Kirsten Flagstad4:39

I could use them as a burning glass, couldn't I?

Presenter4:41

Yeah, yeah.

Kirsten Flagstad4:42

I don't know anything about cooking though.

Kirsten Flagstad4:44

But I like raw food.

Kirsten Flagstad4:47

And raw fish, which we use quite a lot in Norway. Oysters and shrimp.

Presenter4:51

I am not sure about oysters on a tropical island.

Kirsten Flagstad4:53

Oh, I don't want a tropical island.

Kirsten Flagstad4:56

I want a nice cold island, somewhere in the northern hemisphere.

Presenter5:00

Well, there shouldn't be any difficulty about that. There's practically no cue at all for the cold ones.

Kirsten Flagstad5:04

And I like swimming and in cold water too.

Presenter5:07

Well, you know, this might solve your problem about what to live in. If the island was cold enough, you could build an inkloo out of blocks of snow or ice.

Kirsten Flagstad5:13

So I spent not just texts here.

Presenter5:15

Appreciate it.

Kirsten Flagstad5:16

But another record now.

Kirsten Flagstad5:18

Elizabeth Schwatzkov singing Omio Babino Caro from Giannis Kitty by Petrine.

Kirsten Flagstad5:24

It's the most charming piece of music and

Kirsten Flagstad5:26

Charmingly sung.

Kirsten Flagstad5:28

I shall always remember the first time I heard Lizzie Sharskov sing.

Kirsten Flagstad5:32

It was at the performance of Fidelia at Salzburg a couple of years ago.

Kirsten Flagstad5:36

when she produced the first notes of of the quartet.

Kirsten Flagstad5:40

Mirists of wonder by

Kirsten Flagstad5:42

I thought I'd never heard anything lovelier from a human throat.

Kirsten Flagstad5:49

And I haven't yet chosen a record for solo piano.

Kirsten Flagstad5:52

And there's such a big choice here. So many well loved pieces.

Kirsten Flagstad5:57

Even when a knight of the choice down to Chopin, it is still exceedingly difficult.

Kirsten Flagstad6:02

I think I would settle for the part of the sonata number three in B minor.

Presenter6:06

Count the pianist?

Kirsten Flagstad6:08

Inulipati.

Kirsten Flagstad6:09

It gives to Chopin such a clean and clear interpretation, I think.

Kirsten Flagstad6:16

Now we'll go go go back to singing again.

Presenter6:18

Well just for a moment, let's get back to your singing. Which part of the world are you off to now?

Kirsten Flagstad6:23

First I'm off to Germany.

Kirsten Flagstad6:27

Then uh Italy.

Kirsten Flagstad6:29

Switzerland

Kirsten Flagstad6:32

I'm back to Italy.

Kirsten Flagstad6:34

A France

Presenter6:35

In how long a space of time?

Kirsten Flagstad6:37

Or up to summer time.

Presenter6:38

Just just after the summer, yeah.

Kirsten Flagstad6:40

Yes, and then I'm going home for my holidays.

Presenter6:42

And then at the end of the summer you're coming back to London, is that right?

Kirsten Flagstad6:45

Yes.

Kirsten Flagstad6:46

At the end of the summer I shall come back to London to sing at the Mermaid Theatre again.

Presenter6:50

That's the little Elizabethan theatre in St. John's Wood.

Kirsten Flagstad6:53

Yes, the one that the Miles built in their garden.

Presenter6:56

Now what are you singing there this year?

Kirsten Flagstad6:57

Well the same as last year.

Kirsten Flagstad6:59

Purcells died on the knees.

Presenter7:00

And twice nightly?

Kirsten Flagstad7:01

Yes.

Kirsten Flagstad7:02

The only twice nightly operation in the world, I believe.

Presenter7:03

Bill

Kirsten Flagstad7:06

I'm also singing there some Bach cantantas.

Presenter7:08

Oh that's interesting.

Kirsten Flagstad7:10

Well the interesting thing about this is that for the first time I shall be singing as contralto. As contralto? Yeah.

Kirsten Flagstad7:16

I've always been fond of using the lower register of my voice.

Kirsten Flagstad7:20

But never mind my voice, let's talk about a beautiful English voice, Maggie Tates.

Kirsten Flagstad7:26

My favorite secret of hers is Du Park's L'Amitation avoyage.

Presenter7:33

Last one.

Kirsten Flagstad7:35

That must be my native composer Grigg.

Kirsten Flagstad7:38

and a part of his famous piano concerto in A minor.

Kirsten Flagstad7:42

And played by Walter Gieserking.

Presenter7:47

And that's the lot that's your eight records.

Kirsten Flagstad7:50

Is that all I'm allowed on this idle? Just a gramophone and a few records.

Presenter7:53

Oh, I was coming that you are allowed one luxury object as well, something that mustn't be useful. What would you like?

Kirsten Flagstad8:01

I must have knitting needles and and lots of wool.

Presenter8:04

Well how much work?

Kirsten Flagstad8:06

Oh, lots and lots. Town. I do a lot of knitting.

Presenter8:09

Have no wardrobe troubles at any rate.

Kirsten Flagstad8:11

Of course not.

Kirsten Flagstad8:12

I think I can need any garment. I need trucks for my women friends.

Presenter8:16

All right, that'll be seen to. Either enough wool to last you for your sojourn on the island, or some kind of a machine that processes seaweed into knitting wool.

Presenter8:25

Well thank you Madam Kirsten Flagstadt for being shipwrecked for us and letting us hear your choice of desert islanders.

Presenter9:00

That program, Desert Island Discs, was devised by Roy Plumley and introduced by him in the London studios of the BBC.