Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
An organist and director of the celebrated choir of Saint John's College, Cambridge.
On the island
Eight records
It's a quick patter song sung by Shan Emlin called Cavrier Gaver.
Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85: III. Adagio
Paul Tortelier, London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
Part of the Elgar Cello Concerto, work of which I am very fond indeed. The slow movement, played by Tortellier and conducted by Sir Adrian Bolt.
Monks of the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Solesmes
I've always been very fond, indeed, of plain song, and particularly of The Interpretation of Plain Song As uh we we hear in the monastery of Saint Peter at Salaim, and so I should like to have the monks of Selaim singing Salve Regina.
On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
I was introduced to the music of Cleolane by my wife and have become a very devout supporter of all she does. I think she's a superb musician and I'd like honour Clear Day.
Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major, Hob. VIIe:1: III. Finale
John Wilbraham, Academy of St Martin in the Fields
I've worked quite a lot with John Wilbraham, and I should certainly want to take one of his records with me onto my desert island, and so I should like please Haydn's trumpet concerto in E-flat.
One of the great losses to European music was the early death of Marvid Sluinoin. who promised to become one of the very significant composers, I think. Of this century, and I should like the second of her two Madonna songs to Our Lady of Sorrows.
There are many groups in Wales singing at the moment, and one of the best, I think, is a group called Sidan. Which means silk, and the sound they produce is a very silky sound. And I'd like them singing a song called Kamalai, which means clouds.
Requiem, Op. 48: VII. In ParadisumFavourite
Choir of St John's College, Cambridge
I should have to take with me a record of Saint John's Choir, I think. And the one I would choose would be part of a fairly recent recording. The Requiem Mass by Forae. This needs, I think, to be sung by a small choir. I think it is entirely incorrect to sing it with an inflated choir of a hundred or two hundred people. A Requiem Mass is a very introspective, emotional and personal thing. And I think I would like to take with me Foray's Requiem, the In Paradisu.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:40How well could you adjust yourself mentally to a desert island existence?
I should have thought it would have been [r]ather easy, because I'm a person I think that needs and indeed likes solitude at times.
Presenter asks
0:50Can you think of any one thing that you'd be very happy indeed to have got away from?
Yes, I think the noise of present-day life, particularly traffic noises.
Presenter asks
1:07Did you find it a hard task to narrow your chosen records down to eight?
Well, being a professional musician, the answer must be, of course, yes, because my tastes, I think, are pretty Catholic in music. Naturally, I think my choice would lean towards vocal music of various kinds, but also obviously one is very interested in all forms of music, and yes, the choice was very difficult.
Presenter asks
3:40Do you come from a musical family?
The keepsakes
The book
The Complete Works of Saunders Lewis
Saunders Lewis
I think I would ask you to arrange for the complete works of Saunders Lewis to be bound into one volume, one of the really significant writers of this century. Cruelly neglected, I may say, but I should be very happy to take that with me as my one book.
The luxury
A clavichord, as long as I am permitted to take with me a tuning fork, because I haven't got perfect pitch, and a tuning key.
My father was a local organist, and my mother was fond of singing. And so I think in that sense the answer is yes. Uh there was always a lot of music in our house.
Presenter asks
14:05Is there deadlier rivalry between the two [King's College and St John's College choirs] or anything of that sort?
I think there's probably a certain amount of rivalry, good natured rivalry between the boys. I suppose it's natural, because the two choir schools meet on the rugby field and also on the cricket field. On the other hand, um, there's very much less rivalry, I think, between the men. who meet on more social occasions. We lend each other music from time to time. We even lend each other singers.
Presenter asks
18:41Could you look after yourself [on a desert island]? Were you ever a Boy Scout?
I should think it highly unlikely. I never was a Boy Scout. I am notoriously unpractical, as indeed my wife most certainly would tell you. I've no doubt at all that that I should barely last a week.
“I've realized how much I and incidentally most people living in England have missed by knowing nothing of the wonderful store of literature that there is in Wales the poems, the plays, the essays, the novels.”
“I am notoriously unpractical, as indeed my wife most certainly would tell you. I've no doubt at all that that I should barely last a week.”
“A Requiem Mass is a very introspective, emotional and personal thing.”