Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A flautist from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who began broadcasting at age fourteen.
On the island
Eight records
The Magic Flute OvertureFavourite
Herbert von Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
I first heard von Karajan conduct the Vienna Philharmonic when I was a student. And I thought it was really tremendous, and I enjoyed the night at the opera as well, and maybe this would bring back a little bit of memory.
It's almost like a prayer, you know, that they'd like to be somewhere where it's safe, where they could be happy, where there'll be no more wars, no more fights. And this particularly appeals to me.
Slow movement of the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2
Marcel Moyse and Adolf Busch Chamber Orchestra
Marcel Moyes was one of the great, really truly great flute players and to me one of the greatest influences on my playing.
Well, it reminds me of when I first met my wife in Berlin, and uh there was such an atmosphere about Berlin in these times and uh I happen to be crazy about Joseph Schmidt.
Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic
I thought I'd take it with me just in case I'm on this island on the New Year. Maybe I'd like to bring in the New Year with the Blue Danube.
This group I first became aware of when I was in Berlin. and I used to listen to them all the time. And it also reminds me of the people I used to sit around a lot in Berlin, we hunt a lot of time. We used to sit around and drink tea. In German way.
And he's another musician who I really adore. I think out of all the musicians he's the one I have the greatest respect for. As a matter of fact, I used to play with him every day, you know, because he plays some small pieces like Tramerai and I used to play them with him. At home one the record player, of course, you know, because good accompanists are very hard to find.
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
when I was a small boy, I began playing the violin. But I didn't really take to the violin because of various reasons. And of course when I was Listening to violin players I heard all sorts of violin players like Chrysler and then suddenly I heard Heifitz. And that immediately switched me on in a way that was like magic. I was struggling away with G major in two octaves, and he was playing G major in 14 octaves, N octaves. And the whole thing was too much, too much for me. And ever since then, I've collected Heifitz records. Like a fanatic, and I like to take one with me.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:13Did you find it very difficult to choose just eight records to take with you?
Yes, it was the most difficult thing I've had to do, I think, recently, musically speaking. … My plan was to bring records that evoke memories
Presenter asks
4:23Had you decided at that age that you were going to be a professional musician?
I never really decided I was going to do anything, I just became a professional musician.
Presenter asks
4:32How did you set about it? What did you do when you left school?
I worked in a piano shop tuning pianos and well, generally wrecking them actually. And. I then got a scholarship to study in London with John Francis at the Royal College. After that I went to the Guildhall, where I studied with Geoffrey Gilbert for a year. And then I went to the Paris Conservatoire.
Presenter asks
The keepsakes
The book
The luxury
I think I'd like to take the flute that mister Cooper made for me, the fourteen karat gold one.
Why did you want to go and work in Berlin? Were you disenchanted at all with the English musical scene? Or what was it?
Not really. I had very many good friends in the English scene. I just wanted to play in the Berlin Philharmonic because it's the best.
Presenter asks
10:22What did you get out of it, do you think, that you couldn't have got out of working with an English orchestra?
Mainly time to think. About myself and about music and about everything really. … No. The English musicians, they have to work so tremendously hard that they don't have time to think about anything. Not even what they're doing sometimes.
Presenter asks
21:13If you could take just one disc out of your eight, which would it be?
I think it would be the magic flute, with all respect to Mr. Horowitz.
“It's almost like a prayer, you know, that they'd like to be somewhere where it's safe, where they could be happy, where there'll be no more wars, no more fights.”
“He was such a magic person. He was one of these people who had the light shining out of their eyes all the time. And he had such a serenity about him, and also a happiness. He really did influence me in a way that made my life take a different direction. Not only on the flute, but in every way.”
“I said, Well, look, everybody's so rude round here, I'm not sure I even want to think about it He said, Oh, but you won the audition, and by German law you've got to take the job So I said to him, Well, look, who's German round here? And if you'll excuse me, I've got to go and play in the festival hall tonight with the Royal Philharmonic.”
“Mainly time to think. About myself and about music and about everything really.”
“And that immediately switched me on in a way that was like magic. I was struggling away with G major in two octaves, and he was playing G major in 14 octaves, N octaves. And the whole thing was too much, too much for me.”