Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Television newsreader and presenter of classical music concerts.
On the island
Eight records
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104
Mstislav Rostropovich, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
I love the music. I met Rostropovich several times... I admire him enormously as a cellist. And the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra I choose because I went to Czechoslovakia about a year ago... and the great spirit that there is in Czech music.
Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27 No. 2
I enormously admire the playing of Rubinstein... a wonderful sense of classical balance in playing a romantic work such as this, a marvellous restrained.
String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810 'Death and the Maiden'
because I admire them so much
Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K. 550Favourite
Carlo Maria Giulini, New Philharmonia Orchestra
Because I used to play this particular music as a piano duet with my mother, so I grew up with it, because it's my favourite among Mozart symphonies... and because I so very much admire Giulini and his passionately dedicated approach to music.
Charles Mackerras, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Because it sums up everything which is to do with the theatre, all the sort of glamour and excitement of it.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:20Richard, are you a musical person?
Up to a point I am. I've always loved music and when I was a little boy, aged seven, my mother made me start to learn the piano and I hated it for about three years. After that, I began to love it. My father took me to the proms when I was pretty young. Yes, it's always been very important to me.
Presenter asks
4:37What did you want to be when you were a boy?
Well I think I had three. I wanted to be the captain of a ship. And I wanted to be an actor. And I wanted to be a teacher.
Presenter asks
8:02Had broadcasting attracted you yet?
It had, but in a rather distant sort of way.
Presenter asks
8:54Have you a Beecham story?
Oh, yes, yes, yes. I think I've got one too. But the one I like best perhaps is of him doing a performance of the Mozart Requiem with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. And suddenly, after the second movement of this work, he sat down on his stool and I thought, my goodness, he's going to pass out or something. And he didn't. He turned round to me and he said... In a loud voice, all the microphones live, he said, I'm tired, dear boy He said, You say some more recite Macaulay's nays. I couldn't remember Macaulay's name. He had silence over it. And after after this he went on to music.
The keepsakes
The luxury
a bed, a very comfortable, very luxurious bed, where in the very limited time available, I could sort of lie in it and listen to my records and be very comfortable.
Presenter asks
13:05How do your two children react to Daddy on the box?
They're pretty drowsy about it, you know. As far as the news is concerned, they think it's a terrible bore unless there's a great disaster. They love it when there's a fire or an explosion or something really awful happening. Yes. Then they find it interesting. And then daddy's really doing his job.
Presenter asks
15:51How could you take the loneliness on this desert island, Richard?
I don't think I'd be very good at it. I I like very much company and I also like being away from it for quite substantial periods. Uh being on my own, say for a whole day or something like that. I think this is very necessary, but I don't think I'll be very good at it for very long.
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on. And our little life is rounded with a sleep.”
“I thought, my goodness, he's going to pass out or something.”
“They love it when there's a fire or an explosion or something really awful happening.”
“I'm rather a theatrical person at heart.”