Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Co-founder and former editor of Private Eye; godfather of contemporary British satire and now editor of the Oldie.
On the island
Eight records
Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19: III. Andante
Paul Tortelier & Aldo Ciccolini
When I was young, which is a long time ago, I used to play the cello due to my mother's influence. This is a part of Rachmaninoff's cell sonata, which I couldn't play anyway. It's played by a man I greatly admired, Paul Totellier, whose old people may remember doing uh masterclasses on the BBC. I remember him doing a masterclass on Rachmaninoff's celli sonata, and he said, It is Russian, it is sad.
Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12 No. 1: II. Tema con variazioni (Andante con moto)
Yehudi Menuhin & Hephzibah Menuhin
Later on I used to play music with my mother, and it was really the happiest music experience I think I had, was playing violin sonatas. Of course I couldn't play the piano part well enough, but we managed to get through the slow movements. And this is one of Beethoven's slow movements that I used to play with.
I'd always wanted to play the piano from an early age, and I still do, and I've actually recently started having lessons again. But I was partly inspired when I was a boy by listening to Fat Swallow, who's one of the great pianists, I think, of all time.
Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner
This is my link with the old country being on the desert island. It's The March from the Battle of Britain by William Walton.
But this is just to remind me really of the sixties and the years of satire. I think the funniest thing that came out of those years was almost certainly the T V show not only but also with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516: III. Adagio ma non troppo
Well, Mozart is known to have therapeutic properties. And uh at certain low points in my life I find myself listening to Mozart's chamber music particularly, and this is part of one of his string quintets.
Mass in B minor, BWV 232: Gloria in excelsis DeoFavourite
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Eugen Jochum
If I had my way, I'd probably choose all music by Bach to go on this programme. I remember Pablo Casal saying Bach is my best friend, and that's how I've always felt about him, and I've never been bored by any of his music.
Dichterliebe, Op. 48: XII. Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen
Peter Schreier & Christoph Eschenbach
Well, this is romantic music by The most romantic composer I think Schumann, whose piano music I particularly like playing now.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:13Why do you feel the need [to still contribute to Private Eye]?
Partly because I need the money, but I've always enjoyed very much writing jokes with the people at Private Eye. And that goes on and I'm part of it. I'm not responsible for it anymore, so that's great weight off my shoulders.
Presenter asks
1:27What attributes do you bring to the job [of editor]?
I remember my friend Malcolm Muggeridge saying that an editor should be like a blind man tapping his way along with a white stick, and I've always felt a bit like that myself, sort of not knowing what's going to be the next issue. Depending very much on circumstances or what came up, and not planning in advance anything.
Presenter asks
6:01What was your relationship with [your father] like?
Very seldom like. He was a quite a distant figure. I was always a bit scared of my father, actually. And I think my mother was too. He was a very good look. He had a lot of charisma. People who worked with him said that. But he was quite distant and I always found a bit scary.
The keepsakes
The book
Well, I'm going to take a book called Teach yourself piano tuning. But that relates to my luxury.
Presenter asks
11:28Do you think then Private Eye might not have happened if your father had been around?
I think very possibly, yes. He wouldn't have approved of it at all. Um
Presenter asks
15:18Where did [your urge to kick against authority] come from?
Well, it's very it's very hard to explain, but I think the being in the army had a lot to do with it. And I think uh being in the ranks in the army made you aware very much of the differences in society and particularly the way the establishment, as it was called then, sort of operated.
Presenter asks
23:36How difficult was [having a severely disabled child]?
The worst thing about it is w if you have a child, a normal child, half the fun of it is seeing it develop start to walk and crawl and talk and in Arthur's case none of that happened, you see, and it takes quite a long time because doctors uh tell you, Oh, you know, he's going to he's going to be all right. They they try to. Give you some hope. And then it slowly dawns on you that actually it isn't gonna It isn't going to be like that.
“I always had a problem, and I still have slightly in in confusing God and J. S. Bach. So they were sort of mixed up in my mind.”
“I thought it was my greatest educational achievement was actually getting this man to write something. I thought it was a great triumph.”
“And of course the awful thing about drugs is that the person Becomes a a a stranger really, and also you. have this feeling of helplessness that you can't You can't really do anything to help them or get them to change.”
“I think that the editor is simply a kind of conduit for other people's talents.”