Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Violin virtuoso renowned for his prolific recording career.
On the island
Eight records
Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846Favourite
I think that if I were on the island that uh actually the box you could listen to the most.
Violin Sonata in F major, K. 377: II. Tema con variazioni
David Oistrakh and Paul Badura-Skoda
I like to choose uh something else for Reustra rather than what he's always associated with, which is usually Russian music. Because I think that in his earlier days he w his style was more Russian. But I didn't notice so much in it later, like his Schubert scenario and so on, Mozart, it's it's more uh classical.
Gregor Piatigorsky with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Munch
I think anyway, I think that Pietro Gorski, he was a character, he was a fun character. I think he was kind of a Don Quixote.
Jennie Tourel and George Ricci
I like to play record where my brother plays, with Jenny Turrell. My brother didn't uh do too much career on a cello because he didn't want to travel and so he used to do a lot of commercial work in New York and he used to be on first call so whatever with the cello solo and anything.
Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 44
Jascha Heifetz with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Izler Solomon
I associate him with these romantic virtuoso concertos.
This one, there's a guneri, it's called a plowden, which has such a beautiful quality and I tried to fit the piece to the fiddle. So I chose a Mozart piece for this for this violin.
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23
Martha Argerich with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kirill Kondrashin
I took the Martha Argrich, uh, first Tchaikovsky concerto, which is a concerto I'm a little bit tired of hearing, but she is such a fabulous performance, hair raising, and he's a f f fantastic pianist.
Spike Jones and his City Slickers
I think that if you were to start there, you'd have once in a while you'd have to laugh, you know. Otherwise you start crying for yourself.
In conversation
Presenter asks
6:53Did you enjoy practicing [as a child]?
Well, I don't know. I uh I think I should like it. I didn't have much choice about it. … since all my brothers and sisters had to stay in and practice. I didn't feel so bad. I think if they were out playing and I had to practice that I would feel abused
Presenter asks
10:45How old were you when you made your debut, when you first played in public?
Well, I was like Yehooti. I was supposed to be eight, but I was ten. … This was public relations, was it? Yes. You can automatically knock two years off of any prodigies or add two years to what they say.
Presenter asks
11:33How did you feel about [wearing a velvet Lord Fauntleroy suit and having bobbed hair]?
Oh terrible. Because in those days the kid had long hair, you know, he was a sissy. … And I had not only long hair, I had uh moles and a fiddle case which was two hundred percent sizzy. I mean, the kids used to make fun of me on the street. So I d I didn't associate with children, only my own brothers and sisters. I was a little bit afraid of uh outside kids, I felt uh inhibited or a little bit freakish with them.
The keepsakes
The luxury
I guess the fiddle wouldn't be of any practical use, but at least I know what something I would take that [Plowden Guarneri] 'cause they can't buy it anyway, they don't sell it.
Presenter asks
16:58What did you have to do [in the Air Force]?
There was an orchestra. We played everything. We played classical things. We had terrible conductors. We played jazz. I played solos for the cadets. Uh we made background music for a lot of uh films like it was one called Memphis Belle.
Presenter asks
34:16Do you always read your press notices?
Yes, if I would see one, I would read it. I mean, I I wouldn't just throw it aside without looking. Usually you get me angry, or But I'm not one of those people to say, Oh, no, I never read them.
“I think every prodigy or you could say they're exploited because if you make a child work five hours a day and play in public and earn money, in those days you could keep the money”
“when you play in an orchestra you have to learn when not to play, you know. That's the first thing you have to learn.”
“I'm much better on the long haul. When I get running, I much rather do a whole movement and take that movement and then maybe they can put in a couple of splices, but I'd rather go right through. And it bothers me a lot if I get with a conductor and every few bars he stops and he talks to the orchestra and I never can really get running hot. It's like playing with a cold engine.”