Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Former BBC Director of Engineering, who led the technical development of broadcasting.
On the island
Eight records
from The Barber of Seville. Sung by Tito Schipa. Why do you choose this one? … Back in the early days, you see at the start of broadcasting … In 1928, I was in Italy building a station on top of a mountain … we were cut off for three days … we had about 12 records and we just played them over and over again … and one of them was 'Ecco ridente in cielo', which I liked, and I thought I'd like to start with that today.
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, 'From the New World'Favourite
takes me back … I went to Czechoslovakia … Vulcác's music, indeed most Czech music, was quite unknown to me … I had a very great liking for it and particularly for the New World Symphony that reminds me of Czechoslovakia and also the new world in which I'm very interested also.
Song of Silver Moon from the opera Rusalka. I first heard this at the Czech National Opera House in 1930. I liked it very much and I've liked it ever since.
Csak egy kislány van a világon
takes me back to my pre-BBC days when I was working in Hungary … I got to like all kinds of Hungarian music … but I think the Hungarian gypsy music was the thing that stays in my mind most.
Montagues and Capulets (from Romeo and Juliet)
My wife and I were lucky enough to get some tickets for the first visit of the Bolshoi to Covent Garden … we were absolutely entranced with the music.
Eberhard Wächter and Graziella Sciutti
the duet between Zerlina and Don Giovanni from Don Giovanni. I wanted something by Mozart … I suppose I wanted to get two for the price of one.
from My Fair Lady. I live near to Ascot … chiefly I want this to bring back to mind the absolute breathtaking sight of that scene in the Drury Lane production.
Les oiseaux dans la charmille (The Doll Song)
from Les Contes d'Hoffmann. My last record is to take me back to Paris … after thinking about this a lot, I finally came out in favour of [this].
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:57Would you call yourself a musical person?
No, not really. I have no performing capacity whatsoever. I like to listen to music. It always gives me a lot of pleasure, but I wouldn't call myself a musical person.
Presenter asks
4:42What part of the country do you come from?
I was born in Birmingham.
Presenter asks
4:46What started your interest in scientific things?
Well, I was interested in science at school and I went to the university to study electrical engineering. And while I was at the university I took an interest in radio and was an amateur and built myself sets. So when I left the university, I looked for a job in the radio business, in the broadcasting.
Presenter asks
6:44What was your job [in psychological warfare] in Europe after the invading armies?
I went with them. I went into Paris on the day it was liberated … altogether, it's not true to say we were putting the wind up, we were seeking to inform the enemy of the things that he didn't appreciate. And we were also informing the local population. We had mobile transmitters that we put up and we did our best to repair and get on the air transmitters that had been enemy controlled.
The keepsakes
The book
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
in which you'll find many modern parallels, I'm sure. Yes, indeed, almost anything can be matched there, and lessons for the future can be derived from it.
The luxury
A Dutch flower painting (by Jan van Huysum)
I should like to look at European flowers and see the beautiful freshness of the leaves with the sparkling raindrops on them in a Dutch flower picture.
Presenter asks
11:50Are you completely personally convinced that colour television is worthwhile?
Oh, absolutely. I think colour brings a reality to television and a sense of realisation that is not possible with black and white. … if we took life down to its simplest form, we shouldn't be left with many pleasures. I think colour's well worthwhile.
Presenter asks
16:43How well could you endure the solitude and loneliness of a desert island?
I think for a time I'd endure it very well if I had a reasonable supply of raw materials, food and things to do … I do a lot of gardening and I do some carpentry … I wouldn't be stuck, I'm sure. … after I'd played over these records a few times, I should be wanting to get and play over some others.
“I have no performing capacity whatsoever. I like to listen to music. It always gives me a lot of pleasure, but I wouldn't call myself a musical person.”
“We had about 12 records and we just played them over and over again. And one of them was Echo Ridente in Cielo, which I liked.”
“I think colour brings a reality to television and a sense of realisation that is not possible with black and white. … if we took life down to its simplest form, we shouldn't be left with many pleasures. I think colour's well worthwhile.”
“I should like to look at European flowers and see the beautiful freshness of the leaves with the sparkling raindrops on them in a Dutch flower picture.”