Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
One of the world's most distinguished choreographers.
On the island
Eight records
And the reason I chose that because it was in a ballet that I did at Sadler's Wells and which is one of the first things that Margot Fontein did. And Constant Lambert arranged the music. And this was her first appearance. She was to dance to this music. And so it has a lot of nostalgic memories for me, of her extreme beauty and her youth as well.
Moura Lympany with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Walter Susskind
Why? There again, because it was one of the favourite ballets that I ever did. Because after the war, when I came back from the RAF, this was the first thing that I did. And I did it because at that time I thought that the tendency in the ballet was too literary. Every everything was based on books and novels and plays. And I wanted to bring it back to pure dancing. This was an abstract ballet.
Gymnopédie No. 1 (from Monotones)
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by John Lanchbury
which I like very much and to which I did. Abatico Monotones. Actually there are two sections to it, but this is in the first section. There are three rather sort of astral figures. And um it's a lovely piece of music.
String Quintet in C major, D. 956: Adagio
Amadeus Quartet with William Pleeth
And I've chosen that because I think it's the most wonderful, noble, tragic music. And whenever I'm in that mood or upset about the loss of somebody, I always put this on and wallow in it.
And I've always had rather a leaning towards French desserts and so and she was such a magnificent one that I'm glad to represent her.
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conducted by Georges Prêtre
which is a ballet I've always adored from the first time I saw it in about nineteen twenty six, I suppose, and which when I was director I had her come and do it for the Royal Ballet, and I simply adore it.
London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
which I find w a very noble piece of music and which I loved especially when Adrian Bolt conducted it and he made it so stirring. And there again I used very simple. approach to it because I found the music so overwhelmingly beautiful that I felt I couldn't do anything too elaborate and so I did with just three of them. I mean something really very, very simple.
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467: AndanteFavourite
which I think of extreme beauty. And also nice to finish on my favourite composer of all, which is Mozart.
In conversation
Presenter asks
3:36When and how did you develop your first interest in dancing?
Ah, well that was another matter. That was because round about nineteen seventeen Anna Pavlova came out on one of her tours… came to South America and my mother thought that it should be part of our education to to see her. So we were all taken… I was only f riveted by the performance, which is the first time I'd ever been in a theater.
Presenter asks
4:25Did you discuss your new enthusiasm [for dancing] with your parents?
Or I wouldn't have dared… I mean, you know, middle class parents in that period, I mean, been desperately shocked.
Presenter asks
6:08What did you do [after leaving school]?
Well, I was supposed to I mean, everybody's wish was that I should go to Cambridge because my mother wanted me to go into the diplomatic service. But I couldn't pass any exams, you see, because I was so ill educated. So that was hopeless, and so then they didn't know what to do, and I didn't dare. reveal my secret to anybody, so I was put into the city.
The keepsakes
The book
Marcel Proust
I think I'd like to have La Roche du Tempel dieu by Proust in French, but I would also like the concession of having a French dictionary, so that by the time I was rescued I would my French would be greatly improved.
The luxury
probably better to have two packs of cards so I can while away the time playing patience.
Presenter asks
20:36What does a choreographer do? Does he provide the basic idea in every case?
No, not necessary. No, no, no. He I mean, somebody else could supply the basic idea. And somebody else could even suggest the music to you. But in my case mostly I f find the music myself. And I found the idea myself and then might work out my idea with a musician to see that, you know, I really know what I'm doing.
Presenter asks
23:01How did you take to administration [as director of the Royal Ballet]?
Well, I I felt that it was almost like a dynasty. I mean, I I seemed to be the rightful heir after Dame Lynette, and and so therefore there was no question of of even thinking whether one should or whether one shouldn't. In a way I didn't like it because I'm not very fond of discontent and I never liked the dancers being discontented… and I really felt that I was wasting my time, that it would be much better had I just concentrated on doing choreography than than administrating.
“I was luckily born with very good ears, so that I hear everything very well, and and I have musical instincts, but the actual playing of anything, n not at all, alas.”
“I shall never forget to this day the the size of my fingers with chill blanes, which was all because there was no heating in those days… I mean it was really Tom Brown's school days.”
“I think utter failure in every way. I mean, I was sort of a dead loss to to Dover College.”
“I use it in everything. I put it in somewhere in everything. I mean, sometimes in quite different rhythms, so that you wouldn't even recognize it… But it has to go in because of luck.”