Sergei Rachmaninoff — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

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desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

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Most requested
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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Sergei Rachmaninoff — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Sergei Rachmaninoff

14 episodes

Chosen over the decades

14

Total castaways

1960s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Alfred Hitchcock
Arthur Fiedler
Benno Moiseiwitsch
David Shepherd
Dennis Brain
Henry Williamson
John Lill
Lauren Bacall
Liberace
Percy Kahn
Sir Geoffrey Howe
Sir Gordon Russell
Sir Paul Dukes
Stephen Hough

Stephen Hough
Stephen Hough on being mugged and then approached by a sinister stranger
Castaway · 9 October 2016Kirsty Young
Sir Geoffrey Howe
Geoffrey Howe on convincing Labour voters that Tories don't have horns, tails or cloven hooves
Castaway · 20 July 1986Michael Parkinson

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Lauren Bacall

How a phone call to Howard Hawks saved Lauren Bacall’s crooked eyebrows

Castaway · 3 March 1979Roy Plomley

07°05′S 082°20′W

David Shepherd

David Shepherd on raising £46,000 in one evening for a poacher-catching helicopter

Castaway · 11 September 1971Roy Plomley

20°10′S 075°42′W

John Lill

John Lill on jumping in an aircraft to play anything, anywhere in an emergency

Castaway · 24 October 1970Roy Plomley

Henry Williamson

04°15′S 038°06′W

Henry Williamson

Henry Williamson on the famous Christmas fraternisation of 1914

Castaway · 11 October 1969Roy Plomley

Sir Gordon Russell

07°32′S 020°15′W

Sir Gordon Russell

How walking down the main street of Chipping Camden taught Gordon Russell more than school

Castaway · 3 June 1968Roy Plomley

02°14′S 027°45′W

Arthur Fiedler

Arthur Fiedler on ringing doorbells to fund free concerts

Castaway · 1 March 1965Roy Plomley

13°34′S 035°53′W

Sir Paul Dukes

Paul Dukes on starting life over again at seventy

Castaway · 22 February 1965Roy Plomley

14°09′S 041°05′W

Liberace

Liberace on his fear of bugs at outdoor concerts

Castaway · 23 May 1960Roy Plomley

Alfred Hitchcock

14°37′S 156°02′W

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock on describing Psycho as 'a rather gentle horror picture'

Castaway · 19 October 1959Roy Plomley

Benno Moiseiwitsch

09°12′S 169°08′W

Benno Moiseiwitsch

How a fallen brick got Benno Moiseiwitsch expelled from school

Castaway · 27 October 1958Roy Plomley

06°30′S 114°25′W

Percy Kahn

Percy Kahn on spoiling a Caruso recording by clapping

Castaway · 8 September 1958Roy Plomley

21°35′S 103°57′W

Dennis Brain

Dennis Brain on his father offering him an old horn to try

Castaway · 13 August 1956Roy Plomley