Herbert Howells

desert is.landest. 1942

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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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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

Herbert Howells — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

9 episodes

Chosen over the decades

Total castaways

2000s

Peak decade

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

Allan Ahlberg
Andrew Davis
Armando Iannucci
Edmund de Waal
Jon Snow
Michael Mansfield
Ronald Searle
Simon Russell Beale
Sir Adrian Boult

Edmund de Waal
Edmund de Waal on the joyful sound of breaking porcelain
Castaway · 25 November 2012Kirsty Young
Jon Snow
Jon Snow on finding his name on a death list in El Salvador
Castaway · 30 January 2011Kirsty Young

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

Michael Mansfield

Michael Mansfield on having his car blown up outside the Old Bailey

Castaway · 17 October 2010Kirsty Young

Allan Ahlberg

20°09′S 023°33′W

Allan Ahlberg

How a girl in the street told Allan Ahlberg he was adopted

Castaway · 14 November 2008Kirsty Young

Simon Russell Beale

07°12′S 162°23′W

Simon Russell Beale

Simon Russell Beale on being cast as Desdemona by his English teacher at 13

Castaway · 8 July 2007Kirsty Young

Armando Iannucci

18°41′S 160°02′W

Armando Iannucci

Armando Iannucci on reading the Bible and finding God 'a bit mad'

Castaway · 4 June 2006Sue Lawley

Ronald Searle

12°50′S 119°36′W

Ronald Searle

Ronald Searle on writing a note saying 'I've gone' and abandoning his old life

Castaway · 10 July 2005Sue Lawley

Andrew Davis

11°43′S 163°45′W

Andrew Davis

How a last-minute Janacek performance launched Andrew Davis's career

Castaway · 7 September 1986Michael Parkinson

Sir Adrian Boult

07°08′S 041°28′W

Sir Adrian Boult

Castaway · 7 April 1979Roy Plomley