William Byrd — Composer · desert is.land

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

William Byrd — Composer · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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

Composer

William Byrd

10 episodes

Chosen over the decades

10

Total castaways

1980s

Peak decade

4

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

A L Rowse
Antonia Fraser
Edmund Rubbra
Graham Thomas
Howard Goodall
Lord Armstrong
Paul Farmer
Peter Maxwell Davies
Rita Streich
William Trevor

Paul Farmer
Paul Farmer on the moment he saw his wife's yellow eyes
Castaway · 12 July 2026Lauren Laverne
Antonia Fraser
Antonia Fraser on her 'don't come in' notice for writing while raising six children
Castaway · 27 July 2008Kirsty 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

Howard Goodall

Howard Goodall on the first time a choir sang his music

Castaway · 25 May 2008Kirsty Young

09°33′S 020°03′W

Lord Armstrong

Lord Armstrong on going to Buckingham Palace with Heath to resign and returning with Wilson

Castaway · 24 July 1988Michael Parkinson

Peter Maxwell Davies

15°46′S 017°29′W

Peter Maxwell Davies

Peter Maxwell Davies on being taken to see The Gondoliers at age four

Castaway · 25 June 1983Roy Plomley

01°23′S 035°08′W

Edmund Rubbra

Edmund Rubbra on ‘knitting’ his music instead of writing it

Castaway · 23 May 1981Roy Plomley

13°56′S 176°27′W

William Trevor

William Trevor on nearly drowning three times as a child

Castaway · 9 August 1980Roy Plomley

01°19′S 083°48′W

Rita Streich

Rita Streich on being held tight by her mother as wolves approached the sledge in Siberia

Castaway · 15 July 1978Roy Plomley

15°33′S 159°34′W

A L Rowse

A L Rowse on discovering the Dark Lady of the Sonnets in the Bodleian Library

Castaway · 13 August 1977Roy Plomley

13°41′S 081°35′W

Graham Thomas

Graham Thomas on his godfather giving him a fuchsia at age six

Castaway · 22 November 1975Roy Plomley