desert island lockdown discs

Subject: R4 desert island lockdown discs
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 21 May 20 - 12:20 PM

Surprised nobody's raised this topic,I spent a very interesting couple of days last week scanning the music shelves in response to R4's plea for listeners to send in their eight DID's and the reason why your first choice has helped you through these troubled times. Absolutely no problems there then! I ended up with fourteen lists of 8 records with another ten in reserve!

The final choice? Sorry you'll have to wait until June when a selection will be broadcast. If my numero uno isn't chosen I'll publish it here should there be anybody left to read it!!!!

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 May 20 - 05:13 PM

My numero uno is Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. I've always regarded it as a miracle anyway, but a couple of weeks ago I suddenly became seriously ill (I'm OK now, with just the odd backlash). The weather's been lovely, and I've been able to sit in the sun with me little Bluetooth speaker and Youtube. I've listened to the Pastoral four times in two weeks, and to me it's balm to to the soul. Nice to hear the birds singing as I listen! Another piece vying for the position is the middle movement of Beethoven's Quartet in A minor, in which he gives thanksgiving to "the Godhead" for his recovery from illness and in which he feels renewed strength. He's the man for me!

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Mr Red
Date: 22 May 20 - 08:53 AM

too late. cut-off date 16th May

I can't imagine my selection would make the grade.
Horses Branle**/Blowzabella, Blow the Winds Southerly/Kathleen Ferrier, Salut d'Amour, Bear Dance/Bedlam, Brown Sugar/Rolling Stones, Tamaranui/Peter Cape (NZ connection) and I can't choose more off hand too many memories/songs I guess.

**In the key of Gg of course - I'll get my Bodhran.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 20 - 09:31 AM

I'll take the Kathleen Ferrier. A grand northern lass she was...

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 22 May 20 - 11:18 AM

Thought that it would be fun to list the tunes that I most frequently play at home. Interestingly, there is only one folk song (and that as an arrangement). Here is the list:


Bach – Goldberg Variations (played by Glenn Gould).
Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel.
Miles Davis – So What. From the album ‘Kind of Blue’.
Béla Bartók – Piano Concerto No. 3.
Muzsikas – The Bartók Album.
Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker – My Funny Valentine.
Henryk Górecki – Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs).
Joseph Canteloube – Bailero (from Songs of the Auvergne).
Jimmy Guiffre Trio – The Train and the River.
Griffiths Motsieloa and Company – Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 22 May 20 - 11:21 AM

I should have said, of course, that the Muzsikas album is full of folksongs and tunes. Silly me!

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: gillymor
Date: 22 May 20 - 02:09 PM

The Harmonic Tone Revealers-first album
Madeliene Peyroux-Half the Perfect World
Jean Marti non Conducts Ravel with Montreal Symphony
Steely Dan- A Decade of Steel Dan
Little Feat-Feats Don't Fail Me Now
John Williams and Julian Bream Live
Grateful Dead-Skull and Roses and Europe 72
Old Blind Dogs- Legacy and Play Live
The Wonderbeans- Beansprouts
Ludvico Einaudi- I Giorno

If I have to limit it to 8 then, virus, take me now.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: gillymor
Date: 22 May 20 - 02:14 PM

Of course that's "Martinon" and I"Giorni"

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 20 - 02:25 PM

The Archies - Sugar, sugar
Brotherhood of Man - Save your kisses for me
Picketywitch - Same old feeling
Tony Orlando - Tie a yellow ribbon
Ohio Express - Yummy yummy
Bay City Rollers - Shang a long
Sylvia - Viva Espana
Baccarat - Yes sir, I can boogie.

For a bit of light relief I may add Tan Lin by Steelers Span.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 May 20 - 02:30 PM

Steeleye Span of course. The cross between them and Steelers Wheel doesn't exist. Yet.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 May 20 - 03:03 PM

I've been listening to a lot of classical composers' very late music recently - Haydn's unfinished quartet, Messiaen's "Eclairs de l'Au-Dela" (for which he dictated the final corrections while lying on a trolley on the way to the operation he didn't survive), Schubert's last piano sonatas, Shostakovich's Viola Sonata... might try Schutz's Opus Ultimum next.

I listen to a lot of Mike Yates's selections. Must have a go at playing the Pe Loc from the Muszikas album, I have the same instrument Peter Eri uses for it (see the video).

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Raggytash
Date: 22 May 20 - 03:16 PM

Hmmm ………………. picking just 8 pieces of music ………….. hmm

Well todays choice would be;

1. Joe Peel by Peter Bond (my favourite song for over 40 years)
2.Toccata & Fuge in D minor by Bach
3. The Carnival is Over by the Seekers (Judith Durham all that meat and no gravy!)
4. Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
5. Abbeyfeale a slow air from Cara witten by Dave Oakley
6. In the Hall of the Mountain King from Griegs Peer Gynt Suite)
7. Cousin Jack by Steve Knightley
8. Clitterin' and Clatterin' by Ted Edwards

Tomorrows choice will probably be very different except for Joe Peel that goes every time.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 20 - 03:24 PM

Schubert's middle-last sonata, D959, has always been a favourite of mine. There's a very angry section in the slow movement. I wonder whether it reflects the fact that he knew that he was doomed by syphilis. The Quintet in C comes from the same period. There's similar anger in its slow movement (not the bit they ever play on Desert Island Discs) followed by agitation. Then, in the third movement, the superficial jollity is suddenly broken by a passage of Shakespearean tragedy. I'm not a big fan of most of Schubert but the Quintet is a masterpiece. He was a troubled man in his final year or two. I think he was a bit too fond of the ladies of the night.

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 22 May 20 - 04:34 PM

One of my alternative 8's featured music originating from Hull my hometown [you know 'that chipshop 50 miles up a railway siding where they are so tight they only undercoat their telephone boxes!]


Three Day Millionaire          Mike Waterson
Good Thing                     Fine Young Cannibals
Happy Hour                     Housemartins
Perfect Day                   Lou Reed [arranged by Mick Ronson]
Some Old Salty                Lal Waterson
Bright Phoebus                Lal & Waterson
Starman                        Spiders from Mars & David Bowie
Eternal Father Strong To Save John Bacchus Dykes [music]

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 May 20 - 07:31 PM

It's a terrible thing is this. I've wrestled meself over my "last eight" for decades. They are all classical, but I do have other loves. So here's a crack at my alternative last eight, setting classical aside:

The Beatles: No Reply. It was on the very first album I ever bought and it was the first track on the album. 1964 I reckon.

The Spinning Wheel, sung by Delia Murphy. Reminds me of my dear old gran who died in 1965. She loved this song, and so do I, and she and I were a right pair of oddballs who had a lovely nod-and-wink relationship....

Life On Mars by David Bowie. The girl with the mousey hair, bejaysus...

Alias Ron Kavana, Watch Out Willie. Nope, I really mean it. If you've never heard it, that's your severe bad luck. It ends with devastatingly-untraditional but totally superb versions of Trip To Durrow and Gravel Walk. For me, seminal.


Planxty, Raggle Taggle Gypsy/Tabhair Dom Do Lamh. Without this track, which I heard on a compilation double LP that cost me a quid in 1980, I would never have got into Irish music, or any folk music.

Anticipation by Carly Simon. Why would I explain.

Anthems In Eden, Shirley Collins and others. I could have picked any one of several tracks from No Roses but this'll do for my one Shirley Collins track. She's the love of my life.

And finally, it has to be a Nic Jones song. I'll go for Ten Thousand Miles from the Noah's Ark Trap album. I can't listen to it without a tear rolling down the cheek.

If I could have a "bonus ninth" it would be Rainy Night In Soho, the Pogues. Go on, let me have it...I've tried VERY hard...

Subject: R4 desert island lockdown discs
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 23 May 20 - 09:07 AM

Then of course there's my Jazz top '8'

Bad Penny Blues       Humphrey Lyttleton
Blue Monk             Thelonious Monk
Pannonica                   '   
Take 5                Dave Bruebeck
Blues for a Hip King   Abdullah Ibrahim
Island Cry             Roland Kirk
Sadtimes.co.uk         Billy Jenkins
Petit Fluer            Sidney Bechet

Then of course there's the World Music '8',the Singer/songwriter '8' [female] and Singer/songwriter '8' [male] and...
   Now where did I leave me coat?

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 20 - 09:15 AM

When it comes to jazz I haven't even got a top one, let alone eight...

Subject: RE: desert island lockdown discs
From: gillymor
Date: 23 May 20 - 11:04 AM

Jazz-
Miles Davis- Kind of Blue, Live at the Wooden Nickle, Milestones
(& more)
John Coltrane- Giant Steps, A Love Supreme,Ballads, Gentle Side of...
Bix Beiderbecke- Bix and Tram and a number of other compilations
John McLaughlin- My Goal's Beyond and the first one with Paco De Lucia and Al Dimeola
Jellyroll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers- any good compilation
Frank Vignola- Frank N Dawg (w David Grisman), Gypsy Jazz Swing
Django Rheinhart- The Quintet of the Hot Club of France
Gaucho- Part Time Sweet Heart
Lang and Venuti- Columbia and Okeh sessions vol. 1 includes cuts with Bix, Trumbauer and Annette Hanshaw and awesome set.
Bill Frisell- Small Town