Simon Russell Beale
Kirsty Young's castaway is actor Simon Russell Beale.
Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the actor Simon Russell Beale. Critics are torn over their descriptions of him: to some, he's the greatest stage actor in Britain today. To others, merely the greatest Shakespearean actor of his generation. Whichever it is, when he's cast in a play, it invariably sells out, the audience is spellbound and the reviewers smitten.
Yet initially it seemed as if music was his calling; he was a choirboy at St Paul's, won a singing scholarship to Cambridge and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music. An unorthodox approach to the drama department saw him change direction and he has gone on to win huge acclaim and many awards for his work. Unusually for a modern actor, he has only dabbled lightly in film and television work - he says when faced with the choice between a play and a film he always picks the play.
[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]
Favourite track: First Movement of 4th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: Book on medieval history
Luxury: Daily Araucaria crossword.
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Music Played
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Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major - 1st movement
Orchestra: Concerto Italiano Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini
- Bach: Brandenburg Concertos.
- ±·²¹Ã¯±¹±ð.
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Herbert Howells
A Spotless Rose (3 Carol-anthems)
Singer: Roderick Williams. Choir: City of London Choir. Conductor: Hilary Davan Wetton.Choir: Cambridge Singers Conductor: John Rutter
- Christmas Night: The Cambridge Singers/Rutter.
- Collegium.
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Gustav Mahler
Symphony No. 8 in E flat major 'Symphony of a Thousand' - 1st movement
Choir: Chorus of the Vienna State Opera & the Vienna Boys’ Choir with the Vienna Singers Orchestra: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Sir Georg Solti
- Mahler:Symphony No.8.
- Decca.
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Felix Mendelssohn
Octet for Strings in E flat major -1st movement
Orchestra: Members of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields
- Mendelssohn Octet: Weekend Classics.
- Decca.
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Castaway's Favourite
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 4 in B flat major - 1st movement
Orchestra: Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner
- Beethoven: 9 Symphonies.
- Archiv.
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Jean Sibelius
Violin Concerto in D minor - 1st movement
Soloist: Joshua Bell
- Sibelius: Violin Concerto. Op.47/Goldmark: Violin Concerto, op.28.
- Sony Classical.
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Peter Warlock
Capriol Suite - 5th movement
Soloist: Peter Lawson & Alan MacLean
- British Music for Piano Duet.
- Campion.
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Maurice Ravel
Rapsodie espagnol - 4th movement
Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: André Previn
- Ravel:Valses Nobles et Sentimentales/Rapsodie Espagnole.
- EMI.
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Book Choice
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Book on medieval history
Luxury Choice
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Daily Araucaria crossword
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Kirsty Young |
Interviewed Guest | Simon Russell Beale |
Broadcasts
- Sun 8 Jul 2007 11:15³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4
- Fri 13 Jul 2007 09:00³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 4
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