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Gavin Bryars

Sue Lawley's castaway is experimental composer Gavin Bryars.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the experimental composer Gavin Bryars. One of his best-known works, The Sinking of the Titanic, pays tribute to the band which continued to play as the ship went down. It poses the question what if they hadn't stop playing; how would their music have sounded under water? His most popular composition, Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, features a tramp singing the same verse again and again, building up layer upon layer of emotion.

Composing is a craft he learnt as an assistant to John Cage, after hearing his work Four minutes, thirty-three seconds - of silence. Today he is both established and establishment - the ENO are soon to stage his latest opera and if you look closely at the orchestra, you'll spot him on the bass!

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: My Foolish Heart by Bill Evans Trio
Book: Science and Civilisation in China by Joseph Needham
Luxury: Gravity chair

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 10 Apr 1998 09:05

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Bill Evans Trio

      My Foolish Heart

      • Waltz for Debby.
      • Riverside.
  • Propellerheads

    History Repeating (feat. Shirley Bassey)

    • Decksandrumsandrockandroll.
    • Wall of Sound.
  • The Carla Bley Band

    The Lord is Listenin' To Ya, Hallelujah!

    • Carla Bley Live!.
    • Watt.
  • Glenn Gould

    The Idea of North from Solitude Trilogy

    • Solitude Trilogy: Three Sound Documentaries.
    • CBC Records.
  • Tom Waits

    Tom Traubert's Blues

    • Asylum Years.
    • Asylum Records.
  • Richard Strauss

    Traumlicht from (Drei M盲nnerch枚re)

    Orchestra: The Hilliard Ensemble

    • German Romantic Partsongs.
    • EMI.
  • Parsifal

    Orchestra: Orchestra and Chorus of the Welsh National Opera Conductor: Reginald Goodall

  • Gavin Bryars Ensemble

    Epilogue from Wonderlawn

    • Cadman Requiem.
    • Point.
  • Book Choice

    • Science and Civilisation in China - Joseph Needham

  • Luxury Choice

    • Gravity chair

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Gavin Bryars

Broadcasts

  • Sun 5 Apr 1998 12:15
  • Fri 10 Apr 1998 09:05

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