Main content

Peter Maxwell Davies

Roy Plomley's castaway is composer Peter Maxwell Davies.

Peter Maxwell Davies is not only a prolific composer, he is also Director of Music at Dartington Hall Summer School and Director of the Fires of London, a group specialising in twentieth-century music which he conducts on their many concert tours. Most of his composing is done in the tranquillity and isolation of his home in the Orkneys.

In conversation with Roy Plomley, he talks about the various facets of his life and chooses the eight records he would take to the mythical island.

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

Favourite track: Agnes Dei by Byrd
Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Luxury: Music manuscript paper and pens

Available now

55 minutes

Last on

Fri 1 Jul 1983 09:05

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op. 133

    Orchestra: Lindsay String Quartet

    • Grosse Fugue.
  • Maurice Ravel

    The frogs (from L'enfant et les sortil猫ges)

    Soloist: Yvon Le Marc'Hadour, Nadine Sautereau Orchestra: French National Radio Orchestra

    • L'Enfant Et Les Sortileges.
  • Arnold Schoenberg

    Five Orchestral Pieces - No. 3

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Conductor: Pierre Boulez

    • Five Peices For Orchestra.
  • Elliott Carter

    Concerto For Orchestra

    Orchestra: New York Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leonard Bernstein

    • Concerto For Orchestra.
  • String Quartet No. 5

    Orchestra: Hungarian String Quartet

  • Claudio Monteverdi

    Pur ti miro (from The Coronation of Poppea )

    Soloist: Elisabeth Soderstrom, Concentus Musicus, Helen Donath Orchestra: Vienna Harnoncourt

    • L'Incoronazione Di Poppea Act 3.
  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony No. 7 in C Major

    Orchestra: Hall茅 Orchestra Conductor: Sir John Barbirolli

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • William Byrd

      Agnes Dei

      Soloist: Billy Preston Choir: Christchurch Cathedral Choir

  • Book Choice

    • Ulysses - James Joyce

  • Luxury Choice

    • Music manuscript paper and pens

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Roy Plomley
Interviewed Guest Peter Maxwell Davies

Broadcasts

  • Sat 25 Jun 1983 18:25
  • Fri 1 Jul 1983 09:05

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast