Main content

Richard Rodney Bennett

Sue Lawley's castaway is jazz composer Richard Rodney Bennett.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the composer and performer Richard Rodney Bennett. A versatile musician, he is equally at home playing jazz, writing film scores or composing for the concert hall. He wants to give performers music which they want to play, so he has written percussion pieces for Evelyn Glennie and saxophone sonatas for John Harle and Stan Getz. "Nobody," he says, "needs another violin concerto from anybody". His film scores include Murder on the Orient Express, Far From the Madding Crowd and Four Weddings and a Funeral, but he confesses to having most fun when he's just singing jazz.

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

Favourite track: Violin Concerto by William Walton
Book: The Atlantic book of British and American Poetry by Edith Sitwell
Luxury: 6mm 36 inch circular knitting needle with a point at each end

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 24 Oct 1997 09:05
91热爆 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Rose Tremain

Next

Richard Mabey

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Richard Rodney Bennett

    Theme From Tender Is The Night

    Soloist: John Harle, John Lenehan

    • Habanera.
    • Hannibal Records.

  • The Barry Tuckwell Ensemble

    Till The Clouds Roll By

    • A Sure Thing.
    • His Master's Voice.

  • Bill Charlap Trio

    The Heather On The Hill

    • Distant Star.
    • Criss Cross Jazz.

  • Claire Martin

    Bye Bye Country Boy

    • Make This City Ours.
    • Linn Records.

  • Mary Cleere Haran

    Easy To Remember

    • This Funny World.
    • Varese Sarabande.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • William Walton

      Violin Concerto in B minor

      Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Soloist: Yehudi Menuhin

      • The Walton Edition.
      • EMI.

  • Paul Williams & Johnny Mandel

    Main Theme From Agatha

    • Soundtrack To Agatha.
    • Casablanca.

  • Shirley Horn

    Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

    • Loads Of Love.
    • Mercury.

  • Book Choice

    • The Atlantic book of British and American Poetry - Edith Sitwell

  • Luxury Choice

    • 6mm 36 inch circular knitting needle with a point at each end

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Richard Rodney Bennett

Broadcasts

  • Sun 19 Oct 1997 12:15
    91热爆 Radio 4
  • Fri 24 Oct 1997 09:05
    91热爆 Radio 4

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