From Bob Dylan to George Frideric Handel. Classicist Mary Beard shares her castaway choices with Kirsty Young. From 2010.
Classicist Mary Beard is castaway by Kirsty Young.
A professor at Cambridge, Mary is that rare thing: a university academic who writes for the masses.
Her popular books, blog, articles and reviews have led to her being called 'Britain's best-known classicist'.
But while her research is steeped in the ancient world, her commentary is all about the here and now.
The classical world speaks to us, she says, and makes us see our own world differently.
DISC ONE: Bob Dylan - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
DISC TWO: Janet Baker and the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Lewis - Henry Purcell鈥檚 鈥淲hen I am laid in earth鈥 (Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas)
DISC THREE: Elizabeth Kenny - John Dowland鈥檚 Lachrimae
DISC FOUR: Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin - Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves
DISC FIVE: Roy Harris & the Pump and Pluck Band - The Man that Waters the Worker's Beer
DISC SIX: Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee
DISC SEVEN: Ralph Kirkpatrick - Johann Sebastian Bach鈥檚 Aria (from Goldberg Variations)
DISC EIGHT: Kathleen Battle - George Frideric Handel鈥檚 Endless Pleasure, Endless Love
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Bob Dylan - It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
BOOK CHOICE: Treasures of the British Museum - Marjorie Caygill
LUXURY CHOICE: The Elgin Marbles
Producer: Leanne Buckle
First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 4 in January 2010.
Last on
Broadcasts
- Sun 23 Mar 2025 06:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Sun 23 Mar 2025 11:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Sun 23 Mar 2025 17:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
- Mon 24 Mar 2025 01:00麻豆社 Radio 4 Extra
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.