Castaways Pick Pop and Pianos

As the popular Radio 4 series Desert Island Discs prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary, presenter Kirsty Young reveals that in recent times there have been significantly fewer classical pieces in the guests’ music choices than when the show first started.

An article in this week’s Radio Times says that last year ‘castaways’ (guests who are asked to imagine being stranded on a desert island) chose more tracks by The Beatles than pieces by classical composers.

Although I am a massive fan of The Beatles’ music, I admit I was slightly disappointed (yet not really surprised) by this news – as, I imagine, other classical music lovers and instrumental teachers may be.

However, we should all take great comfort from the fact that little has changed regarding the castaways’ favourite choice of luxury item, which is still … a piano.

(The article says: “everyone from James Corden to John Prescott still asks for a piano, as Richard Dimbleby did in 1958, believing they’ll finally have a chance to learn.”)