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Ursula Owen

Sue Lawley's castaway is editor and publisher Ursula Owen.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the editor and publisher, Ursula Owen. Twenty-five years ago she helped create Virago - the feminist publishing house which promotes women writers. A huge success, it became the focus of much attention when she and her colleague, Carmen Callil, fell out in what became a very public row. Recently, she has revamped the magazine Index on Censorship, which debates the issues surrounding freedom of speech and publishes the work of persecuted writers. The daughter of a Jewish family who fled to Britain from Nazi Germany, she was a quiet, reserved and conformist child. Her friends, she says, still wonder how she grew up to be such an outspoken, strong-minded and opinionated woman.

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

Favourite track: Der Rosenkavalier The Trio From Act Three by Richard Strauss
Book: The collected works by Anton Chekhov
Luxury: Family photo album

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 19 Sep 1997 09:05
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Mike Leigh OBE

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Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Flute Sonata No. 1 in B minor - 1st movement

    Soloist: AlexAndre Magnin Soloist: Robert Hairgrove

    • J.S. Bach: Flute Sonatas.
    • Gallo.

  • Morriston Orpheus Choir

    Myfanwy

    • National Music - Wales.
    • DDD.

  • Burl Ives

    The Foggy, Foggy Dew

    • In The Quiet Of The Night.
    • Ace Of Hearts.

  • Joseph Haydn

    String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 76/4 'Sunrise' - 1st movement

    Orchestra: Kodaly Quartet

    • Haydn String Quartets.
    • Naxos.

  • Johannes Brahms

    Ruhe, Süssliebchen (from Die schöne Magelone, Op. 33)

    Soloist: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Gerald Moore

    • Fischer-Dieskau/Moore: Songs By Maher.
    • EMI.

  • Kurt Weill

    Surabaya Johnny

    Soloist: Lotte Lenya Orchestra: The Male Quartet and Orchestra

    • Portrait Weill. 7 Deadly Sins. Happy End.
    • CBS Masterworks.

  • Billie Holiday

    Gloomy Sunday

    • Billie Holiday 16 Most Requested Songs.
    • Columbia.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Richard Strauss

      Marie Theres'! Hab' mir's gelobt (Act 3 Trio) (from Der Rosenkavalier)

      Soloist: Christa Ludwig Soloist: Gwyneth Jones Soloist: Lucia Popp Conductor: Johnny Green

      • Der Rosenkavalier.
      • CBS Masterworks.

  • Book Choice

    • The collected works - Anton Chekhov

  • Luxury Choice

    • Family photo album

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Ursula Owen

Broadcasts

  • Sun 14 Sep 1997 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 19 Sep 1997 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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