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Marguerite Wolff

Sue Lawley's castaway is pianist Marguerite Wolff.

Marguerite Wolff has dedicated her life to performing all around the world. Sir Arthur Bliss composed for her and she studied under Louis Kentner. Marguerite was born into a musical family in London in the 1920s. Her mother began teaching her the piano and would sit and practice with her daily. Soon she was getting up at six in the morning to practice, and continuing on her return from school. Her first public performance was in the Wigmore Hall when she was ten years-old, after she won a competition run by the piano firm Murdoch. At fifteen, she performed with Sir John Barbirolli. Later in her teens Marguerite went to study with Louis Kentner, who she continued to work with until he died in 1985.

During World War II Marguerite toured the country entertaining the troops with a group put together by Walter Legge of HMV. It gave her a taste for travel and, after the war, a concert she gave in Paris was her first experience of foreign travel. She has since toured around the world and is well-known for her beautiful couture gowns, the first of which was by Norman Hartnell. Still performing, in June 2002 Marguerite was awarded an OBE for services to music world-wide.

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

Favourite track: First act of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Book: Liszt biography by Alan Walker
Luxury: A piano

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 15 Nov 2002 09:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 'Spring' - 1st movement

    Soloist: Yehudi Menuhin and Louis Kentner

    • Beethoven Violin Sonatas.
    • HMV.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

      Sleeping Beauty - Act 1

      Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Andre Previn

      • Sleeping Beauty.
      • HMV.

  • Dooley Wilson

    As Time Goes By

    • Casablanca Soundtrack.
    • Premier.

  • Giacomo Puccini

    Tosca Act 2

    Soloist: Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi

    • Tosca.
    • CDM.

  • Franz Schubert

    Fantasia in F minor, D940 - 1st movement

    Soloist: Radu Lupu and Murray Perahia

    • Sonata K.448/Schubert: Fantasia D.940.
    • CBS.

  • CΓ©sar Franck

    Piano Quintet in F minor - 1st movement

    Artist: Clifford Curzon Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Quartet

    • Dvorak: Piano Quintet in A Major/F Minor.
    • Decca.

  • Claude Debussy

    La Mer

    Orchestra: Philadelphia Orchestra Conductor: Eugene Ormandy

    • Debussy: La Mer, Noctures etc..
    • Sony Classical.

  • Johann Strauss II

    The Blue Danube

    Soloist: Louis Kentner

  • Book Choice

    • Liszt biography - Alan Walker

  • Luxury Choice

    • A piano

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Marguerite Wolff

Broadcast

  • Fri 15 Nov 2002 09:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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