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Dr Max Perutz

Sue Lawley's castaway is molecular biologist Dr Max Perutz.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is Dr Max Perutz. When he left Austria in 1936 to study at Cambridge, his fellow students dismissed his ambition to decipher the structure of the protein haemoglobin as 'mad'. No-one had seriously attempted to map a molecule that was made up of 10,000 atoms. Twenty-two years later he was successful. It was an achievement that earned him and his colleague John Kendrew the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1962 - and has since contributed to the study of blood diseases like sickle cell anaemia and Huntington's disease.

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

Favourite track: Piano Sonata No.30 in E Major by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
Luxury: Skis

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 30 Jun 2000 09:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Donald Sutherland

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Peter Nichols

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Music Played

  • Gioachino Rossini

    The Barber of Seville

    Soloist: Placido Domingo Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe

    • The Barber of Seville.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Prelude: The Representation of Chaos (from The Creation)

    Soloist: Franciso Arazia Choir: Vienna Singverein

    • The Creation.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Fidelio

    Soloist: Tom Krause Choir: Vienna State Opera Chorus

    • Fidelio.
    • Decca.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109

      Soloist: Vladimir Ashkenazy

      • Sonata Op.109, Op.110.
      • Decca.

  • Jessye Norman and Geoffrey Parsons

    He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

    • Jessye Norman Collection.
    • Philips.

  • Franz Schubert

    Piano Sonata No. 17 in G major, D894

    Soloist: Alfred Brendel

    • Schubert: Piano Sonatas.
    • Philips.

  • Sergey Prokofiev

    Sonata for Solo Violin in D major

    Soloist: Dmitry Sitkovetsky

    • Violin Sonatas Nos 1 & 2.
    • Virgin Classics.

  • Leonard Bernstein

    The best of all possible worlds (from Candide)

    Artist: Adolf Green/Jerry Hadley/June Anderson/Kurt Ollm

    • Candide.
    • Decca.

  • Book Choice

    • The Origin of Species - Charles Darwin

  • Luxury Choice

    • Skis

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Dr Max Perutz

Broadcasts

  • Sun 25 Jun 2000 11:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 30 Jun 2000 09:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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