Main content

Jeffrey Tate

Sue Lawley's castaway is conductor Jeffery Tate.

The castaway in this week's Desert Island Discs is Jeffrey Tate, principal conductor of the English Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Opera House, and chief guest conductor of the Geneva Opera. Until the age of 27, his chosen profession was medicine, but once a fully-qualified doctor, he switched his career to become one of the most sought-after conductors of his time - both in Britain and abroad. This is an achievement impressive enough in itself, but doubly so given that since childhood he has suffered from a condition which has resulted in curvature of the spine and a paralysed left leg, which means that, for the most part, he conducts sitting on a high stool.

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

Sue Lawley will be talking to Jeffrey Tate about his transition from medicine to a stunning musical career and the problems he has overcome to achieve such extraordinary success.

Favourite track: I'll Be Seeing You by Billie Holiday
Book: The collected works by Jane Austen
Luxury: Nativity painting from the National Gallery

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 3 Nov 1989 09:05
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Rocco Forte

Next

Enoch Powell

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • NoΓ«l Coward

    Poor Little Rich Girl

    • The Master.
    • World Records.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Villes (from Les Illuminations)

    Soloist: Peter Pears Orchestra: The English Chamber Orchestra

    • Serenade-Les Illuminations.
    • London.

  • Gustav Holst & Christina Rossetti

    In The Bleak Midwinter

    Choir: The Choir Of King's College Cambridge

    • O Come All Ye Faithful.
    • Argo.

  • English Chamber Orchestra

    Banks of Green Willow

    • The Banks Of Green Willow.
    • EMI.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Di scrivermi ogni giorno (from Cosi fan tutte)

    Soloist: Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Orchestra: The Philharmonia and New Philharmonia Orchestra

    • Cosi fan Tutte.
    • EMI.

  • Joseph Haydn

    Symphony No. 104 in D major 'London'

    Orchestra: The English Chamber Orchestra

    • Haydn: Symphonies Nos 102 & 104.
    • EMI.

  • Fliedermonolog (from Die Meistersinger von NΓΌrnberg)

    Soloist: Norman Bailey Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonia Orchestra

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Billie Holiday

      I'll Be Seeing You

      • I'll Be Seeing You.
      • Commodore.

  • Book Choice

    • The collected works - Jane Austen

  • Luxury Choice

    • Nativity painting from the National Gallery

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Jeffrey Tate

Broadcasts

  • Sun 12 Feb 1989 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 17 Feb 1989 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Sun 29 Oct 1989 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 3 Nov 1989 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

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.

Podcast