Listen Complete: Lotte Lehmann on Desert Island Discs - 1959

The BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on 29 January 1942 and continues to broadcast. It invites "castaways" to choose eight pieces of music, a book (in addition to the Bible - or a religious text appropriate to that person's beliefs - and the Complete Works of Shakespeare) and a luxury item that they would take to an imaginary desert island, where they will be marooned indefinitely. The rules state that the chosen luxury item must not be anything animate or indeed anything that enables the castaway to escape from the island, for instance a radio set, sailing yacht or aeroplane.

On Monday, 22 Jun 1959 Lotte Lehmann was the "castaway. Unfortunately the music was not archived but this still is fascinating - really fascinating. If you can't wait to hear what she chose you can find a full list below. And if you have Spotify we have attempted to find as many of the exact pieces she selected and put them in the playlist at the bottom of the page.

To listen now click here: Lotte Lehmann on Desert Island Discs - 1959

To download and keep click here

Music Played

Richard Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Overture
Orchestra: NBC Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Arturo Toscanini

Gustav Mahler Um Mitternacht (from Rückert-Lieder)
Soloist: Kathleen Ferrier Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Bruno Walter

Richard Strauss Freundliche Vision, Op. 48/1
Soloist: Elisabeth Schumann, Ivor Newton

Hugo Wolf Sterb' ich, so hüllt in Blumen (frm Italian Songbook)
Soloist: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Hertha Klust

Henri Duparc Sérénade florentine
Soloist: Gerard Souzay, Jacqueline Bonneau

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor 

Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Franz Schalk

Lotte Lehmann Wien, du Stadt Meinen Träume

Richard Strauss Marie Theres'! Hab' mir's gelobt (Act 3 Trio) (from Der Rosenkavalier)
Soloist: Lotte Lehmann, Elisabeth Schumann, Maria Olszewska Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Robert Heger