Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For Wright's reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1980, and the presenter was Roy Plumley. This week our castaway is a writer of adventure stories who's had an adventurous life himself, Jeffrey House-held.

How much does music mean to you, Mr. House-held?

It means a lot to me without knowing anything at all about it. You have no skill, you

don't play an instrument. I remember when I was a little boy I learned to play the piano I even learned to compose.

Really?

But well only the silly little things you know like him,

to do it and so forth.

But then my life seemed to go on for a very long time without music.

Did you have any kind of plan or theme in choosing your eight records?

Yes, I did, a kind of theme, partly of things I'd like to remember, and partly of things that would amuse me and keep me going.

Where do we start?

What's your first record?

My first record is Schubert's Unfinished Symphony,

and I'll tell you why.

I said I was taught and taught very well music at my preparatory school

And this brilliant master Howell who was killed in the First War, got up a symphony orchestra in swanage.

It was the first time I had ever heard a symphony, not unnaturally at the age of 13, and he played this

and he stayed in my mind ever since as he himself has, and that is why I've chosen it. Oh, The The The opening of Schubert's 8th Symphony, the Unfinished, the Chicago Symphony The Who's who says educated Clifton College? That's Bristol. You're a West Countryman, I?

Yes, I was born and bred in Gloucestershire. The son of a barrister, you went up to Oxford. Any legal interests yourself?

No, although my father did read a bar, he actually became Director of Education for Gloucestershire.

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