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

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

The program was originally broadcast in 1980, and the presenter was Roy Plumley. This week, our cast away as the composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.

Mr. Sondheim, how important of records be in a new life?

Very.

I've been collecting records since I was 17.

I have an enormous collection, mostly 20th and 19th century music.

And I particularly like obscure stuff.

Did you find it hard to narrow your choice down to eight?

Oh, very hard.

I decided to pick the pieces that would, I think, last me the longest,

and I decided to be honest, so I've made a fairly plebeian list.

Right. What's the first one?

Well, the first one is, I suppose, the composer who's most influenced me, namely Ravelle.

I'm a fan of French music and a fan of his, and one of the pieces I like best properly

because I played it on the piano

is the Valsnoblee sentimental, particularly the seventh one, because it's the most fun to play.

And who's to play it?

Well, this is the orchestral version. This is done by Ancerme.

Music The The The

The The Seventh of Rabelle's Vals Nobly Sentimental, the orchestra of the Swiss Roman, conducted by Enceme.

Now, you're a New Yorker, recently prosperous background. How much musical influence was there in your home?

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