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This Week's Guest:
Bernard Cornwell
Sunday 18 April
Repeated
Friday 23 April | | |  |
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| Bernard's Choice |  | |
Sue Lawley's castaway this week is Britain’s most popular writer of historical fiction Bernard Cornwell. His work has sold more than five million copies in nine languages. His most famous character is the rifleman Richard Sharpe – an embittered, slightly villainous career soldier whose fortunes are followed through the late 18th century and early 19th.
Cornwell’s journey to writing was a long one. He was born in 1944 the illegitimate son of an English woman and Canadian airman. His mother was forced to give him up for adoption when he was a few weeks old and, after a short spell in an orphanage, he was brought up by an Essex couple who were members of the religious group “The Peculiar People”.
He trained first to be a teacher and then joined the BBC as a researcher on Nationwide. He had a successful career in television but, when he met the woman he wanted to marry, he had to leave it all to join her in America. Refused a Green Card, he reassured her that he would support them both by writing historical novels – an ambition he’d held for years but had yet to realize. On the strength of the first book he was offered a contract for an entire series and, eventually, his character Richard Sharpe was brought to life by Sean Bean.
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1. Maria Mater Gratiae from Faure's Requiem
Performer Cambridge Singers & members of the City of
London Sinfonia conducted by John Rutter
Composer Faure
Publisher Collegium Records
CD Title Faure: Requiem and other choral music
Track 11
Label Collegium
Rec No: COLCD 109
2. Down to the River to Pray
Performer Alison Krauss
Composer Trad
Publisher Mercury
CD Title O' Brother where are thou? - film soundtrack
Track 4
Label Mercury
Rec No: 1700692
3. Madame George
Performer Van Morrison
Composer Van Morrison
Publisher Warner
CD Title Astral Weeks
Track 6
Label Warner
Rec No: K 246024
4. My father
Performer Judy Collins
Composer Judy Collins
Publisher Elektra
CD Title Colors of the Day: The Best of Judy Collins
Track 9
Label Eleketra
Rec No: 960 681-2
5. Over the Hills and Far Away
Performer John Tams
Composer Trad.
Publisher Carlton UK Television
CD Title Over the Hills and Far Away - music from Sharpe
Track 3
Label Virgin
Rec No: VTCD 81
6. Flower Duet from Lakme
Performer Mary Plazas and Diana Montague with the
Philharmonia Orch. Conducted by David Parry
Composer Delibes
Publisher Chandos
CD Title Great Operatic arias
Track 3
Label Chandos
Rec No: Chan 3010
7. Benedictus from Mozart's Requiem
Performer Wilma Lipp, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, Anton Dermota, Walter Berry,with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert Von Karajan
Composer Mozart
Publisher Polydor
CD Title Mozart: Choral Works
Track 12
Label Deutsche Grammophon
Rec No: 439 412-2
8. Mama don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Performer Willie Nelson
Composer Bruce/Bruce
Publisher Columbia
CD Title Revolutions of Time: the Journey 1975-1993
Track 12
Label Columbia
Rec No: CK 64797
Record: Mozart's Requiem
Book: A Glastonbury Romance by John Cowper Powys
Luxury : 'my boat' but not to escape
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