Charles Jencks

Kirsty Young's castaway is the architectural critic and writer Charles Jencks.

Born in America, for the past four decades he has lived and worked in Britain - where his designs are as likely to be found in sculptural landscapes as buildings. Perhaps his most significant legacy, though, is the work he did with his late wife, Maggie Keswick. They worked together to design Maggie's Centres - a series of practical and beautifully-designed buildings to give information and support to people with cancer.

He says: "When you have cancer, there's many things which you have to do aside from the struggle - it's not just a medical problem, it's a social problem - of how you tell the children, how you tell your boss - and above all, as Maggie said, it's not to lose the joy of living."

Choices

1.

Carly Simon

You’re so vain

Composer: Carly Simon

Others who chose this artist

2.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Quadra 3 – Fra gli amplessi in Porch istanti Fiordiligi

Artist: Renee Flreming & Frank Lopardo with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Sir George Solti

Others who chose this artist

3.

Gardner Jencks

Sonata No 2 for piano, OP. 8 (1942) (Allegro non troppo)

Artist: Marcia Mikulak, piano

4.

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky

The Great Gates of Kiev

Artist: The London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Pritchard

Others who chose this artist

5.

Shakespeare

Ghost sequence from Hamlet

Artist: Richard Burton

6.

Michael Gandolfi

Soliton Waves

Artist: Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Others who chose this artist

7.

Henry Purcell

When I am laid in earth (Dido) Scene 2

Artist: Jessye Norman, The English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Raymond Leppard

Others who chose this artist

8.

Castaway's favourite

Igor Stravinsky

The Rite of Spring

Artist: Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Sir Colin Davis

Others who chose this artist

Book

The Act of Creation by Arthur Koestler

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

3D printer

Others who chose a similar luxury