Hello, I'm Krestey 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 1990, and the presenter was Sue Lawley. My cast away this week is an American conductor and virtuoso.

At the age of 24, he was given an opportunity granted to few, but dreamed of by many,

when he took over the Maestro's baton of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

in mid-concert after their conductor had fallen ill.

Since then, flare and good looks have helped him gain international recognition,

while his ambition to bring music to the people has made him something of a television star in the United States.

Now 45, he's been the principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra for nearly two years.

He loves all music, and his admirers love him. They call

him the most exciting American conductor since Leonard Bernstein. He is Michael Tilson Thomas.

Michael, do you class that moment? He is Michael Tilson Thomas.

Michael, do you class that moment 20 years ago

when you had to take over in mid-concert as luck?

You must have pondered it many times since.

It was a moment that occurred so quickly that I could scarcely gather any

impressions while it was actually taking place. When Maestro Steinberg said to me,

put your suit on, you're going to conduct.

I just stood there as if I hadn't heard him.

He had to repeat it a few times.

I thought, he must be joking.

And then afterwards, after the concert,

...