Anthony Hopkins revealed the eight songs that shaped his life

BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs has a simple premise: eight recordings, one book, one luxury, and the stories that bind them to a guest's life.

In 1985, a midcareer Anthony Hopkins stepped behind the microphone and chose the music he would carry with him to a desert island if he had to. Hopkins framed his eight as a personal time capsule, explaining it's the songs he listens to while preparing plays or reading, using music to set pace and mood.

Here are the eight songs Hopkins chose, ending with his ultimate favourite.

8. Georges Bizet - The Pearl Fishers (Aria)

Bizet's 1863 opera Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) is set in ancient Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and is best known for its lyrical duets and arias.

The piece Hopkins chose is an aria from the first act, sung in his preferred recording by Nicolai Gedda, the Swedish tenor celebrated for his expressive, clear tone: "I've chosen a few that made an impression on me when I was a child."

"I heard this, oh, 10, 20 years ago, and it had such a haunting effect on me. I don't know why. It was just the quality of voice and the quality of music that haunted me, and I played it very often. An aria from the first act of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, sung by Nicolai Guetta."

7. Franz Liszt - Consolation No. 3 in Dflat major

Composed around 1849-1850, Liszt's Consolations are a set of six piano pieces, the third being the most famous for its serene, lyrical melody. Hopkins' favourite recording is by the virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz.

He remembered first hearing it as a child: "I heard it when I was a little... oh, must have been about eight years of age. There was a piano teacher in the same street, and she used to play at night. And I can always remember that, almost a Chekhovian summer evening, and hearing this Consolation coming down the street, and I'd been out playing with the other kids. It stayed with me for years and years, and whenever I hear it, it takes me back."

6. John McCormack - The Rose of Tralee

This traditional Irish ballad dates back to the 19th century and was made widely popular by the Irish tenor John McCormack. Its lyrics tell the story of a deep, enduring love for a woman named Mary, nicknamed "The Rose of Tralee."

Hopkins connected it to memories of his grandfather: "When I was a child, my grandfather had a scratchy old windup gramophone. And this was one of the songs. And whenever I hear it, it takes me back to those days when I was about six, seven. That's why I love it."

5. Alexander Scriabin - Etude in Dsharp minor, Op. 8 No. 12

Composed in 1894, Scriabin's Etude Op. 8 No. 12 is considered one of the most technically challenging pieces in the piano repertoire. Its dramatic, rushing intensity makes it a favourite among virtuoso pianists.

Hopkins explained his own attempts to play it: "I played this some 20 years ago, and it's been one of my favourites. I've started playing it again, but it's a terribly difficult piece, but I'm accomplishing something with it. Nothing on the scale of Horowitz, but it's a hard piece."

4. Bing Crosby - Where the Blue of the Night

First recorded in 1931, Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day) became Bing Crosby's theme song and one of his most recognisable hits.

Hopkins linked the song to his father: "This is a 1931 recording of the immortal Bing Crosby singing The Blue of Night. My father used to sing it. My father looked a little like Bing Crosby, and he used to whistle this. And I've been a Crosby fan ever since I was a little kid."

"I used to be taken off to the cinema to see the road films, you know, Bob Hope and Crosby. And I've always had a thing about Crosby. I actually saw him in the 21 Club in New York. He was sitting there with his family shortly before he died. And I just wanted to go over and say hello to him. But he was busy. He was with his family. And I didn't want to pester him. But I think he had such an extraordinary voice and such personality."

3. Aram Khachaturian - Masquerade Suite

Written in 1941 as incidental music for a play based on Mikhail Lermontov's Masquerade, Khachaturian's Masquerade Suite is one of the composer's most celebrated works. Its famous waltz movement is particularly popular for its grandeur and emotional depth.

Hopkins kept his comment simple: "Well, I first heard this about 20 years ago and I just like it very much."

2. Treorchy Male Choir - Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau

Few songs stir the heart of a Welsh person quite like Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ("Land of My Fathers"), the country's national anthem. The anthem itself was written in 1856 by Evan James, with music composed by his son James James, and has since become a proud symbol of Welsh identity - echoing in stadiums, concert halls and gatherings around the world.

Hopkins chose The Treorchy Male Choir's rendition of it as one of his favourites.

1. Treorchy Male Choir - Myfanwy

Written in the late 19th century by Welsh composer Joseph Parry, Myfanwy has become an iconic Welsh love song, often performed by male voice choirs. The Treorchy Male Choir, based in South Wales, is among the most renowned interpreters of the piece.

Hopkins said: "I don't know very much about Welsh choral singing, but this is one of my favourites." And when asked which single record he would save if he could only take one, Hopkins said: "I think I would take Myfanwy."