Thursday, April 12, 2007

Two Musical Links

First comes Max on Blair and the dumbing down of music
Some months ago, Buckingham Palace gave a magnificent reception for "the music industry", and it took some persuasion to include in this "the music profession", so one begins to understand how far purely commercial values have penetrated.

but also
When Alexander Goehr, John Ogdon, Harrison Birtwistle and I were students in Manchester, we were summoned all together to the Principal's office in college, the day after a Manchester Chamber Concerts Society evening had finished with a very funny Haydn finale. It had been impossible not to smile, and even laugh, discreetly. We were told our behaviour was unforgivable in a serious concert, and that we were a disgrace to the college, and should have more respect for the composer and the string quartet.
- though I think I've heard that tale before - but the whole lecture is worth a read - probably preaching to the converted though!
And then there's this unfortunate tale - reminiscent (to me anyway!)of that wonderful Prom back in the 80's when the piano lift wouldn't work and the Bartok Piano concerto was long delayed - can't find a link but the announcer marking time was heavily featured in the Three and the Third feature marking 60 years of the Third Programme which can still be found, here, on the BBC web site.

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