British Music from an American Perspective
Rob Barnett
some of you ....
Those of you interested in British music of the first part of the last
century might like to have a look at:-
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/Scott/index.htm
There you will find articles written in the 1920s by the American music
critic Marion M Scott. She reviews the world premieres of Delius's Song of
the High Hills, and Violin Concerto, Ireland's Piano Sonata premiered by
Lamond, Bax's November Woods, Elgar's cello concerto.
In addition there are substantial Scott articles on RVW, Dunhill, the
Gloucestershire composers and much else.
These appear courtesy of Scott's biographer, Pam Blevins.
I hope you find themk interesting and if you have any further information on
Scott do contact me.
best wishes
Rob
Rob Barnett
Editor Classical Music on the Web
www.musicweb.uk.net
Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
David Hurwitz
>I hope you find themk interesting and if you have any further information on
>Scott do contact me.
>
>best wishes
>
>Rob Barnett
>Editor Classical Music on the Web
>www.musicweb.uk.net
>Editor, British Music Society Newsletter
I am very curious about what specifically you find "American" about her
perspective, and why you think we should care about her nationality at all, as
opposed to the literary quality and musical perceptiveness of her reviews (if
any).
Dave Hurwitz
Christopher Webber
>I am very curious about what specifically you find "American" about her
>perspective, and why you think we should care about her nationality at all, as
>opposed to the literary quality and musical perceptiveness of her reviews (if
>any).
Many of us here in England have found over the years that the most
refreshing, direct and stimulating writing on British music often
emanates from the USA (including some of Mr Hurwitz's own CD reviews.
Who in England could write with such ruthless accuracy of the manifold
failings of the recent Chandos issue of VW's Pastoral Symphony?)
Some American reviews and criticism of British music may be wrongheaded
and misinformed (Mr Hurwitz on the Halle brass, where he confused
execution with style); but detachment from British institutions and
received opinion has meant that many composers, such as Bax, have
received a far more enlightening press from US than from British critics
and reviewers.
--
___________________________
Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm
" THE ZARZUELA COMPANION" (Scarecrow Press)
Foreword by Placido Domingo
Rob Barnett
heading.
Having laboriously transcribed most of this material from rough photocopies
I just wanted to give this writing a wider circulation - hence the note to
the newsgroup.
Rob
"David Hurwitz" <David_...@newsguy.com> wrote in message
news:44811755.0...@drn.newsguy.com...
Andrew Clarke
Probably because -- despite many allegations to the contrary -- the
British are ttraditionally extremely diffident about their own
composers. British painter, novelist, poets, architects, landscape
gardeners, yes. Composers no. Real composers came from Central Europe,
and the domestic product was held to be at best, a pale imitation.
Handel, Hayden, Dvorak and Mendelssohn were feted and praised to the
skies: Elgar, on the other hand, was never really secure in his sense
of acceptance by society at large, not even when Master of the King's
Musick, with a knighthood and, more importantly, the Order of Merit as
well. Hence Beecham's quip about the Royal Albert Hall being the only
way a young British composer could get to hear his work performed
twice.
It seems also to have been assumed that really the only people in the
world interested in British music were other Britons, or, as a
Gramophone reviewer beautifully put it, "the idea that only British
musicians could play Elgar was really a coded way of saying that only
British musicians ever *did* play Elgar..."
Therefore it is of great interest for them -- and indeed for myself --
to read what an American thought about these British works on first
hearing, just as it is interesting to here what Richard Strauss had to
say about the Enigma Variation (I think) on first hearing.
Generally speaking, however, I agree with your sentiments about
inappropriate and irrelevent reference to a critic's, or performer's
nationality. Here is a recent example:
"Those who have simply "had it" with very proper English choruses
mincing through Monteverdi must hear Alessandrini's way with it,
including full-blooded singing despite only one voice to a part (but
what individual voices!), fierce attacks, and just enough piety to
keep the religion flowing."
I am sure you will agree with me that this kind of stuff has no place
in any journal of music criticism that expects to be taken seriously.
andrew clarke
canberra