Those ageing warriors, Simon and Garfunkel, recently took to the stage in Hyde Park with an even older brace of antagonists – the Everly Brothers – as their ‘support’ act. Apart from the obviously absurd pecking order it was, by all accounts, “a great gig”. This surprised some onlookers, as Messrs Simon and Garfunkel found it impossible to make eye contact and the Everlys famously refused to speak to each other for over ten years (that reminds me, I must return Andrew’s call sometime). But a degree of ‘frisson’ between performers can go a long way towards producing an exciting concert. Some of the most seminal cello concerto performances in history were given by the all-Russian team of cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and conductor Yevgeny Svetlanov. Yet, when I asked Rostropovich recently about their collaborations (in an interview to appear in this newspaper soon) he neatly sidestepped the question. Hardly surprising when his wife – the soprano Galina Vishnevskya – describes Svetlanov as “an uncouth, irrational, petty tyrant” in her autobiography. Perhaps all these ‘Famous Musician – and friends’ concerts are too cosy by far. A free Simon and Garfunkel CD, with my complements, will wing its way to the first promoter brave enough to programme a ‘Famous Musician – and enemies’ concert.
Like the European Constitution, the legalisation (or otherwise) of cannabis or England’s inability to win a soccer match on penalties, the sorry state of music education in our schools is fast becoming one of those tiresome topics that – no matter how important they may be – induce little more than a massive yawn. So I promise not to mention it again – at least not until next month (got to keep up the pressure on these Labour chappies, you know). In the meantime, while we wait patiently for some of the many promises in the government’s much-touted Music Manifesto to be delivered, schools would do well to purchase Classic FM’s admirable 4-CD set ‘The Story of Classical Music’. This is the sort of project which hardly ever gets reviewed and at which people (who haven’t heard it) are liable to turn up their noses. More’s the pity, for it is a model of how to introduce children to classical music. With a script of humour and grace by Darren Henley – which neatly sets the musical examples in their historical context – and links read clearly (and unpatronisingly) by my old mate Aled Jones, ‘The Story of Classical Music’ arrives complete with an interactive CD Rom for the give-away price of £13.99 (order direct from the Classic FM website on www.classicfm.com)
Observing the tabloid journalists startled reaction to Sir Simon Rattle’s relationship with the ‘hot’ soprano, Magdalena Kozena – an event which has apparently ‘scandalized the usually sedate world of classical music’ I am left wondering where these gentle souls have been. Certainly not on an orchestral tour, that’s for sure. The truth is that from its composers to its performers, classical musicians have traditionally more than matched the antics of their counterparts in the pop world. It’s just that the red-tops are usually less than interested in its participants because they haven’t got a clue who they are – thank God!
Am I the only one mildly irritated by the seemingly obligatory tag of ‘genius’ whenever the name of former Beach Boy, Brian Wilson, is mentioned? I say ‘mildly’ because I rather liked the Beach Boys. At a time when contemporary classical music was at its most obstinately impenetrable, their mid-sixties blend of innocent melodies and reasonably daring harmonies came as a welcome antidote. Wilson – in case you have missed the hype – has been touring the Beach Boys unreleased ‘masterpiece’ Smile and, judging by the packed halls, his own smile must be stretching all the way to the bank. But Wilson merely delivers an enjoyable ‘Solid Sixties Gold’ type of evening. Nothing wrong with that, but it ain’t genius. Those in search of the real thing should beg, borrow or steal a ticket to the London Symphony Orchestra’s concerts on November 3rd and 4th at the Barbican when a musician of undisputed genius – Rostropovich, interprets a work of undoubted genius – Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony.
