Every once in a while I search Youtube for classic performances of great artists: Sam Ramey in one of his devilish roles; Domingo in pretty much anything; Jon Vickers singing Wagner; (a gravitational pull toward darker voices). And every once in a while, up pops something completely rare and unexpected, a jewel among the quagmire.
In this case, it is the alluring natural voice and charm of Jeremy Brett, the best Sherlock since Rathbone, singing an English (or is it Irish?) folk song accompanied by harp. The person who introduces him is none other than Twiggy (!) that popular stick figure from the '60's.
Of course, it's not as incongruous as it may first seem; Brett once had to sing to Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady' and had at least to read the treble clef to play Sherlock Holmes playing the violin.
One can sense the sincerity in everything Jeremy Brett set his mind to; what a pity he was taken so soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrMBdQm9P10&feature=related
Enjoy.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Behind Every Successful Woman...
As an addendum to the post below, I noticed in the Globe and Mail today a reproduction of the Dolores Claman notation of the Hockey Night in Canada song. It looks like a Grade 4 Conservatory student had written it with two fingers. The real reason the song sounds so fantastic is because of the masterful orchestration by that great Canadian arranger and composer, Howard Cable.
Hats off to the business acumen of CTV, but the composer should really dip into her 2.5 million dollars and buy Mr. Cable a nice bottle of Ontario champagne.
Hats off to the business acumen of CTV, but the composer should really dip into her 2.5 million dollars and buy Mr. Cable a nice bottle of Ontario champagne.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Hockey Night in Corporate-land
So the Hockey Night in Canada theme song has been bought by CTV; is there anything else the CBC can possibly screw up? Granted, the woman who wrote the tune lives a good life in London, England, a very expensive town, and she must continue to live a lifestyle to which her famous jingle has made her accustomed.
Renowned choral composer, Derek Holman, told me a couple of weeks ago about the occasional dime he makes from the British Novello Publishing Company. He's been writing music faithfully now for well over 40 years, which is about how long ago the Hockey Night theme was penned.
I suppose I'm trying to make a point here, but I'm not sure what it is.
Also 40 years ago, CBC television was doing wonders with its not insubstantial budget, and followed its national mandate beautifully, putting a great emphasis on live dance, theatre, music, and some earnest Canadian drama. Now, it just lies through its teeth about its mandate (some years ago, a top CBC TV producer told me, "yes, what we ARE doing and what we OUGHT to be doing are two completely different things") and tries to cater to absolutely everyone while forgetting its connection to the past.
The well-crafted, gladiatorial hockey fanfare - perhaps no more costly than Don Cherry's cravat collection - is a case in point.
Renowned choral composer, Derek Holman, told me a couple of weeks ago about the occasional dime he makes from the British Novello Publishing Company. He's been writing music faithfully now for well over 40 years, which is about how long ago the Hockey Night theme was penned.
I suppose I'm trying to make a point here, but I'm not sure what it is.
Also 40 years ago, CBC television was doing wonders with its not insubstantial budget, and followed its national mandate beautifully, putting a great emphasis on live dance, theatre, music, and some earnest Canadian drama. Now, it just lies through its teeth about its mandate (some years ago, a top CBC TV producer told me, "yes, what we ARE doing and what we OUGHT to be doing are two completely different things") and tries to cater to absolutely everyone while forgetting its connection to the past.
The well-crafted, gladiatorial hockey fanfare - perhaps no more costly than Don Cherry's cravat collection - is a case in point.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Moore's Muffet
I'm a big Benjamin Britten fan; his choral music is always extremely well crafted and a joy to sing; his orchestral writing is usually economically savvy and colourful; and his fantastic opera, Peter Grimes (1945), was a watershed for all singing fishermen.
His many folksong arrangements are cleverly inventive, even if some are a bit bizarre. And here to demonstrate the quintessential Britten folksong, is Dudley Moore, borrowing the voice of Sir Peter Pears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ8ZltDdbUI
If you're a Britten/Pears fan, don't miss this.
His many folksong arrangements are cleverly inventive, even if some are a bit bizarre. And here to demonstrate the quintessential Britten folksong, is Dudley Moore, borrowing the voice of Sir Peter Pears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ8ZltDdbUI
If you're a Britten/Pears fan, don't miss this.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Canadian Classic
Since I just started writing this blog and had to fill in my favourite movies on the home page, I suddenly remembered a film that I saw when I was in my early 20's. It was Les Bons débarras from Quebec starring a very young Charlotte Laurier. I happened to be at the premiere and was extremely taken by it, and later, was fortunate enough to have partied with its director, the late Francis Mankiewicz:
Mankiewicz's evocative Gothic tale of passion, jealousy and all-embracing love was based on a script by Québec novelist and dramatist Réjean Ducharme. The film was selected as Best Canadian film of 1980 at the Academy of Canadian Cinema's Genie Awards and it won 7 other Genies. Canadian critics were virtually unanimous in their reviews, praising the baroque poetry of the film's dialogue, its austere, evocative imagery, spare narrative action and brilliant performances. Everyone noted the way director Mankiewicz melded the various elements of the film in order to generate a sense of the menace of evil, building to a crescendo of horror. The film quickly entered the canon of Canadian cinema and is widely recognized as one of the best Canadian films ever made. (Peter Morris)
Throw away your Atom Egoyan DVD's and watch the work of a genuine artist.
Bad teacher
Taught a voice student today. He was oblivious to the large house fly circling around the room as he was concentrating on his scales and other exercises. The idea of it flying directly into his open mouth made me expectant with a perverse glee.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Canadian Dystopia: 2010
Reprinted from the Winnipeg Free Press
September 10, 2010
By Kevin Reeves
In sympathetic response to CBC Radio 2’s brave and brazen move to expand their play list back in 2008, the National Gallery of Canada has decided to cancel this summer’s exhibition of Flemish and Belgian landscapes from the Golden Era. Instead, the gallery has commissioned black velvet paintings of renowned stars such as Avril, Shania, Alanis, Joni and Kathleen by artists representing each of the six provinces and two territories.
Meanwhile, Arts correspondent, Napu Havajavabloojeen, recently cornered Heritage and Agricultural Minister Josée Verner at the new Tim Horton/Chippendale’s complex at Lansdowne Park in New Ontario to garner a few inane and inconsequential comments.
“Minister,” asked Havajavabloojeen, “Isn’t this going to create a cleavage in the arts community?” “We hope this will create several cleavages,” giggled Verner. “But it is important to keep abreast of important cultural matters.”
Since Steven Harper had inadvertently created a situation back in 2007 which made Quebec a tad too independent, (causing Ontario to finally separate from the rest of Canada, quickly followed by B.C.and Saskatchewan; Newfoundland separating out of sheer boredom), the Prime Minister thought it prudent to help unify the remnants of the country with a kind of celebrity portrait gallery. Harper thought it especially important to have the exhibition at the new National Gallery (formerly E.B. Eddy) in Gatineau – the Nation’s Capital – since the finals for the National Portrait Gallery is presently at a standoff between Hind Leg, Alberta and Potty’s Mouth, New Brunswick. An unnamed town in the north had been in the running until the incident with the Russian sub accidentally blew up Nunavut.
“Andy Warhol, move over,” gushed National Gallery Curator Jim Flaherty, “this will most likely be our most popular show since the Roy Thomson showing – immediately after he was found dead in Canoe Lake.” Flaherty is expecting 35 million visitors to the PoP DiVa BlAcK VeLvEt exhibition, but Flemish art expert, Pieter van Loonybijn, disagrees: “He’s out of his #%@&# mind…” he sputtered, before jumping through the window and running to the States. “Well begorrah, there’s only so much Goddamned cobblestone and yellow clouds one can take in,” countered Flaherty. “Besides…35 million flies can’t all be wrong!”
However, Elvis Papageno, the President of the National Society of Black Velvet Artists (NSBVA) is ambivalent toward the exhibition. “We usually create these pieces for seedy motels and trashy trailer parks,” said Papageno. “We sell them by the millions as cheap commercial fodder for people with abysmal taste. They are not really meant for national galleries…I’m quite concerned their value is going to rise artificially until people see past the velvet and realize that they’re actually quite worthless.”
Harper, undeterred, has asked Flaherty, aided by Yann Martel, to set up a mobile home convoy with the celebrity portraits duct taped to the vehicles so that citizens of what’s left of Canada can come to the roadsides and witness the cultural passing of their great country.
September 10, 2010
By Kevin Reeves
In sympathetic response to CBC Radio 2’s brave and brazen move to expand their play list back in 2008, the National Gallery of Canada has decided to cancel this summer’s exhibition of Flemish and Belgian landscapes from the Golden Era. Instead, the gallery has commissioned black velvet paintings of renowned stars such as Avril, Shania, Alanis, Joni and Kathleen by artists representing each of the six provinces and two territories.
Meanwhile, Arts correspondent, Napu Havajavabloojeen, recently cornered Heritage and Agricultural Minister Josée Verner at the new Tim Horton/Chippendale’s complex at Lansdowne Park in New Ontario to garner a few inane and inconsequential comments.
“Minister,” asked Havajavabloojeen, “Isn’t this going to create a cleavage in the arts community?” “We hope this will create several cleavages,” giggled Verner. “But it is important to keep abreast of important cultural matters.”
Since Steven Harper had inadvertently created a situation back in 2007 which made Quebec a tad too independent, (causing Ontario to finally separate from the rest of Canada, quickly followed by B.C.and Saskatchewan; Newfoundland separating out of sheer boredom), the Prime Minister thought it prudent to help unify the remnants of the country with a kind of celebrity portrait gallery. Harper thought it especially important to have the exhibition at the new National Gallery (formerly E.B. Eddy) in Gatineau – the Nation’s Capital – since the finals for the National Portrait Gallery is presently at a standoff between Hind Leg, Alberta and Potty’s Mouth, New Brunswick. An unnamed town in the north had been in the running until the incident with the Russian sub accidentally blew up Nunavut.
“Andy Warhol, move over,” gushed National Gallery Curator Jim Flaherty, “this will most likely be our most popular show since the Roy Thomson showing – immediately after he was found dead in Canoe Lake.” Flaherty is expecting 35 million visitors to the PoP DiVa BlAcK VeLvEt exhibition, but Flemish art expert, Pieter van Loonybijn, disagrees: “He’s out of his #%@&# mind…” he sputtered, before jumping through the window and running to the States. “Well begorrah, there’s only so much Goddamned cobblestone and yellow clouds one can take in,” countered Flaherty. “Besides…35 million flies can’t all be wrong!”
However, Elvis Papageno, the President of the National Society of Black Velvet Artists (NSBVA) is ambivalent toward the exhibition. “We usually create these pieces for seedy motels and trashy trailer parks,” said Papageno. “We sell them by the millions as cheap commercial fodder for people with abysmal taste. They are not really meant for national galleries…I’m quite concerned their value is going to rise artificially until people see past the velvet and realize that they’re actually quite worthless.”
Harper, undeterred, has asked Flaherty, aided by Yann Martel, to set up a mobile home convoy with the celebrity portraits duct taped to the vehicles so that citizens of what’s left of Canada can come to the roadsides and witness the cultural passing of their great country.
CBC rally: Less a musing than a report
Just back from Toronto after the CBC radio 2 protest rally.
It began with a choral infiltration in the Barbara Frum atrium at the CBC building, which, at high noon, lies in the shadow of the CN tower. The singing was excellent, as one can imagine, because many members of Tafelmusik and the Elmer Isler Singers joined forces under the illustrious conductor, Ivars Taurins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK1SnJDGLXk
The protest hymn was 'Wachet Auf' with the words changed so as to satirize CBC's inane decisions and the asinine CBC honcho, Richard Stursberg. The sound was so good that security just figured it was all part of the 'Open Doors Toronto' festivities which was happening this past weekend. Then the protest banner appeared and security realized something was wrong (or right, depending on whose side you're on).
The 'choir' filed out - still singing - to the square beside the CBC building, and from 1:00 to 5:00, the crowd listened attentively as one distinguished speaker after another, passionately spoke out against the wholesale slaughter of a once prestigious and cherished institution.
Guest speakers were a veritable Who's Who of the Canadian Classical music scene: Lydia Adams, Wayne Strongman, Ivars Taurins, Jean Ashworth Bartle, Ruth Watson Henderson, Alain Trudel, Victor Feldbrill, and Mario Bernardi to name a few.
Over a period of 4 hours, more than 600 people participated, beating drums and making some good rallying cries.
Oddly enough, the CBC didn't cover the rally.
Here are some photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?page=1&aid=2218045&id=13613308
http://web.mac.com/adriennepollak/Hi!_from_Adrienne/CBC2_Rally.html#30
This is just the beginning; there will most likely be a national rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa this coming fall...stay tuned.
It began with a choral infiltration in the Barbara Frum atrium at the CBC building, which, at high noon, lies in the shadow of the CN tower. The singing was excellent, as one can imagine, because many members of Tafelmusik and the Elmer Isler Singers joined forces under the illustrious conductor, Ivars Taurins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK1SnJDGLXk
The protest hymn was 'Wachet Auf' with the words changed so as to satirize CBC's inane decisions and the asinine CBC honcho, Richard Stursberg. The sound was so good that security just figured it was all part of the 'Open Doors Toronto' festivities which was happening this past weekend. Then the protest banner appeared and security realized something was wrong (or right, depending on whose side you're on).
The 'choir' filed out - still singing - to the square beside the CBC building, and from 1:00 to 5:00, the crowd listened attentively as one distinguished speaker after another, passionately spoke out against the wholesale slaughter of a once prestigious and cherished institution.
Guest speakers were a veritable Who's Who of the Canadian Classical music scene: Lydia Adams, Wayne Strongman, Ivars Taurins, Jean Ashworth Bartle, Ruth Watson Henderson, Alain Trudel, Victor Feldbrill, and Mario Bernardi to name a few.
Over a period of 4 hours, more than 600 people participated, beating drums and making some good rallying cries.
Oddly enough, the CBC didn't cover the rally.
Here are some photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?page=1&aid=2218045&id=13613308
http://web.mac.com/adriennepollak/Hi!_from_Adrienne/CBC2_Rally.html#30
This is just the beginning; there will most likely be a national rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa this coming fall...stay tuned.
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