Stephen Gospage

Sir Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022)

by Stephen Gospage

Friday 22nd April 2022 7:54 am

Sir Harrison Birtwistle (1934-2022)

The Last Night, live on BBC One;

At the Proms, twenty-seven years ago,

‘Panic’ had them spitting out their gin.

They expected Land of Hope and Glory,

England’s green and pleasant land – all that.

What they got was daring, discordant brilliance.

‘Disgusted’ of Somewhere went into overdrive.

The switchboard (in those days) was jammed

With complaints and threats, manifestations

Of special kinds of carpet slipper rage,

Reaching a crimson peak that Saturday night.

Some people switched off. That’s their right, I suppose.

🌷(4)

◄ Let us pray

The Slowing of Spring ►

Comments

Stephen Gospage

Mon 25th Apr 2022 08:20

Thanks for the interesting discussion, MC.

M.C. Newberry

Sun 24th Apr 2022 17:52

Composers - like all creative talents - have had to take the rough
with the smooth. Even a "great" like Tchaikovsky had to suffer
the comment from a critic (Hanslick) that he wrote music that "stinks". But audiences are paying and they have every right
to indicate their feelings for what they hear/see. Whether that
is "intolerance" or just a rejection of what is not liked is open
to debate. To use Hanslick's metaphor, perhaps the audience
for "Panic" thought it stank. Or perhaps just painful to the ears?
Lloyd had no such opportunity one way or the other at the Proms.

Stephen Gospage

Sun 24th Apr 2022 08:51

Thanks to the continued comments, John B, John C and MC.
It's important that festivals like the Proms showcase new music and of course the choice will not be to everyone's taste. It is unfortunate that many fine composers (thanks for highlighting George Lloyd, MC) do not get their music played at these events, while some overrated junk (Boulez, for example) is constantly stuffed down people's throats. Music, and what makes it enjoyable, is subjective, like so many things.
Having said that, the reaction to 'Panic' smacked of intolerance and a grim resistance to anything new or unfamiliar.

Thanks to Rudyard and Holden for liking this piece.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 23rd Apr 2022 13:07

If you want brilliance, try George Lloyd's Symphonic Mass - or
my favourite, his 11th Symphony...with a finale the composer
referred to as "the light at the end of the tunnel we all hope to see". Then ask yourself why the BBC Proms has continually
neglected this music, except for a nod during the centenary
of his birth. It's a state of mind, I suppose, but I much
prefer George's optimistic stoicism that saw him survive near
death and medical loss of hope after his Arctic Convoy cruiser
HMS Trinidad was mortally wounded by a rogue torpedo and
his Royal Marine comrades drowned in oil at their battle
stations deep within the hull of the ship.

John Coopey

Sat 23rd Apr 2022 08:53

Would anyone know if any of the orchestra had played a bum note?

John Botterill

Fri 22nd Apr 2022 20:21

Love the poetic tribute and the way you've pointed out that times change but reactionary instincts still need to be challenged 😀

Stephen Gospage

Fri 22nd Apr 2022 17:59

Thanks, John and Bethany. It's not exactly a toe-tapper, I agree, John, but I am amused by the idea of a few thousand Sir Bufton Tuftons all ranting at the Beeb at once.
Sorry Bethany. I guess you can't please everyone, as Harrison might have said!

<Deleted User> (33540)

Fri 22nd Apr 2022 13:58

my mum says to tell you Stephen it wasnt her but she wishes it had have been

John Coopey

Fri 22nd Apr 2022 08:12

Not one I hummed along to, I’ll grant you, Stephen. “Carpet slipper rage” - wonderful.

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