The Essay - Janacek etc.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Two slight digressions:

Crown Court , currently repeated on TPTV (channel 82) is a regular favourite in our house. It was a brilliant idea, and probably cheap to make. Just one set and non-'star' actors, though a few faces became famous later (Richard Wilson for instance). Three twenty-four-minute episodes per case.

L'Isle Joyeuse: my gripe is that it's often rather unimaginatively played . In one recording which seems to be repeated often, the pianist sounds as if he or she were sight-reading cautiously, especially in the 'grand-slam' last page, where I'm used to Walter Gieseking's barnstorming August 1953 Abbey Road recording, where Geraint Jones made him do it again and again till he got it exactly right.

One of those Debussy pieces that lies tantalisingly within the grasp of a decent amateur. The “barn-storming “ final pages aren’t as difficult as they sound if you have a decent left hand stretch. Whereas the first few pages are more difficult than they sound.

[Barbirollians]

Two slight digressions:

Crown Court , currently repeated on TPTV (channel 82) is a regular favourite in our house. It was a brilliant idea, and probably cheap to make. Just one set and non-'star' actors, though a few faces became famous later (Richard Wilson for instance). Three twenty-four-minute episodes per case.

L'Isle Joyeuse: my gripe is that it's often rather unimaginatively played . In one recording which seems to be repeated often, the pianist sounds as if he or she were sight-reading cautiously, especially in the 'grand-slam' last page, where I'm used to Walter Gieseking's barnstorming August 1953 Abbey Road recording, where Geraint Jones made him do it again and again till he got it exactly right.

Wasn't it also a jury of extras who could choose whether to find the defendant G or NG rather than that being scripted ? Can see it was a long time ago - nowadays it would have to include adjournments because SERCO were late or brought the wrong prisoners to court , they couldn't find a barrister to defend someone because so many barrister s have left the criminal Bar because it is so poorly paid and the trial was so delayed most witnesses had forgotten what happened.

[smittims]

I think theverdict in Crown Court was always in the script. More recently, Channel 4 have done some trials where the jury are real and make their own verdict, though of course the defendant and witnesses are actors following a script. .

[Ein Heldenleben]

If you want a nostalgia trip through the great and good of British 70’s and 80’s actors this is the site.
William Mervyn an astonishing 143 episodes,

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0140733/fullcredits/cast

Back on thread if the Janacek estate was in the PRS it would have collected royalties from 1972 - 1998 - as it’s a TV signature tune that would be many thousands of pounds.

[Roger Webb]

If you want a nostalgia trip through the great and good of British 70’s and 80’s actors this is the site.
William Mervyn an astonishing 143 episodes,

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0140733/fullcredits/cast

Back on thread if the Janacek estate was in the PRS it would have collected royalties from 1972 - 1998 - as it’s a TV signature tune that would be many thousands of pounds.

Well into the 80s I was selling the Sinfonietta to customers who remembered it from CC. They usually chose the VPO Mackerras one as Decca reissued this as a mid-price Ovation CD, and later as a very good value twofer.

My own preference for the complete Janacek orch. works is the idiomatic Brno State PO/Jílek, with a supplementary disc of the opera suites, also Supraphon, with Prague SO/Belohlavek.

[Alain Maréchal]

Thanks to Makropoulos for a fascinating programme. It is a work I have known and loved for many years (My 1st LP of many was Mackerras on Pye), but this clarified many points and answered questions. I agree about the inspiration for the bells (a sound I recall from my childhood travelling on De Kusttram).

[Pulcinella]

Ah yes; an older version of what now seems the ubiquitous set of electronic beeps when a heavy vehicle is reversing (often accompanied by an officious 'Stand well clear!').