Presenting Renoir's Son

[french frank]

I just followed akaCdaJ's link about the Titian ballets and found this 5-min clip of Huw Wheldon interviewing Jean Renoir.

I still have an impression of HW as being this tall, thin grown-up, slightly out-of-touch and 'preachy', inhabiting my parents' world.

But the thing that struck me about the clip was now how focused he was on his subject, how unselfconscious a presenter. Dated (but not terribly) upper class accent (listen out for how he pronounces 'boys' - almost two syllables). But most of all, how clearly spoken and information-packed this clip is. HW knows his place, and his job: to get as much as possible from his subject and let him talk - even if he's as garrulous as JR.

[Wonderful bit in which JR looks at a picture in a book and comments that his father used the servants as models. 'So easy to get 'er to sit down and to paint 'er ...' Erm, yes ]

[Anna]

Thanks for that frenchie, short but very interesting. Unlike you I have no recollections of Huw Weldon from childhood but I take issue on your description of his upper class accent, in the introduction to the clip you can clearly hear his Welsh accent coming through (admittedly posh Welsh!) but what a lovely voice. The only Monitor programme I know is the Elgar one, which I saw for the first time when it was repeated this year. I wonder if there are any other Monitors accessible via the BBC or youtube? If so I'd like to see them.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Here's one with Huw a little out of his comfort zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG4pTWlbGcg

[french frank]

Here's one with Huw a little out of his comfort zone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG4pTWlbGcg

I was just looking for some references to that programme called (I am now reminded) All Your Own and found this anecdote which fits rather well with the clip.

"Having interviewed a small boy who had built a life-size harpsichord out of match-sticks, he turned all avuncular and posed the obvious question: 'And what do you plan to make next?' While waiting for an answer, he placed one hand on the instrument rather heavily. Sure enough, there was an ominous crunching noise from somewhere deep inside. 'Another harpsichord,' came the sad reply. "

[amateur51]

Thanks for that frenchie, short but very interesting. Unlike you I have no recollections of Huw Weldon from childhood but I take issue on your description of his upper class accent, in the introduction to the clip you can clearly hear his Welsh accent coming through (admittedly posh Welsh!) but what a lovely voice. The only Monitor programme I know is the Elgar one, which I saw for the first time when it was repeated this year. I wonder if there are any other Monitors accessible via the BBC or youtube? If so I'd like to see them.

What a fascinating clip in so many ways. I agree with Anna about HW's 'posh' Welsh accent and was reminded that he would pronounce the great composer's name as 'Elga'

Jean Renoir's English was very expressive, with a strikingly good vocabulary. And I was fascinated by how HW just shut up until a prompt was needed - he didn't nod excessively, he just listened and then asked a sensible question unlike so many interviewers today.

[Anna]

And thanks ferney for that clip of Huw Weldon with young Jimmy Page, at 7am this morning, with the rain lashing down, it really cheered me up.

[gamba]

Anna,

It is difficult to access Monitor programmes. They are there but require tedious searching. I worked for Monitor as film cameraman with Ken Russell on his much-praised film ' The Miner's Picnic ' in 1960 & still occasionally enjoy a nostalgic dip into the past & be reminded of better times in the visual arts on TV.

[Ariosto]

Anna,

It is difficult to access Monitor programmes. They are there but require tedious searching. I worked for Monitor as film cameraman with Ken Russell on his much-praised film ' The Miner's Picnic ' in 1960 & still occasionally enjoy a nostalgic dip into the past & be reminded of better times in the visual arts on TV.

Gamba - did you by anychance film at Ealing Studios any of the Elgar film? If so, you might have filmed me with Ken. (This would have been about 1962/63).

[gamba]

Ariosto,

The Elgar film was shot by Ken Higgins & no, alas, I had no part in it. Am intrigued to know ' who is the real you.' After several years at the Ealing Studios & by about 1962/63 I decided to fill a similar function with BBC Scotland where a slightly less hectic lifestyle gave me an opportunity to see & get to know my family again ! Also, with the ' requirement ' that for one week each month, even though I was living in Scotland, I would be working for London & based in TFS Ealing - the best of both worlds. Happy days !

[Ariosto]

Strangely enough, gamba, I also worked for a short spell in Glasgow at the BBC in Q M Drive. This was from 1967-1969, so we might have crossed paths.

I'm a little hesitant to give too many clues as to the real me. But in the Elgar film I was quite well disguised and of course a bit younger. The only bit I was in was tiny, and it was where I played a duet with an oboist (who was a student from the R College whilst I was a student from the Academy). It was an early piece of Elgar dug up from some library by someone or other.

[gamba]

Ariosto,

Yes, we would have been around QM Drive about the same time. Am mystified as to whether you were a student musician or student actor ? Apart from Film Unit I had one good friend in the Scotish Symphony Orch., John NcInulty, principal 'cellist, whom, whilst still a complete stranger, I phoned one evening, asking for advice as to whether someone in their their late 40's should contemplate learning to play the 'cello. He invited me to visit him at home the following evening & spent alnost an hour talking me out of it. However against his advice I soon went ahead & bought a 'cello & bow. The day after having done so I encountered him in one of the many corridors in BH Glasgow. " Ive got a cello " said I. He rushed forward, grabbed me & gave me a great big hug !! It was in fact very embarrassing. " I'm so pleased " said he. " But you spent almost an hour talking me out of doing so" said I. " Ah, but I had to be quite sure." He was generous in offering much good advice, eventually providing me with a 'cello by an unknown maker but with the most gorgeous tone.

Alas, he is no more & the 'cello found another owner long ago.


ps. Am now, many years later, age 89, starting all over again with a cheap Chinese instrument & what's more the Bach suites nos. 1 & 3 are actually beginning to sound like Bach ! ( luckily my hearings' not that great )

[Ariosto]

Ariosto,

Yes, we would have been around QM Drive about the same time. Am mystified as to whether you were a student musician or student actor ? Apart from Film Unit I had one good friend in the Scotish Symphony Orch., John NcInulty, principal 'cellist, whom, whilst still a complete stranger, I phoned one evening, asking for advice as to whether someone in their their late 40's should contemplate learning to play the 'cello. He invited me to visit him at home the following evening & spent alnost an hour talking me out of it. However against his advice I soon went ahead & bought a 'cello & bow. The day after having done so I encountered him in one of the many corridors in BH Glasgow. " Ive got a cello " said I. He rushed forward, grabbed me & gave me a great big hug !! It was in fact very embarrassing. " I'm so pleased " said he. " But you spent almost an hour talking me out of doing so" said I. " Ah, but I had to be quite sure." He was generous in offering much good advice, eventually providing me with a 'cello by an unknown maker but with the most gorgeous tone.

Alas, he is no more & the 'cello found another owner long ago.


ps. Am now, many years later, age 89, starting all over again with a cheap Chinese instrument & what's more the Bach suites nos. 1 & 3 are actually beginning to sound like Bach ! ( luckily my hearings' not that great )

Gamba, yes I knew John NcInulty, he was a very fine cellist. I'm a musician of sorts - I worked in those days in the Scottish Radio Orchestra - which was much more exciting than being in the Symphony lot - and in any case, at that time I was already fed up having just done over two years in another S.O. down south - as well as a huge amount of freelancing, and I wanted to get away. Probably a really bad marriage did not help either. I'm really now giving away much more than I should.

P S I heard that John NcInulty died some time later helping to push someones broken down car, of a heart attack.