Music, mayhem and murder

[ardcarp]

Alessandro Stradella gives rise to an alliterative EMS this week!


Alessandro Stradella's star burned brightly but briefly. His music was glorious; his lifestyle was dissolute: embezzlement, sexual imprudence and political intrigue - Stradella fell foul of his misdemeanours in 1682 when he was murdered by a hitman at the age of just 38.

Hannah French is joined in the studio by the University of Birmingham's Professor Andrew Kirkman, who conducted a recent performance of Stradella's opera "La forza dell'amor paterno" with Barber Opera. Together they'll explore Stradella's colourful life and wonderful music, including extracts from the Birmingham performance, alongside recordings of Stradella's other operas, oratorios and orchestral works.

[eighthobstruction]

.....great - bright but brief....fab ....I'll listen tomorrow....(unfortunately, I spend most days old and blowing on an ember)....[actually it's more come dic like Peter Sellers pumped up parrot]....

[smittims]

Is it a sign of our times that the BBC thinks a composer is worth listening to, not because of the quality of his music, which is not described at all , but because he was a very naughty boy? Stradella's music is of course interesting in its own right, but everyone loves a story. As far as we know, Purcell did nothing but compose (if you compare the length of his career with the size of his output) and his music has always been considered worth hearing without titillating extras.

[french frank]

Is it a sign of our times that the BBC thinks a composer is worth listening to, not because of the quality of his music, which is not described at all , but because he was a very naughty boy? Stradella's music is of course interesting in its own right, but everyone loves a story. As far as we know, Purcell did nothing but compose (if you compare the length of his career with the size of his output) and his music has always been considered worth hearing without titillating extras.

But part and parcel of a CotW, perhaps, where biography is at least as important as the musical analysis, and the whole is worth a week's programmes?

[oddoneout]

Is it a sign of our times that the BBC thinks a composer is worth listening to, not because of the quality of his music, which is not described at all , but because he was a very naughty boy? Stradella's music is of course interesting in its own right, but everyone loves a story. As far as we know, Purcell did nothing but compose (if you compare the length of his career with the size of his output) and his music has always been considered worth hearing without titillating extras.

Sign of the times but not perhaps in quite the way(or solely) you mention. I assume it's all part of the drive to make the R3 repertoire "appealing" to a wider audience. The blurb containing only reference to the music he composed wouldn't mean (as) much to someone unfamiliar with early music, whereas mention of human failings might pique interest - clickbait in action?

[Bryn]

Is it a sign of our times that the BBC thinks a composer is worth listening to, not because of the quality of his music, which is not described at all , but because he was a very naughty boy? Stradella's music is of course interesting in its own right, but everyone loves a story. As far as we know, Purcell did nothing but compose (if you compare the length of his career with the size of his output) and his music has always been considered worth hearing without titillating extras.

Purcell's naughty catches might well prove a way into his music, for some. Plenty of time has been spent on the non-musical aspects ts of Gesualdo's life (and by no means only by the BBC - let's not forget the Schnittke opera). Stradella's lifestyle and murder offer context to his work as a creative artist. If one reads both paragraphs of the blurb devoted to Stradella in the online listing, there is somewhat more about his music than there is about his colorful lifestyle.

[french frank]

Sign of the times but not perhaps in quite the way(or solely) you mention. I assume it's all part of the drive to make the R3 repertoire "appealing" to a wider audience. The blurb containing only reference to the music he composed wouldn't mean (as) much to someone unfamiliar with early music, whereas mention of human failings might pique interest - clickbait in action?

We come back to the perennial question: just how effective is it to make R3 appealing to a wider audience with the advertising blurb on R3 or on the R3 website? It also poses the question: what kind of already half-interested (because checking the website) listener is attracted to R3 by such advertising? Or does it not matter as long as they're tuned in to 90-93FM?

But back perhaps to The Early Music Show which I'm sure will be interesting regardless of who's listening.

[AuntDaisy]

We come back to the perennial question: just how effective is it to make R3 appealing to a wider audience with the advertising blurb on R3 or on the R3 website? It also poses the question: what kind of already half-interested (because checking the website) listener is attracted to R3 by such advertising? Or does it not matter as long as they're tuned in to 90-93FM?

They should follow it up with a rebroadcast of David Pownall's excellent "Music to Murder By" - Gesualdo did it all, and there's a Warlock for the Harry Potter fans.

But back perhaps to The Early Music Show which I'm sure will be interesting regardless of who's listening.

I'm hoping that EMS will tempt Catherine Bott back, post Classic FM.

[gurnemanz]

Is it a sign of our times that the BBC thinks a composer is worth listening to, not because of the quality of his music, which is not described at all , but because he was a very naughty boy? Stradella's music is of course interesting in its own right, but everyone loves a story. As far as we know, Purcell did nothing but compose (if you compare the length of his career with the size of his output) and his music has always been considered worth hearing without titillating extras.

I'm looking forward to the survey of Stradella's music on EMS, titillating extras and all. In preparation, I'm just listening again to a very attractive recently acquired recording. https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...olin-sinfonias

[ardcarp]

I'm afraid I'm guilty of using R3's titillating title (yes a I can do alliteration too) as my heading for this thread. If such things draw in listeners who might otherwise 'give it a miss', they are perhaps excusable. I've long been interested in Stradella's music, and I hope EMS will bring (possibly little known) parts of his output to us. I'm a child of The Barber Institute in Brum, so have a particular interest in today's programme. As a student I helped in many ways (backstage and in the chorus...where there were any) in pioneer Anthony Lewis's day. He probably won't be mentioned, but he was among the first to stage what were then (1960s) considered unstageable Baroque operas.

[Serial_Apologist]

We come back to the perennial question: just how effective is it to make R3 appealing to a wider audience with the advertising blurb on R3 or on the R3 website? It also poses the question: what kind of already half-interested (because checking the website) listener is attracted to R3 by such advertising? Or does it not matter as long as they're tuned in to 90-93FM?

But back perhaps to The Early Music Show which I'm sure will be interesting regardless of who's listening.

Not yet up on Sounds, but thanks for the prompt, which I would otherwise have missed.

[Serial_Apologist]

and there's a Warlock for the Harry Potter fans.

Not for Pete's sake though - the other kind of warlock!

(Mind, the Stradella would I'm sure have appealed to the Warlock of Heseltine repute).

[AuntDaisy]

Not for Pete's sake though - the other kind of warlock!
(Mind, the Stradella would I'm sure have appealed to the Warlock of Heseltine repute).

(But not taking the Michael... )

[Serial_Apologist]

(But not taking the Michael... )

[eighthobstruction]

....did I hear the refrain of Arthur Neagus' Going for a Song in one of the last works (almost said 'number' in Alan Freeman manner)....