I heard Purcell's King Arthur at Shoreditch Church last night. It was broadcast live. What did listeners think? I hope doversoul heard it.
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Chris
I did hear it and, although I enjoyed the music very much, I am still trying to make my mind up about the performance. I am not familiar with Purcell's music performed in this form and I thought the narration sounded a little too modern (or too self-conscious?) And did Martin Handley mention something about a pinstripe jacket and Union Jack shorts, or did I mis-heard it? That aside, the music was wonderful (although, again, I find I Fagiolini slightly too sophisticated to my taste) and it was great to hear it live. -
Hello, doversoul. Yes you did hear MH mention Union Jack shorts etc. There is the problem with Dryden's text which was meant to be both funny but polite with the new king and queen (W & M) who did not get on very well with each other or Dryden. Timothy Knapman revised the political jokes to suit present times and avoid another hour or two of dialogue. The patriotic element of Union Jack etc. has appeared in every production I have seen...my first was the English Opera Group with full scenery at the Proms many years ago around 1970. Last night's narration was much shorter but lamented the similar political grumbles of Purcell's times.
What do you mean about Purcell performed in this form? was the singing/orchestral playing radically different or just the treatment of the spoken part different?
Cheers, Chris.Comment
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I am holding fire on my comments about the musical performance. One soloist impressed me so much that I might need to start a different thread to do him justice and draw attention to this one.Comment
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Somehow I tend to think Purcell’s music as music. It was the presence of the spoken part that was unfamiliar to me. Also I suppose I had expected the narration to be something more archaic sounding but that wouldn’t have been realistic.Originally posted by Chris Newman View Post
I look forward very much to hearing your comments on the musical perfrmance.Comment
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I didn't hear all of it, but I did hear something about Nigel being a moron and falling off a roof. Really didn't know what I was listening to for a while, but what I heard I enjoyed. Not sure how I'd have liked to hear all of it, which presumably Chris did. What I heard was very entertaining.Comment
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Hi doversoul,
I have looked through several versions of dialogue and narration for King Arthur today and think it is difficult to get the balance right. Ideally one wants an acted performance but Dryden, once he got sacked as Poet Laureate, was no Bard. Shakespeare is immortal but only the young satirist Dryden survives for ordinary mortals. The narration was fun in the flesh. The visual elements (shorts, blankets for the Frost Dance) etc need eyes.
Of course, the music is the thing and I thought that was excellent. Purcell is one of my heroes, along with Beethoven, Dvorak, Elgar, Janacek, Mahler, Mozart, Tippett and late Verdi. I heard the rehearsal earlier in the day and the evening performance. Out of the eight soloists there was one who stood out as the best British tenor I have heard since the 1970s. We have had some wonderful British tenors: John Macormack, Heddle Nash, Richard Lewis, Mark Padmore, Paul Agnew, Toby Spence and so on. Yesterday! Wow! A voice that brought back memories of my favourite British tenor: Alexander Young. Now there was an easily projected pliant voice with extraordinary expression and colour in every syllable with a sense of line that exceeded any British singer I have heard. I never thought I would hear that sound again. This is the highest compliment I can ever give a singer: Matthew Long sounded so like Alexander Young especially in the rehearsal. He must nurse that wonderful voice. Afterwards, everyone I spoke to was bowled over by him. I loved it.Comment
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