The Eternal Breakfast Debate in a New Place

[Stanfordian]

Last week GM referred to the composer of 'Blest Pair of Sirens' as Edward Elgar. This morning she attributed the Clog Dance from La Fille Mal Gardée to Hertel (whom she pronounced 'Hurtle') when it was clearly the well-known Hérold (the reference to Hertel could only possibly have resulted from a too-cursory glance at the Wikipedia entry for LFMG). The Clog Dance was introduced as the theme tune to a children's TV programme, which GM went on to describe in breathless detail, before remarking, all-too-accurately in my view, that she had missed her vocation as a children's television presenter.

I had reasonably high hopes for her as a worthy counterpart to Petroc Trelawny when she first appeared (standing in for Clemency Burton-Hill, as I recall). My disappointment and disillusion with her seems to increase by the week.

I'm saddened that any presenter on R3 doesn't know that 'Blest Pair of Sirens' was written by Parry and not Edward Elgar. This is basic knowledge, surely, or is this a wind-up? It does make me wonder what one has to know to become a presenter.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Nothing against young artists - I just meant that as an example of the repetitive, gimmick ridden presentation that is ruining so many programmes.

Radio 3 ran out of good ideas many years ago. Now they just repeat themselves ad nausiam.

[underthecountertenor]

I'm saddened that any presenter on R3 doesn't know that 'Blest Pair of Sirens' was written by Parry and not Edward Elgar. This is basic knowledge, surely, or is this a wind-up? It does make me wonder what one has to know to become a presenter.

Well, quite. The context was a listener's plug for a concert, so it is possible that the listener provided inaccurate information, but I would have expected any R3 presenter who was half-awake to notice and check. (I did check - as far as I can see there is no setting of the text by Elgar, and if there were it would surely have been worthy of remark in itself).

[LMcD]

I'm saddened that any presenter on R3 doesn't know that 'Blest Pair of Sirens' was written by Parry and not Edward Elgar. This is basic knowledge, surely, or is this a wind-up? It does make me wonder what one has to know to become a presenter.

What - or whom?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Last week GM referred to the composer of 'Blest Pair of Sirens' as Edward Elgar.

I first got to know that when it was coupled with the Boult recording of The Music Makers, by Parry.

[underthecountertenor]

I first got to know that when it was coupled with the Boult recording of The Music Makers, by Parry.

[Pulcinella]

The spine labels on some CDs can be confusing for the uninitiated, though.
I have one that says
MUSSORGSKY: PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION • HÁRY JANOS SUITE • GEORGE SZELL

[teamsaint]

I'm saddened that any presenter on R3 doesn't know that 'Blest Pair of Sirens' was written by Parry and not Edward Elgar. This is basic knowledge, surely, or is this a wind-up? It does make me wonder what one has to know to become a presenter.

Well, you know how it goes Stan....check out the CV..............

[cloughie]

I'm saddened that any presenter on R3 doesn't know that 'Blest Pair of Sirens' was written by Parry and not Edward Elgar. This is basic knowledge, surely, or is this a wind-up? It does make me wonder what one has to know to become a presenter.

...and is there anyone who is responsible for recruitment with the musical knowledge to test them?

[antongould]

Last week GM referred to the composer of 'Blest Pair of Sirens' as Edward Elgar. This morning she attributed the Clog Dance from La Fille Mal Gardée to Hertel (whom she pronounced 'Hurtle') when it was clearly the well-known Hérold (the reference to Hertel could only possibly have resulted from a too-cursory glance at the Wikipedia entry for LFMG). The Clog Dance was introduced as the theme tune to a children's TV programme, which GM went on to describe in breathless detail, before remarking, all-too-accurately in my view, that she had missed her vocation as a children's television presenter.

I had reasonably high hopes for her as a worthy counterpart to Petroc Trelawny when she first appeared (standing in for Clemency Burton-Hill, as I recall). My disappointment and disillusion with her seems to increase by the week.

I share your disillusionment UTC ....

[rauschwerk]

Read the Wikipedia article on 'La fille mal gardee' more carefully and I think you will find that the main motif of the Clog Dance music was indeed written by one Peter Ludwig Hertel. John Lanchbery fashioned it into the piece we know today. Hérold was only one of the composers featured in that famous Ashton/Royal Ballet production and he had nothing to do with that number.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So perhaps the Clog Dance falls into the same category as Purcell’s Trumpet Voluntary, Bach’s Minuet in G, Haydn’s Toy Symphony, Mozart’s 37th Symphony, Handel’s Joy to the World, and other famous misappropriations?

[Stanfordian]

What - or whom?

Very good!

[cloughie]

So perhaps the Clog Dance falls into the same category as Purcell’s Trumpet Voluntary, Bach’s Minuet in G, Haydn’s Toy Symphony, Mozart’s 37th Symphony, Handel’s Joy to the World, and other famous misappropriations?

Concerti Armonici - are they by Pergolesi, Wassenauer or Ricciotti? Hofstetter’s ‘Haydn’ Serenade?

[rauschwerk]

So perhaps the Clog Dance falls into the same category as Purcell’s Trumpet Voluntary, Bach’s Minuet in G, Haydn’s Toy Symphony, Mozart’s 37th Symphony, Handel’s Joy to the World, and other famous misappropriations?

We know for sure that the Clog Dance is Hertel/Lanchbery. But no doubt when the recording was issued it had to be catalogued under Hérold for simplicity.