Private Passions

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i am very much enjoying Ms Leon's expressions of taste ....

[Nick Armstrong]

An excellent episode yesterday with Jared Diamond. The chat part only scratched the surface of this great man, but revealed him as a knowledgeable and thoughtful amateur musician, on top of everything else. His choices - JS Bach x 3, CPE Bach x1, Beethoven trio, Schubert (Erlkoenig), Brahms Sextet, Strauss 4LS (with Janowitz) - MB seemed to be enjoying himself.

It was an outstanding programme

[eighthobstruction]

Ah so that's who it was....listening while working in the workshop, but missed the beginning....I thought he sounded like a professional singer....very meticulous....

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

indeed! a rather formidable gent i thought, and exceptionally listenable music for a nice change ... [also try the Third Chimpanzee another excellent work but earlier than Guns etc]

[Gordon]

An excellent episode yesterday with Jared Diamond. The chat part only scratched the surface of this great man, but revealed him as a knowledgeable and thoughtful amateur musician, on top of everything else. His choices - JS Bach x 3, CPE Bach x1, Beethoven trio, Schubert (Erlkoenig), Brahms Sextet, Strauss 4LS (with Janowitz) - MB seemed to be enjoying himself.

Yes, indeed one of the best PPs for a while. The man's urbanity and wide experience is to be marvelled at. His book Guns, Germs and Steel is a must read. And he chose some organ music, the BWV552 prelude which gets a rare outing!!

An excellent episode yesterday with Jared Diamond. The chat part only scratched the surface of this great man, but revealed him as a knowledgeable and thoughtful amateur musician, on top of everything else. His choices - JS Bach x 3, CPE Bach x1, Beethoven trio, Schubert (Erlkoenig), Brahms Sextet, Strauss 4LS (with Janowitz) - MB seemed to be enjoying himself.

>>>When 'Private Passions' episodes are taken over by 'Strictly Come Dancing' regulars later this year *****







*****Please be aware that these guests were provisional and liable to change. And they have.
So, no Brendan nor Anton, for now at any rate.

Here it is!

When 'Private Passions' episodes are taken over by 'Strictly Come Dancing' regulars later this year will forum listeners be
able contain their excitement ?

Or, like Jerry, keep cool ?

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01585/SNF18TV4B-_1585861a.jpg

[Barbirollians]

A quite exquisite performance of Poem (from the idyll 'At Twilight', Op 39) by Jarmila Novotna, Czech Songs and Arias, (Supraphon 11 1491-2 201) (1992), which also includes Jan Masaryk's memorable cycle, Songs of Lidice.

I managed to track down a second hand copy of this CD and I could not agree more . Exquisite it is - what wonderful, characterful singing .

[Barbirollians]

Thanks for the Tauber link, I hadn't heard it before and I'm afraid rather enjoyed it. Incidentally I see that Rudy Vallee also recorded it in 1933 and as you mention, many others too latched on to its attractive melody. As to Tauber 'knowing better', is there a particular reason why he should have? After all he sang to make a living as well as for his 'Art'.

I rather enjoyed it too ! Rather lovely . Jarmila Novotna 's 1934 performance is too.

There is a performance of the Fibich on violin by Ivry Gitlis on YT when you do very much hear what pursuivant says though about Whiter Shade of Pale .

[Stanley Stewart]

A quite exquisite performance of Poem (from the idyll 'At Twilight', Op 39) by Jarmila Novotna, Czech Songs and Arias, (Supraphon 11 1491-2 201) (1992), which also includes Jan Masaryk's memorable cycle, Songs of Lidice.

[gradus]

Thanks for the Tauber link, I hadn't heard it before and I'm afraid rather enjoyed it. Incidentally I see that Rudy Vallee also recorded it in 1933 and as you mention, many others too latched on to its attractive melody. As to Tauber 'knowing better', is there a particular reason why he should have? After all he sang to make a living as well as for his 'Art'.

[pursuivant]

But it is worse than you might think because years ago sundry artists certainly knew about Fibich and took hold of his Poeme and sang crass words to it by some hack (whose name I can't be bothered to look up). If you want to be appalled just type in 'Richard Tauber Fibich' and at the top of the list you will find his recording of this monstrosity on you tube. Tauber should have known better but plenty of others did likewise (some of those are on you tube too). Procul Harum's rendition was at least used to create an original sort of number cleverly orchestrated therefore it is easier to forgive them the element of theft because they were creative with the melody.

But would Procol Harum ever have heard Fibich's Poeme (I certainly haven't) or even heard of Fibich (I hadn't in 1967)? And if not, could A Whiter Shade of Pale really be called a direct crib? (More a case of great minds thinking alike? )

There was a lawsuit about who composed it!