Edward German's Merry England

[mangerton]

Don't be daft they are all part of "greater England"
and where would be be without the Testing Ground ?

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Mr GG, and take that as a tongue in cheek remark.

Unfortunately I - and obviously flossie too - know from bitter experience that many English people who should know better think exactly that.

[gurnemanz]

When our Choir did Merrie England in a concert performance about 30 years ago some members thought it inappropriate repertoire and left, never to return. It wasn't quite my cup of tea but it went OK and was actually quite enjoyable. I clearly remember getting a harmless frisson from performing a duet called "Come to Arcadie" with a soprano who I had a secret crush on - which, I hasten to add, I never acted upon.

[MrGongGong]

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Mr GG, and take that as a tongue in cheek remark.

Unfortunately I - and obviously flossie too - know from bitter experience that many English people who should know better think exactly that.

Come off it
you are not seriously suggesting that Wales and Scotland are proper countries are you ?
minor provinces at best but not REAL countries

[Flosshilde]

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Mr GG, and take that as a tongue in cheek remark.

Unfortunately I - and obviously flossie too - know from bitter experience that many English people who should know better think exactly that.

I have to confess, Mangerton, that I am parading under false colours here. I am English, but having had a Scottish partner for over 25 years, & especially living in Scotland now, I notice such things rather more than I would have done previously (which, if truth be told, was not at all ).

However, Scotland has been used as a testing ground by Westminster - most notoriously with the Poll Tax (as I'm sure you don't need to be told.


Anyway, I've no problem with people performing Merrie (or Merry) England, as long as they don't think that it stands for the whole of the UK.



(I've just had an idea that will tie the jubilee & olympics together, & allow HMQ to demonstrate that she includes the whole UK. She should follow - literally - the olympic torch in its peregrination. If she couldn't manage every day, Charlie & Willie (now there's a title that will go down well in N. Ireland - King William!) can take turns with her. HMQ & Charlie could do it in a car; Will is young & fit enough to do it on foot)

[Stanley Stewart]

As a born and bred Scot, I have affectionate memories of hearing Richard Tauber singing "An English Rose" at the Music Hall, Aberdeen, circa 1945. He not only stopped the show but was given the rare accolade of rhythmic feet stamping, too. A few decades later, I was glad to acquire a Tauber CD which includes this song which still resonates in my schoolboy memories as well as a learning curve on how to float a line! Exquisite.

[salymap]

Even in Coronation year I didn't enjoy 'Merrie England'. Not a patch on G&S in my view and anyway I was looking after the vocal score section of our Hire Library at that time. My boss rather rashly bought unlimited vocal scores from Chappell and, after one hiring each, there they sat, unloved and taking a great deal of valuable space. It seemed dated then to me. Sorry

[verismissimo]

I have a "vocal selection" on LP that was picked up from Oxfam. Patricia Baird, Marjorie Thomas, Alexander Young, John Cameron, New SO of London under Victor Olof. 1969? Decca. Ever reissued?

[rauschwerk]

It seemed dated then to me. Sorry

I've done three performances - the last one about 25 years ago. It's pure hokum and I don't see how anyone could possibly take it seriously nowadays. That said, one or two of the solo numbers can still work if really well sung.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My only knowledge of the work (other than the piano selection that prompted me to start this thread) dates from the time of the Queen's Silver Jubilee, when the school I was teaching at put on a special concert that included German's "O Peaceful England", from Merry England. I still have a recording of the concert, and this song stood out as something worthy of being heard again.

[MrGongGong]

I remember playing in this as a student, from my memory (and this was at the legendary Floral Pavilion in New Brighton I think ?) it was a kind of sub G&S with little of interest (in the horn parts at least ) but I think the end of show party was great .............

It's pure hokum and I don't see how anyone could possibly take it seriously nowadays. That said, one or two of the solo numbers can still work if really well sung.

aaah so it's like The Dream Of................ NO NO NO I promised I wouldn't go there

[Pabmusic]

...[Merrie England] was a kind of sub G&S with little of interest (in the horn parts at least )...

And that's the problem, really, with Edward German. Inoffensive music, tuneful, but in the end not quite as memorable as you hope it will be. It's all a little sad, rather like Karl Michael Zierher taking up Johann Strauss's mantle.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not a patch on G&S in my view and anyway I was looking after the vocal score section of our Hire Library at that time. My boss rather rashly bought unlimited vocal scores from Chappell and, after one hiring each, there they sat, unloved and taking a great deal of valuable space. It seemed dated then to me. Sorry

... and to think some members of the Sadler's Wells chorus wanted this, and not Peter Grimes to open the post-war season.

[salymap]

... and to think some members of the Sadler's Wells chorus wanted this, and not Peter Grimes to open the post-war season.

Good Grief, did they really

[mikealdren]

I played it in the 70s and I did White Horse Inn at about the same time. Two period prices that don't really stand up nowadays. However I thought the same about Me and My Girl but that has been revived successfully...............

Mike

[Witham Tilly]

Edward German deserves a lot more exposure on air than he actually gets - two symphonies, many songs, choral works, smaller orchestral pieces and incidental music to nine plays etc. etc. The Welsh Rhapsody has been heard a couple of times and is definitely worthy of more outings than it is treated to. Whilst on the subject we don't hear much of Sidney Jones either - who's he I can hear someone say - well he was a very talented composer who, in conjunction with Lionel Monckton, produced an operetta called 'The Geisha', a work packed with fantastic melodies easily ranking with Arthur Sullivan's tunesmith skills. Ronald Corp and his excellent colleagues have at least treated us to a Hyperion CD of the work. Prior to that, my only privileged hearing of it was as a member of a pit orchestra in an amateur production and I loved it instantly. The Geisha in fact ran to packed houses at the beginning of the twentieth century and must have rivalled The Mikado itself. I hope it did!