The topic is actually "Musical Performers to Avoid" (not neccesarily to condemn)
I have always been a great Jazz fan; right back to when it was called Jass, but the one period that I tend to avoid is that which includes Miles Davis (never heard him play a phrase lasting more than 6 notes), Dexter Gordon (seemed to be exploring every key on his tenor sax in no particular order) and that manic depressive piano player whose name I can never remember.
So I can enjoy Dizzie Gillespie and Charlie Parker for their contributions to what Benny Goodman disparagingly called "progressive jazz" but the likes of Courtney Pine and Stan Tracey have revived my interest in where Jazz is now headed in the 21st century.
To pick up on another topic mentioned: When Sir John Barbirolli took over the Hallé Orchestra, there could be mutterings heard like " ... it would never have done for Sir 'amilton" among the older members. JB himself was a hard act to follow; as both Maurice Handford and James Loughran found to their cost. Similarly, when Sir Malcolm took over the BBCSO from Sir Adrian - some of the older members wanted the man with the long baton back and were openly resentful of the change.
Groves and Pritchard? Well Groves was a workman who could put a concert together on only a two-hour rehearsal. ( as the watchmaker said, "never take something to pieces if you do not have time to put it back together again") He was also IMHO the favourite accompanist of many a soloist that I ever encountered. Speaking personally, when I auditioned for the BSO, he himself accompanied me; sightreading the piano part of a work that he had probably never seen before and he was so good that I could willingly have continued playing all day.
Horses for courses - he was what the RLPO needed after their long period with Pritchard's eccentricities and the standard of the present orchestra owes much to Groves' work with them (Ask JLW whether she agrees with that statement)
HS
I have always been a great Jazz fan; right back to when it was called Jass, but the one period that I tend to avoid is that which includes Miles Davis (never heard him play a phrase lasting more than 6 notes), Dexter Gordon (seemed to be exploring every key on his tenor sax in no particular order) and that manic depressive piano player whose name I can never remember.
So I can enjoy Dizzie Gillespie and Charlie Parker for their contributions to what Benny Goodman disparagingly called "progressive jazz" but the likes of Courtney Pine and Stan Tracey have revived my interest in where Jazz is now headed in the 21st century.
To pick up on another topic mentioned: When Sir John Barbirolli took over the Hallé Orchestra, there could be mutterings heard like " ... it would never have done for Sir 'amilton" among the older members. JB himself was a hard act to follow; as both Maurice Handford and James Loughran found to their cost. Similarly, when Sir Malcolm took over the BBCSO from Sir Adrian - some of the older members wanted the man with the long baton back and were openly resentful of the change.
Groves and Pritchard? Well Groves was a workman who could put a concert together on only a two-hour rehearsal. ( as the watchmaker said, "never take something to pieces if you do not have time to put it back together again") He was also IMHO the favourite accompanist of many a soloist that I ever encountered. Speaking personally, when I auditioned for the BSO, he himself accompanied me; sightreading the piano part of a work that he had probably never seen before and he was so good that I could willingly have continued playing all day.
Horses for courses - he was what the RLPO needed after their long period with Pritchard's eccentricities and the standard of the present orchestra owes much to Groves' work with them (Ask JLW whether she agrees with that statement)
HS
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