Music Matters: The Land Without Music?

[french frank]

Perhaps things will change….when one of the very few politicians to reach a decent level on a musical instrument assumes power.

Current Shadow Secretary of State for Culture &c is married to an opera singer, and was a member (cellist) of the NYOGB. Just an interesting factoid. No necessity to follow it up

[LMcD]

Surely there are already too many on the fiddle!

All members of the Bow Group?

[Serial_Apologist]

All members of the Bow Group?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Duncan Henley was on this on Saturday . His talk of access to high quality opera performances really annoyed me . Here in the South West Glyndebourne no longer tour and WNO have gone from six operas a year to two plus a highlights concert. In large swathes of the UK live opera is dying. They had Martyn Brabbins in for balance to set the record straight, ACE don’t like opera . I haven’t the stomach to read the recent Let’s Create : Opera and music report - it would just get me too worked up. Even the title - I don’t want to create an opera . I don’t have the talent but I’m more than happy to see some of my not inconsiderable tax to go to those that can.

[neiltingley]

Current Shadow Secretary of State for Culture &c is married to an opera singer, and was a member (cellist) of the NYOGB. Just an interesting factoid. No necessity to follow it up

Starmer used to play the clarinet to a good standard. He has a genuine love of classical music. Lammy was a chorister in Peterborough so musical too.

[neiltingley]

An interesting interview on R4 Front Row this evening, with the general managers of Wigmore Hall and the LSO, both saying outright that ACE is simply not fit for purpose. Wigmore Hall is pulling out of taking any Arts Council money, as the required documentation is not only intrusive, but now costing as much to administer as the grant they're getting (see my previous comments!)

Private Eye broke that story a while back. Wigmore is niche, has a loyal subscriber base and has lots of $$$ from 'oligarchic' money. Even a 'cheap' ticket there seems to have gone up dramatically. I think it"s a unique case.

[neiltingley]

Excellent article by Richard and I don’t disagree with a single word. But I also think he perhaps underplays the impact of Covid and inflation. Audiences are well down on 2019 . My last concert at the RFH Mahler and the Philharmonia had the top tier closed - only the stalls were on sale.

Is that a case of too much Mahler and not enough good conductors ? I've not been to a Philharmonia concert since Mackerras days. Not been to LSO since Sir Colin was at the helm! I am not interested in concerts these days. I spend my money on good hifi and listen at home

[Master Jacques]

Private Eye broke that story a while back. Wigmore is niche, has a loyal subscriber base and has lots of $$$ from 'oligarchic' money. Even a 'cheap' ticket there seems to have gone up dramatically. I think it"s a unique case.

Good points about Wigmore Hall's special financial position. But though it is the first to make the break, other organisations (e.g. LSO) are threatening the same action, as ACE's bureaucracy is costing more as the value of their grants decreases.

I don't know whether you heard Darren Henley sliding around some good challenges put to him on Front Row (R4) last night? He justified the spiralling bureaucracy required by complaining that ACE needed the data to justify its requests for public money. A spurious excuse, as was his blatant 'hands up' on having given way to government pressures to valorise amateur community work over professional performance ("They are our paymasters, after all").

If anyone still doubts the need for a root-and-branch reform of ACE, that interview ought to convince them. This man is not equipped to be managing a street party, let alone presiding over dismemberment of the arts.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Good points about Wigmore Hall's special financial position. But though it is the first to make the break, other organisations (e.g. LSO) are threatening the same action, as ACE's bureaucracy is costing more as the value of their grants decreases.

I don't know whether you heard Darren Henley sliding around some good challenges put to him on Front Row (R4) last night? He justified the spiralling bureaucracy required by complaining that ACE needed the data to justify its requests for public money. A spurious excuse, as was his blatant 'hands up' on having given way to government pressures to valorise amateur community work over professional performance ("They are our paymasters, after all").

If anyone still doubts the need for a root-and-branch reform of ACE, that interview ought to convince them. This man is not equipped to be managing a street party, let alone presiding over dismemberment of the arts.

He was also on Music Matters this week and was so annoying re opera - putting such a ridiculously positive spin on ACE’s hatchet job that I felt compelled to complain (again) .

[bluestateprommer]

I haven't read the original RM article from Pulcinella that started this thread, but my guess is that this NYT article, with a perspective from "the other side of the pond", so to speak, might be of interest here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/arts/music/glyndebourne-british-opera-financing-crisis.html

Joshua Barone does quote RM:

"The U.K. has always been this sort of halfway house. It’s not the American system, and it’s not like Germany, which is so heavily funded by the state. But the balance has swung so far, it’s like you’re telling opera companies that you’ve got to be America now, but without the tax breaks or the tradition of philanthropy."

Plus, with respect to the Arts Council evisceration of opera funding:

"People want excellence, and the British profession should strive for excellence. The notion that you can do that on the real cheap is a bit mad."

[Serial_Apologist]

I haven't read the original RM article from Pulcinella that started this thread, but my guess is that this NYT article, with a perspective from "the other side of the pond", so to speak, might be of interest here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/arts/music/glyndebourne-british-opera-financing-crisis.html

Joshua Barone does quote RM:



Plus, with respect to the Arts Council evisceration of opera funding:

Unfortunately the NYT requires a subscription, which I shall desist. If it says what I suspect - namely that private sponsorship provides for better support of the arts (specifically opera - one hears that most US towns even in the agricultural zones have at least an orchestra) - which to my mind says more about the decline of post Empire British capitalism, often used by Proletkult reductionist sloganeers as a scapegoat for "middle class elitism", nowadays by right-wind populists, than recognising the geopolitical conditions favourable to the American model, at any rate in pre-climate change times. In an echo of an earlier era of our own, when the first stirrings of disquiet led a BBC-sceptical David Dimbleby to pour scorn on Green Party leader Jean Lambert's pleading for less materialistic lifestyle aims, we may here be in the enviable or unenviable position of being forced by "economic realities" [sic] to readjust our wants to lower expectations or have a government impose restrictions on arts support "for our own good".

[bluestateprommer]

Unfortunately the NYT requires a subscription, which I shall desist. If it says what I suspect - namely that private sponsorship provides for better support of the arts (specifically opera - one hears that most US towns even in the agricultural zones have at least an orchestra) - which to my mind says more about the decline of post Empire British capitalism, often used by Proletkult reductionist sloganeers as a scapegoat for "middle class elitism", nowadays by right-wind populists, than recognising the geopolitical conditions favourable to the American model, at any rate in pre-climate change times. In an echo of an earlier era of our own, when the first stirrings of disquiet led a BBC-sceptical David Dimbleby to pour scorn on Green Party leader Jean Lambert's pleading for less materialistic lifestyle aims, we may here be in the enviable or unenviable position of being forced by "economic realities" [sic] to readjust our wants to lower expectations or have a government impose restrictions on arts support "for our own good".

Actually, from reading the whole article (I do have an NYT subscription), Joshua B. does not say that at all, about private funding vs. government funding in general. In the specific context of the Arts Council, JB pretty much takes their conclusions and 'thinking' (my quotes, not his, but the subtext is pretty obvious) as bone-headed and stupid. Examples from Joshua B.:

"While it’s admirable to want this art form to be available in smaller cities, can the solution be as simple as a transplant? The [Arts Council] study doesn’t include any rigorous research into whether there is audience demand or willing sponsorship for the E.N.O. somewhere like Manchester."

Another example, after mentioning how the Arts Council cuts forced Glyndebourne in particular to halt its off-season touring and education, from Joshua B. goes (with my emphasis):

"In place of the annual tour, a tradition since [Gus] Christie’s father ran the festival in the 1960s, Glyndebourne is focusing on a more robust fall season at home. So much for the Arts Council spreading opera throughout England."

Admittedly, Joshua B. is writing as an outsider from a different country and a very different opera funding culture. But it seems pretty obvious, at least to my reading of the article, that he has virtually no sympathy with the Arts Council's actions and conclusions in their most recent treatment of UK opera organizations.

[Serial_Apologist]

Actually, from reading the whole article (I do have an NYT subscription), Joshua B. does not say that at all, about private funding vs. government funding in general. In the specific context of the Arts Council, JB pretty much takes their conclusions and 'thinking' (my quotes, not his, but the subtext is pretty obvious) as bone-headed and stupid. Examples from Joshua B.:



Another example, after mentioning how the Arts Council cuts forced Glyndebourne in particular to halt its off-season touring and education, from Joshua B. goes (with my emphasis):



Admittedly, Joshua B. is writing as an outsider from a different country and a very different opera funding culture. But it seems pretty obvious, at least to my reading of the article, that he has virtually no sympathy with the Arts Council's actions and conclusions in their most recent treatment of UK opera organizations.

Thanks for correcting my presuppositions, BSP.