Anthony Hopkins - Composer (?)

[Guest]

My R3 morning slumbers were rather uncomfortably disturbed last Tuesday by the er... strains of Orpheus by one Anthony Hopkins. No, this is not Antony Hopkins (whose enlightening former radio programme gives this particular forum its title) but Sir Anthony (with an h) Hopkins the actor, or as he styles himself on this new CFM/Decca release, COMPOSER.

Straight in at number six in the specialist classical chart, so we were informed. Obviously this is music of the highest quality. And these specialist classical buyers can't be wrong, can they?

Suck and see for yourselves

[Nick Armstrong]

Hang on, I think I need to consume this with some fava beans and a nice chianti... Rather a lot of chianti, perhaps.

[ahinton]

But it's Welsh, innit, see, look you, innit?...

[french frank]

Petroc was tweeting about this a day or so ago. Well, the music may be very interesting, but I wonder whether Decca are as interested in Antony's music as they are in Anthony's?

As it has a CFM connection it's probably been heavily promoted on CFM and got the listeners raring to buy it as soon as it hit the shops ...

[jayne lee wilson]

Heard a few minutes of it as I began to prepare dinner... lushly late-romantic - why doesn't that surprise me?
And why do so many ageing rockstars and songwriters produce such obvious derivations when they "get serious"? No prizes...

I recall Elvis Costello attempted some sub-sibelian, sub-debussian ballet, then got upset after the reviews and fled to America. Poor dear.

Wouldn't it be nice if Anthony, or Macca and/or his er, amanuensis produced a set of twelvetone variations about 6 minutes long.
(Allegedly!)

[MrGongGong]

Wouldn't it be nice if Anthony, or Macca and/or his er, amanuensis produced a set of twelvetone variations about 6 minutes long.
(Allegedly!)

In the case of Macca it would be better if he just went away
he's done enough damage already

[Chris Newman]

I heard some sample snips earlier fully expecting imitations of the Frog Prince but was relieved to discover that Mr Hopkins's influences were later than Puccini.

AH appears to have quite a few arrows in his quiver:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=anthony+hopkins+paintings&hl=en&rlz=1R2RNWN_en&site=webhp&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=iKQYT7Y8iN3xA-nr2aEL&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1440&bih=782

[Bax-of-Delights]

My R3 morning slumbers were rather uncomfortably disturbed last Tuesday by the er... strains of Orpheus by one Anthony Hopkins. No, this is not Antony Hopkins (whose enlightening former radio programme gives this particular forum its title) but Sir Anthony (with an h) Hopkins the actor, or as he styles himself on this new CFM/Decca release, COMPOSER.

Straight in at number six in the specialist classical chart, so we were informed. Obviously this is music of the highest quality. And these specialist classical buyers can't be wrong, can they?

Suck and see for yourselves

I heard this also and wondered if anyone else would comment on it.

Let be put my cards on the table.

It was grotesque and reminded me of Rick Wakeman's orchestral efforts - but without the tunes. It is issued on a ClassicFM label and would be heavily promoted on CFM. Nice to see R3 giviing their rival station a puff.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Wouldn't it be nice if Anthony, or Macca and/or his er, amanuensis produced a set of twelvetone variations about 6 minutes long.

Not really. Composers should write what they want to write - not conform to the mould expected by the musical establishment of the time. "Fashion" is bullying by a different name.

[John Skelton]

Not really. Composers should write what they want to write - not conform to the mould expected by the musical establishment of the time. "Fashion" is bullying by a different name.

If he were to write "a set of twelvetone variations" would he be conforming to "the mould expected by the musical establishment of the time"? I'd have thought if anything he'd be going against the fashion ....

[french frank]

For me there are two separate issues: 1) the exploitative nature of a commercial (or commercially minded) world which knows it will profit from the celebrity name, whether it's marketing a novel or music. I don't blame the celebrity because I think they often take what they're doing very seriously (e.g. Goldie or Sue Perkins and their conducting). They're offered the opportunities and have to be very self-aware to turn them down. I don't think Anthony Hopkins is doing this for the money - but CFM is.

2) there's the music, critically assessed. I think some reviewers (e.g. Huffington Post) have enjoyed themselves being 'brutally honest'. And I think it's ungenerous and unkind. I listened to the Amazon clips and can understand if it's been plugged on CFM that a lot of their listeners will find it pleasant enough, and that's what they want. Yes, they're buying it because it's Anthony Hopkins. I doubt it's doing Harrison Birtwistle or PMD out of any sales. In terms of contemporary music, it's the stuff of what CFM offers. It's playable, it's listenable. It's what a lot of people are happy with.

The only question for me is: if that's "classical music", I don't know what "classical music" is.

[3rd Viennese School]

And if these famous name composers started writing 12 note variations or even 12 note pop tunes they could be rivaling me!

3VS

[PJPJ]

Interview with Sir AH

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-16600227

Positive review:

http://www.musicomh.com/albums/anthony-hopkins_0112.htm

http://www.heraldscotland.com/classical/reviews/anthony-hopkins-composer-deccaclassic-fm.16412305

Apparently the whole CD was available for streaming on the Daily Telegraph website, but it's either no longer available or I can't find it.

[jayne lee wilson]

My point, doubtless too concisely put, was that such late-flowering composers always seem to take their models from the late-romantic tonal and orchestral style, which naturally and more justifiably became the language of much film music.

It would be nice if someone - especially those cushioned by commercial success - took inspiration and precedent from somewhere else.

Rather liked some of AH's landscapes - his self-portraits reminded me of Schoenberg's expressionistic series...

Not really. Composers should write what they want to write - not conform to the mould expected by the musical establishment of the time. "Fashion" is bullying by a different name.

[Serial_Apologist]

If he were to write "a set of twelvetone variations" would he be conforming to "the mould expected by the musical establishment of the time"? I'd have thought if anything he'd be going against the fashion ....