An Evening with John Amis.R3 tonight 7.30 -10pm

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  • ferneyhoughgeliebte
    Gone fishin'
    • Sep 2011
    • 30163

    #16


    ... I should've mentioned Michael Finnissy and Chris Fox, too!
    [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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    • salymap
      Late member
      • Nov 2010
      • 5969

      #17
      Originally posted by ferneyhoughgeliebte View Post


      ... I should've mentioned Michael Finnissy and Chris Fox, too!
      Ferney, were Finnissy and Ferneyhough friends, do you know? In the late 1960s I had a short spell in the Breitkopf London agents [after Augener were taken over], and one or other came in for new B&H scores as they became available. Wish I could remember more about them.

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      • ferneyhoughgeliebte
        Gone fishin'
        • Sep 2011
        • 30163

        #18
        Originally posted by salymap View Post
        Ferney, were Finnissy and Ferneyhough friends, do you know? In the late 1960s I had a short spell in the Breitkopf London agents [after Augener were taken over], and one or other came in for new B&H scores as they became available. Wish I could remember more about them.
        I don't know if they're friends, but the first published article on Finnissy's piano Music was written by Ferneyhough in 1978 (AFAIK, Ferneyhough has only written in detail on three composers: Webern, Ruggles and Finnissy).

        Both are exceptionally polite and courteous men, so I'm sure they would have been delightful customers.
        [FONT=Comic Sans MS][I][B]Numquam Satis![/B][/I][/FONT]

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        • antongould
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 8785

          #19
          Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
          A fabulous programme. I had forgotten that John Amis was still alive (sorry John!) Given his incredible personal knowledge of music and musicians, coupled with his natural charm, wit and perceptiveness, why has he been off the radar in recent years? Is his way not suited to the current R3 house style? I thought Louise Fryer's 'chairing' of the programme was very good too. I agree with others that one was left wishing fervently for repeats of whole interviews.

          Afterwards I could not help thinking what a Golden Age of music the first three quarters of the 20th Century was...maybe just the middle two quarters for Britain. Is this just the rose tinted spectacle of someone who was born mid-century? Or are things somehow shallower and less ground-breaking now, especially in the field of composition?
          Couldn't agree more - I was worried for a while that our suspect downloading software wasn't going to manage the 3 hours but I now have it safely on my iPod. Listened in 2, 90 minute chunks and enjoyed every second including the choice of music. Whilst she had to sometimes struggle to get a word in Louise Fryer did an excellent job.

          I don't know how many hours of interviews with the greats of the past the BBC have but one feels more use could be made of them. Also is it not time to be committing interviews with today's bus pass generation to the vaults for the enjoyment of R3 listeners yet to come?

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          • Nick Armstrong
            Host
            • Nov 2010
            • 26538

            #20
            Originally posted by antongould View Post
            I now have it safely on my iPod.
            Likewise I have it earmarked for this weekend as the French "Critiques de Disques" prog (the usual weekend listen when out and about) has gone on its usual 2 month holiday... Doubly looking forward to hearing it now, after your report!
            "...the isle is full of noises,
            Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
            Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
            Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

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            • salymap
              Late member
              • Nov 2010
              • 5969

              #21
              I have it on the TV hard drive and have so far listened to several 20 minute chunks. My only problem is my damned tinnitus - if I have it loud enough for the discussions, the music examples nearly deafen me further, they are so loud. Shall have to experiment with the sound. But what a marvel John is at 90 plus

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              • Mary Chambers
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 1963

                #22
                i heard most of it. I was amazed by how young he sounds for a man of 90. Much of it was familiar to me, because I've probably read everything he's written. The musicians' gossip columnist, but more than that, of course.

                I hope you manage to hear it properly, salymap.

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                • Barbirollians
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 11700

                  #23
                  Just catching up with this thread but I thought it was a terrific evening . Louise Fryer strikes me as a cut above most of the Radio 3 presenters of today who don't listen , gush or talk nonsense . Or all three !

                  John Amis was so entertaining as were many of the excerpts . Wouldn't it be marvellous if Radio 3 had an archive hour like R 4 does . Some of those interviews snippets were fascinating . The one with Walter Legge struck me . How Rubinstein used to get EMI to send him records of all their pianists to listen to and he only ever kept the recordings of one pianist and he kept all of them - Lipatti .

                  PS Eine Alpensinfonie - don't read his most recent blog entry - you won't like it !

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                  • antongould
                    Full Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 8785

                    #24
                    Originally posted by Barbirollians View Post
                    Just catching up with this thread but I thought it was a terrific evening . Louise Fryer strikes me as a cut above most of the Radio 3 presenters of today who don't listen , gush or talk nonsense . Or all three !

                    John Amis was so entertaining as were many of the excerpts . Wouldn't it be marvellous if Radio 3 had an archive hour like R 4 does . Some of those interviews snippets were fascinating . The one with Walter Legge struck me . How Rubinstein used to get EMI to send him records of all their pianists to listen to and he only ever kept the recordings of one pianist and he kept all of them - Lipatti .

                    PS Eine Alpensinfonie - don't read his most recent blog entry - you won't like it !
                    Totally agree about the archive hour - a wonderful idea.

                    Comment

                    • Nick Armstrong
                      Host
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 26538

                      #25
                      Originally posted by antongould View Post
                      Totally agree about the archive hour - a wonderful idea.
                      Yes! Yes! Yes!

                      I loved the programme too, by the way; been meaning to post here. Some great anecdotes and insights.

                      And Louise Fryer is a I remember her introducing a late-night Prom a few years back: came on to the stage, and under a single spotlight gave a pitch perfect introduction to the concert, no note in sight. A real professional
                      "...the isle is full of noises,
                      Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                      Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                      Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

                      Comment

                      • amateur51

                        #26
                        Originally posted by Caliban View Post
                        Yes! Yes! Yes!

                        I loved the programme too, by the way; been meaning to post here. Some great anecdotes and insights.

                        And Louise Fryer is a I remember her introducing a late-night Prom a few years back: came on to the stage, and under a single spotlight gave a pitch perfect introduction to the concert, no note in sight. A real professional
                        For some reason I could only take it in 20 minute chunks and may have missed a lot of it.

                        Did they include anything about the largely unsung Noel Mewton-Wood? An Australian pupil of Artur Schnabel, he was a significant pianist in the 1940s/1950s, friend of Britten & Pears and Amis, recorded the Busoni Piano concerto with Beecham and more usual repertoire, killed himself with prussic acid . Very sad that such potential went unfulfilled.



                        Amis did a programme about him years ago and I just wonder if they included any of that material.

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                        • Nick Armstrong
                          Host
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 26538

                          #27
                          Originally posted by amateur51 View Post
                          For some reason I could only take it in 20 minute chunks and may have missed a lot of it.

                          Did they include anything about the largely unsung Noel Mewton-Wood? An Australian pupil of Artur Schnabel, he was a significant pianist in the 1940s/1950s, friend of Britten & Pears and Amis, recorded the Busoni Piano concerto with Beecham and more usual repertoire, killed himself with prussic acid . Very sad that such potential went unfulfilled.



                          Amis did a programme about him years ago and I just wonder if they included any of that material.
                          No, NMW did not feature...
                          "...the isle is full of noises,
                          Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                          Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                          Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

                          Comment

                          • amateur51

                            #28
                            Originally posted by Caliban View Post
                            No, NMW did not feature...
                            That's sad - Amis told quite a few stories in the original radio programme and there are quite a fair few recordings available

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