"Britten's Boys" article in The Guardian

[Mary Chambers]

Thank you for that reference, doversoul. It reminded me that Anna Massey was a wonderfully over-the-top Imogen Holst.

[ahinton]

..... and in my original post I was referring to children's participation in music, by way of singing or playing [as I had hoped was obvious]

Well, your hopes were met! My point, however, was that this is not necessarily the only route to children's musical salvation and that certain children's listening experiences, especially when their slates are relatively clean at the outset, can be devastating in their impact before any attempt be made on the part of those children to play or sing - indeed, such experiences can well be the first motivator of some children to want to do just that!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

One two occasions I formed boys' choirs. However:-
I am hetrosexual.
I am not a paedophile.
I am not a pervert.

However, there are those who might suspect that anyone founding and directing a choir for boys could be in some way dodgy. This is the premise upon which today's journalistic creation is based.

[ahinton]

One two occasions I formed boys' choirs. However:-
I am hetrosexual.
I am not a paedophile.
I am not a pervert.

However, there are those who might suspect that anyone founding and directing a choir for boys could be in some way dodgy. This is the premise upon which today's journalistic creation is based.

It certainly appears to be one of them, sadly; I wonder what those kinds of hacks must think about Gareth Malone? And why is it so specifically about singing, I wonder?

[Ferretfancy]

David Hemmings, who recorded the part of Miles for Britten as a boy, when interviewed later on more than one occasion, spoke of Britten with deep affection. He did share a bed with the composer, but insisted that nothing untoward occurred. Other boys who had worked with Britten gave similar comments later in life. It's also worth remembering that the theme of innocence betrayed appears again and again in his work.
Unfortunately post Savile there are signs of hysteria in the media. As an ex BBC employee I have had the DG's letter asking for any relevant information about the period when all this horrible behaviour occurred. As a matter of fact, I did dub the film sequences for Jim'll Fix It from time to time, but to the best of my memory I never met the man. What worries me is that The BBC's enquiry will be flooded with uncorroborated tittle tattle leading to a lengthy delay before a report appears.

[MrGongGong]

One two occasions I formed boys' choirs. However:-
I am hetrosexual.
I am not a paedophile.
I am not a pervert.

However, there are those who might suspect that anyone founding and directing a choir for boys could be in some way dodgy. This is the premise upon which today's journalistic creation is based.

I think that, sadly, there have been far too many high profile cases (and there are more to come ) , coupled with the way in which choirs are so tied up with the church(es) who have a rather disgraceful track record on these things. For those of us who work with young people doing music it's a very difficult time indeed BUT not as difficult as it must be for those who ARE victims.

[Simon]

let's just remind ourselves of the old saw "'right-wing intellectual' is a contradiction in terms.

I'm afraid that you are wrong again, as so often these days. There have been, and are, people of great intellectual abilities in all areas of the political spectrum.

Those on the extremes, in my experience, do seem to be less intellectually agile, and more narrow-minded and blinkered in approach. But that applies equally to Left and Right.

[Bryn]

Oh dear. Poor Simon still seems to be in need to those adult literacy classes. The quote of the old saw was quite accurate, of course. As to the research reported in by the Daily "Hurrah for the Blackshirts", that could well be another matter. I have not seen the peer review details.

[Boilk]

Bridcut's film is questionably titled Britten's Children instead of Britten's Boys. His website feebly (IMHO) tries to justify the title with a summary of the film as:

Benjamin Britten's music for and about children: how the composer's affinity with boys coloured his music, and how his favourite theme of lost innocence tied in with his own childhood. A book of the same title was published by Faber & Faber in June 2006

The film's testimonies from the boys clearly state that nothing improper happened, and it is also stated that BB formed these attachments only to boys, not girls. If Bridcut sticks by his film's content, then there was nothing to feel bad about in calling it Britten's Boys - would that really have made it that less marketable or enjoyable?

[JimD]

the old saw "'right-wing intellectual' is a contradiction in terms.

Michael Oakeshott? (By no means the only example one might choose.)

[Ferretfancy]

To the man-in-the street
Who, I'm sorry to say
Is a keen observer of life
The word intellectual suggests straight away
A man who's untrue to his wife

WH Auden

[Simon]

The quote of the old saw was quite accurate, of course.

The quote was accurate enough. But what's the point of quoting something that you don't actually agree with? Only a complete fool could ever believe that such a stupid generalisation had any validity.

[Nick Armstrong]

What's this?! Another fight in a phone box?!

.... oh, hello Simon...

[DracoM]

.............and thus the interesting discussion of an important issue is driven neatly off-road and into private scraps. Sigh.

[Rosie55]

Fascinating - thanks for posting!