20.06.11 Light Music

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

" Composer of the Week"

Although I don't think a genre should replace a composer for this particular programme, I shall be listening to this week's offerings with interest. I was wondering why Ketelbey has been pushed aside - surely one of the finest British light music composers (or maybe I misread the schedule).

One of my favourites, which I see has been included, is Quilter's Children's Overture - what stunning orchestration and what georgeous harmonies he used. Barbirolli - no less - recorded it.

[DracoM]

Such scheduling has the inestimable advantage [ sic] from the R3 planners' pov's in their uncdeclared but increasingly bitter battle with CFM that this week it effectively extends the Breakfast brand / mix from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. via CC and now CoTW. So just the Tristan clip to savour, surrounded by undemanding snippets of this and that. A veritable cornucopia of cliche and jolliness. 'Your' Radio 3.


Or rather 'their' Radio 3.

[hmvman]

As a fan of British 'light music' I'm relishing this week's offerings and looking forward hopefully to hearing something new. I agree, though, with EA that COTW seems an odd slot in which to put this musical genre. I remember that many years ago, back in 1995, as part of the 'Fairest Isle' season, R3 broadcast a series by Stephen Banfield called 'The Light Brigade'. It was a most interesting and entertaining series and I wish R3 would repeat it sometime.

[hmvman]

I meant to add that Radio 4's 'Archive on 4' programme last Saturday was on the subject of light music on the BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011zkly

[vinteuil]

I agree, though, with EA that COTW seems an odd slot in which to put this musical genre. .

I would say that radio 3 is an odd slot in which to put this musical genre.


There is, after all, the Light Programme [radio 2 ]

[salymap]

I didn't think that much of today's offering of light music. Several old film pieces like Dream of Olwen, bits and bobs of other things. Eric Coates wrote enough good light music to fill the week's programmes alone IMO.

[PJPJ]

I would say that radio 3 is an odd slot in which to put this musical genre.


There is, after all, the Light Programme [radio 2 ]

Well, we used to have a weekly session on R3 with Brian Kay until it was axed a couple or more years ago. Until this festival, R3 has, regrettably in my view, neglected Light Music almost entirely, leaving me at the mercy of all 80 volumes of Guild Light Music.

The Light Programme or Radio 2 is now an even less appropriate place for this sort of music than even ten years ago. R3's better LA sound quality is appreciated by me at least.

But then I am an unashamed fan of this sort of cornucopia of cliche and jolliness. There's plenty of seriously serious stuff on R3.

And bring back Hilda Tablet!

[ahinton]

In a past (half-)life I had something to do with this kind of music (albeit not as a composer thereof!) and to this day much of it it remains to me largely anathematic, for all that I appreciate the sheer craftsmanship of the likes of Coates, Tomlinson, Farnon and the like; there's something quite horribly and horridly "let's-pretend-English" in the complacent, half-sanctimonious half-psuedo-nostalgic Home-Service atmosphere that tends to cling around so much of this stuff that I cannot help but find it sickening for the most part. Give me Johann Strauss II, Lehár et al any day, for all that one could throw at their work all manner of politically-suspect insults were one so inclined. Sorry, folks! In general, most of it does nothing positive for this Scotsman...

[hmvman]

... there's something quite horribly and horridly "let's-pretend-English" in the complacent, half-sanctimonious half-psuedo-nostalgic Home-Service atmosphere that tends to cling around so much of this stuff...

I'm obviously not listening to it carefully enough

[PJPJ]

[arcades]

And bring back Hilda Tablet!

If Wiki is correct: "The principal models for Dame Hilda were Dame Ethel Smyth (from whom Hilda took her lesbianism and rural heartiness together with the endlessness of her proposed memoirs), and Elisabeth Lutyens, with whom Reed was acquainted, from whom Hilda took her interest in the macabre and obsession with architecture."

I don't know Ethel Smyth's music but the music of Elisabeth Lutyens I know is wonderful ... I suppose there's no room for it on R3, though, what with it not being light enough :).

(... a lesbian being so obviously hilarious ... a woman writing difficult, complex, music as self-evident target for a 'harmless bit of fun' ... hmm. Not so sure myself about this Nostalgia thing).

Otherwise, what vinteuil & ahinton said.

[Don Petter]

And bring back Hilda Tablet!

I don't think Hilda would have approved of all those tunes.

[salymap]

I always feel I've got to speak up for Dame Ethel Smyth as she was born and lived for years locally, Sidcup,being country then of course. She wrote several volumes of autobiography which are worth reading IMO. She knew Brahms and many more composers, was friends with Napoleon III who was exiled in Chislehurst nearby and had strong views on everything. I think she had passionate friendships with women but she certainly had atleast one affair with a man, all in her books.

Back on topic, can the 'greats' write'light' music? The 'Badinerie' from Bach's orchestral Suite no 2,

music by Mozart, Dvorak and others come to mind. And what aboutShepherd Fennel's Dance by Balfour Gardiner, Hely Hutchinson's Carol Symphony for starters?

[PJPJ]

I don't think Hilda would have approved of all those tunes.

No, she certainly wouldn't. The only work of her's I know is "Emily Butter".

[mercia]

The 'Badinerie' from Bach's orchestral Suite no 2

I'm beginning to wonder what anyone's definition of light music might be. Something short and quick?