Weir Judith (b 1954): the next MQM

[french frank]

Btw, JW is of Scottish parentage. Was she not born, brought up - and currently lives - in England? She may have to apply for Scottish citizenship, providing documentation of her parents, if she is resident in England when/if Scotland votes for independence. In which case she will have to decide whether she wishes to apply for dual nationality in order to be British and Scottish.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

If Weir is the best composer of her generation, let her be appointed.

Not even close - but possibly one of the most prominent of those who would accept the post. (Just as Andrew Motion wasn't the best poet of his generation.)

But it's patronising in the extreme to welcome her appointment, and then say one has never heard any of her output.

Not necessarily - re-reading BS's post #2, I understand it to mean something along the lines of "It is good that, by this appointment, women composers are at last being given the official public respect that they deserve. I don't know the work of this particular composer, any suggestions?" It's being seen as another, if miniscule, step along the long road to greater parity between men and women, just as, if a woman were to be appointed Astronomer Royal, I'd presume that she merited the title and I'd take satisfaction that I lived in a society that enpowered women to such public eminence, even though I knew nothing of her work

The next step is when we take such appointments as unremarkable - the step after that is the abolition of the Monarchy.

[P. G. Tipps]

Indeed ... she sounds very English to me but obviously considers herself Scottish which is understandable if she is of "pure" Scottish parentage.

My own hunch is that, even if the Scots vote for 'Independence' (unlikely), full blown Independence will never actually come about as there would be simply too many huge problems and obstacles for both Scotland and the rest of the UK to overcome. The one thing Salmond is right about is that there would have to be 'negotiations' after such a vote but not necessarily producing the results he might imagine! A compromise deal would then be put to the Scottish people and, as it would be inevitably 'Devo-Max' (which is what all polls indicate the Scots really wanted anyway), the deal would be overwhelmingly endorsed by the voters.

Just my hunch, you understand!

(Sorry, this is now in clear danger of getting moved to the P&CA forum!)

[french frank]

(Sorry, this is now in clear danger of getting moved to the P&CA forum!)

There is already a thread on the subject, so I could copy it over if people want to comment.

[Honoured Guest]

Indeed ... she sounds very English to me but obviously considers herself Scottish which is understandable if she is of "pure" Scottish parentage.

Judith Weir speaks with a Scottish accent, so I presume that you can only mean that her music sounds very English to you, but that doesn't make much sense either ...

[ahinton]

Judith Weir speaks with a Scottish accent, so I presume that you can only mean that her music sounds very English to you, but that doesn't make much sense either ...

She is a Scot, although born in Cambridge.

As to what might happen if Scotland goes independent in a few months' time, it might be up to her to decide, as FF suggests, whether or not to adopt dual nationality but, should Wales eventually go the same way, any such dual nationality may then have to change from Scottish / British to Scottish / English.

Although I'm not anti-monarchist per se, I've never quite seen the point of the appointment, especially as it doesn't carry specific official duties as might be expected (and there was once a rumour that, when Williamson was the incumbent, he was actually asked not to write a piece for the funeral of the Princess of Wales and, whatever the wisdom / justification or otherwise for such a decision, as what we had instead was second-hand Tavener and bowdlerised Elton John, one might argue that it backfired).

I can't say that I've been especially excited by anything of JW that I've heard, either.

[french frank]

I wonder whether she is of that class (musically) which falls between what the avant garde/musically informed appreciate and what the 'average concert-goer' (for whom the average concert programme is drawn up - if you want to question the 'average' - enjoys.

Just listening to the String Quartet. Quite like it.

[Honoured Guest]

As an ignorant but interested listener, I think of Judith Weir as being a scrupulously honest composer, not pandering to an imagined public, who engages with people and with real-world influences and other artforms in her compositions. If my perception is correct, I consider this to be an ideal attitude for a fine composer to fulfil the role of composing music for public occasions and with empathy for the people and the times.

[ahinton]

As an ignorant but interested listener, I think of Judith Weir as being a scrupulously honest composer, not pandering to an imagined public, who engages with people and with real-world influences and other artforms in her compositions. If my perception is correct, I consider this to be an ideal attitude for a fine composer to fulfil the role of composing music for public occasions and with empathy for the people and the times.

But just how much do MQMs actually do specifically as part of their rôle as such?

[P. G. Tipps]

Judith Weir speaks with a Scottish accent, so I presume that you can only mean that her music sounds very English to you, but that doesn't make much sense either ...

A quick look at her life history from birth to the present day would suggest it would be remarkable if she spoke (naturally) with a Scottish accent, and any time I've ever heard her speak on radio I've never been aware of a Scottish lilt.

However, I've traced an interview with her and the Scottish pronunciation in her voice is clearly apparent at times.

Remarkable indeed. So you are correct and my deepest apologies to Ms Weir!

http://vimeo.com/74190963

[ahinton]

I wonder (or rather might do so if I could really be bothered) how the selection process for MQMs works, who sets it in motion, who makes the decisions and whether any (and, if so, how many) composers offered it have politely (or otherwise) declined the position? Might Prince Charles want to have more of a say in appointments to it than HM the Queen appears to have done if he becomes king (or even before then)?

[Mary Chambers]

I wonder (or rather might do so if I could really be bothered) how the selection process for MQMs works, who sets it in motion, who makes the decisions and whether any (and, if so, how many) composers offered it have politely (or otherwise) declined the position? Might Prince Charles want to have more of a say in appointments to it than HM the Queen appears to have done if he becomes king (or even before then)?

Britten was offered the post in 1975, when Arthur Bliss died, but refused because of his very poor health. In effect he had been MQM anyway, to some extent, with Gloriana for the Coronation and A Birthday Hansel (a set of Burns songs for tenor and harp), composed at the request of the Queen for the Queen Mother's birthday.

[french frank]

Might Prince Charles want to have more of a say in appointments to it than HM the Queen appears to have done if he becomes king (or even before then)?

Patrick Hawes? I see he's on In Tune on Wednesday. So he, as well as Karl Jenkins, is in from the cold...?

[ahinton]

Britten was offered the post in 1975, when Arthur Bliss died, but refused because of his very poor health.

Yes, I remember that.

In effect he had been MQM anyway, to some extent, with Gloriana for the Coronation and A Birthday Hansel (a set of Burns songs for tenor and harp), composed at the request of the Queen for the Queen Mother's birthday.

Both Richard Rodney Bennett and David Matthews were commissioned by Prince Charles to write works in honour of the Queen Mother but I don't think that the former was ever offered the MQM position and am pretty sure that the latter hasn't (and I have in any case no idea whether either would have accepted it if they had).

[Honoured Guest]

Rubbra was erased and Tippett was tippexed.