Music and the Bard

[greenilex]

Anyone see the excellent article in today's Guardian about Shakespeare's musicians?

We do love people who open our ears. Claire von Kampen makes an important point, I think.

[greenilex]

Have tried to find the article on my Guardian app without success - it only gives her list of favourite pieces inspired by WS, which was attached to the "Such sweet thunder" article I meant...

Anyway, she points out the revolution in ordinary people's listening habits which was contemporaneous with Shakespeare's rise to fame - because, as she says, he responded to the demand to be allowed to share in the type of music hitherto only enjoyed by the rich.

The "swan of Avon" made complex pieces for consorts of "high-class" instruments available to the ordinary play-goer, and changed English taste forever...at least that is her thesis.