Rococo

[jean]

I hadn't intended to watch this.

But I did catch Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Trevor Cox, Waldemar Januszczak and Victoria Williamson talking on Start the Week (R4) just now.

Bach, Rococo? Surely not! I thought.

Or maybe it's just an illustration of how useless it is to try to apply these rather arbitrary labels to different art forms.

[rauschwerk]

I hadn't intended to watch this.

But I did catch Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Trevor Cox, Waldemar Januszczak and Victoria Williamson talking on Start the Week (R4) just now.

Bach, Rococo? Surely not! I thought.

Or maybe it's just an illustration of how useless it is to try to apply these rather arbitrary labels to different art forms.

They surely were referring to J S Bach's sons, Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emanuel.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

right wrong &c saw some of this and realised i had lost all tolerance for the presenter [must be me being an old grump] and am not bothering to watch it

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I've quite enjoyed Januscek's previous series and watched this first episode in the hope that he'd introduce me to aspects of Rococo (an aesthetic I loathe) that I'd not appreciated before. He didn't (essentially, the bits I thought were decent works of art were what I'd always believed to be from the Baroque - so it wouldn't surprise me if JS was the intended Bach mentioned above - and the pink stucco loathsome stuff remained pink, stucco and loathsome) - and for the first time I found Januscek irritaingly mannered and lacking substance. Which rather sums up most Rococo stuff, so at least style and content matched.

[aeolium]

for the first time I found Januscek irritaingly mannered and lacking substance

For the first time, ferney?? I find this presenter utterly unwatchable and have for years. It's a shame as the series he presents are often on subjects that interest me.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For the first time, ferney?? I find this presenter utterly unwatchable and have for years. It's a shame as the series he presents are often on subjects that interest me.

Yup. In his previous programmes, I've managed to see behind the mannerisms - even finding them quite eccentricly amusing - because the substance of what he was saying was valid and insightful (I remember a programme on the Impressionists where he moved the camera to various viewpoints to demonstrate how tricks of perspective were used to deceive the eye). In this series, there were all the posturing clichés (the talking-over-his-shoulder-at-the-camera-whilst-walking-when-his-gasping-for-breath-showed-that-the-only-walking-he-ever-does-is-for-precisely-these-types-of-shot stuff) with many words which said very little.

[amateur51]

As I tend to agree with ferney about Rococo art, I hoped that this thread might be for the rather wonderful choclaterie that is http://www.rococochocolates.com/Wafe...le=Wafer+Thins

Those thins ain't cheap but they sure is gawjus!

Even the pinks ones

[Ferretfancy]

As I tend to agree with ferney about Rococo art, I hoped that this thread might be for the rather wonderful choclaterie that is http://www.rococochocolates.com/Wafe...le=Wafer+Thins

Those thins ain't cheap but they sure is gawjus!

Even the pinks ones

Bless!

One thing about rococo is that it really needs to be seen in its setting. Januscek visited Wyss church in his first programme, and yes, it looked nice in HD, but if you actually stand inside the building the effect is much more impressive. The same goes for places like San Andrea Quirinale in Rome. I'm not a great rococo fan, but pictures don't really do it justice.

Incidentally re Waldemar, have you noticed the latest gimmick, which is to walk away from the camera and look over your shoulder while delivering your lines? Presumably this is intended to do away with standing still and waving you arms about.

[gurnemanz]

It was worth watching despite his presentation style which can be amusingly whimsical but can also be irritating (maybe this matched the subject matter). I also found the editing a bit irritating as it flitted around all over the place.

I was reminded of a very enjoyable "Canaletto in England" show at the Dulwich gallery a few years ago ... the last show we went to with my father, an enthusiastic Londoner, before he died.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Incidentally re Waldemar, have you noticed the latest gimmick, which is to walk away from the camera and look over your shoulder while delivering your lines? Presumably this is intended to do away with standing still and waving you arms about.

Yup.

In this series, there were all the posturing clichés (the talking-over-his-shoulder-at-the-camera-whilst-walking-when-his-gasping-for-breath-showed-that-the-only-walking-he-ever-does-is-for-precisely-these-types-of-shot stuff) with many words which said very little.

[Richard Tarleton]

whilst-walking-when-his-gasping-for-breath-showed-that-the-only-walking-he-ever-does-is-for-precisely-these-types-of-shot stuff)

I have spotted Waldemar walking in Kentish Town having just bought his Sunday Times By a nice coincidence his next review mentioned that he did just this - before going on to the next bit of his Sunday routine, breakfast and a walk on the Heath (the piece was about the refurbished Kenwood House). I enjoy his written stuff, just exhausting to watch/listen to.

[Ferretfancy]

Yup. In his previous programmes, I've managed to see behind the mannerisms - even finding them quite eccentricly amusing - because the substance of what he was saying was valid and insightful (I remember a programme on the Impressionists where he moved the camera to various viewpoints to demonstrate how tricks of perspective were used to deceive the eye). In this series, there were all the posturing clichés (the talking-over-his-shoulder-at-the-camera-whilst-walking-when-his-gasping-for-breath-showed-that-the-only-walking-he-ever-does-is-for-precisely-these-types-of-shot stuff) with many words which said very little.

Sorry Ferney, missed you first time round! Pieces to camera are tricky at best, i have tried. Alastair Sooke manages to do it very well while allowing you to see the art. Alexander Graham Dixon is the worst.

[Richard Tarleton]

Alexander Graham Dixon is the worst.

Hmmm - I defer to greater knowledge and experience but....why/how exactly? I thought [Andrew] G-D was rather good, except you do tend to get a lot of shots of him in a car going from A to B. One item that sticks in the mind was a virtuoso piece he did on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - he and his crew were given limited time in the Chapel, and the exposition, production and camerawork were masterly - obviously credit to the production team as well....Done a few pieces to camera meself, on wildlife topics....

[jean]

I've just watched about half of the programme after all, and I'm struck by how little real music of the period there is - it's nearly all jolly, tinkly made-up stuff, though there's a bit of Vivaldi, and whose was the organ music about ten minutes in?

[Sir Velo]

I've just watched about half of the programme after all, and I'm struck by how little real music of the period there is - it's nearly all jolly, tinkly made-up stuff, though there's a bit of Vivaldi, and whose was the organ music about ten minutes in?

I think you have been misled by the Start the Week feature into anticipating more music than the programme intends to include. Januszczak is very much a painting and visual arts bod. Any music heard in the programme will just be a mood setter.