Pronunciation of musicians' names

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  • Pabmusic
    Full Member
    • May 2011
    • 5537

    #16
    Originally posted by Flosshilde View Post
    "I just know some public figure named Smith would start pronouncing his last name Smythe"


    Hmmm - isn't that pronounced 'smith' anyway?

    How did Dame Ethel pronounce her name - which didn't have an 'e' on the end?
    I'm sure it was 'Smithe' (that is, with a long 'i'). I used to know a family member, and he at least pronounced it that way, which of course is how we say it.

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    • Flosshilde
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 7988

      #17
      I assumed that it was toff's version of Smith, spelt that way to distinguish them from the lower orders, or to confuse them (like Cholmondley, or Bucket )

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      • jean
        Late member
        • Nov 2010
        • 7100

        #18
        Originally posted by Pabmusic View Post
        I'm sure it was 'Smithe' (that is, with a long 'i').
        I think Donald Mcleod pronounced Ethel that way when she was Composer of the Week.

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        • Roehre

          #19
          Originally posted by jean View Post
          I think Donald Mcleod pronounced Ethel that way when she was Composer of the Week.
          He certainly did, and it took some time before the penny dropped whom he meant.

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          • Flosshilde
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 7988

            #20
            Originally posted by rauschwerk View Post
            According to Humphrey Burton's biography of Bernstein: "There are several towns and villages named Bernstein in Germany and Austria (where the pronunciation is BernSTINE), but Bernstein's parents came from Jewish ghettos in NW Ukraine, where the last syllable is usually pronounced BernSHTAYN or STEEN. Sam (Leonard's father) insisted, however, on the mid-European style employed by the earlier immigrants."
            Joyce DiDonato favours 'stine'.

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            • french frank
              Administrator/Moderator
              • Feb 2007
              • 30250

              #21
              Originally posted by Flosshilde View Post
              Joyce DiDonato favours 'stine'.
              Trying to say it spontaneously from memory, I would say Leonard Bernstine - and probably Elmer Bernsteen, even though his mother was a Feinstein ). And I see Wikipedia is dogmatic:

              "He was not related to the celebrated composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein [ ... ] They pronounced their last names differently; Elmer pronounced his (BERN-steen), and Leonard's was (BERN-stine)."

              Einstine, Einshtine? I'd say Einshtine - but he was German born and brought up, unlike the two others [Sorry - that should be on Ideas and Theory ]
              It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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              • Beef Oven!
                Ex-member
                • Sep 2013
                • 18147

                #22
                My memory from childhood tells me he was always referred to as Burn-styne.

                I think that it was only later, when I understood the European pronunciation of 'EI' in German, that I changed the way I said it.

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                • jean
                  Late member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 7100

                  #23
                  But that is the German pronunciation. Did you change your pronunciation out of sheer bloodymindedness?

                  (Recently someone on Radio3 announced a Liebesleid. I assumed it was a mistake, but then I reflected that love might be as productive of sorrow as of a song.)

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                  • french frank
                    Administrator/Moderator
                    • Feb 2007
                    • 30250

                    #24
                    Originally posted by jean View Post
                    (Recently someone on Radio3 announced a Liebesleid. I assumed it was a mistake, but then I reflected that love might be as productive of sorrow as of a song.)
                    There is indeed a Liebesleid as well as a Liebeslied (Kreisler). [Too many ei's and ie's - Ed]
                    It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.

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                    • Flosshilde
                      Full Member
                      • Nov 2010
                      • 7988

                      #25
                      How about Borodeen from Margaret Juntwait today?

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                      • marthe

                        #26
                        Back to Leonard Bernstein. I remember his name being pronounced as Burnstine. We used to watch, on prime time network TV, the broadcasts of the Young People's Concerts conducted and narrated By Leonard Bernstein http://www.leonardbernstein.com/ypc.htm . On the other hand, my father had a colleague named Dr. Joseph Bernstein who pronounced his name "Burnsteen". I was confused by this difference in pronunciation when I was young. As for Borodin, Margaret Juntwait is using the standard American pronunciation of that name.

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                        • Beef Oven!
                          Ex-member
                          • Sep 2013
                          • 18147

                          #27
                          Originally posted by jean View Post
                          But that is the German pronunciation. Did you change your pronunciation out of sheer bloodymindedness?

                          (Recently someone on Radio3 announced a Liebesleid. I assumed it was a mistake, but then I reflected that love might be as productive of sorrow as of a song.)
                          I meant Burn-steen, but got confused.

                          Changed to Burnstyne later.

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                          • gamba
                            Late member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 575

                            #28
                            My little brother, in early stages of speech, referred to well- known conductor as Barribolli - much more attractive than the correct version. Eventually the whole family went his way - & why not ?

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