Our folk band played a programme of 16th and 17th Century music in the marble-floored hall of one of our nearby great country houses. Actually, it grieves me I wasn’t in it; the side-effects of the pills I have to take make it too difficult at the moment, but there is no point in moaning. Mrs. D. played.
We mentioned it to a woman from one of those Old-English music groups that are so up themselves in pious authenticity you wonder what pleasure they get out of actually playing the music, if any. She looked interested.
We explained that it was not all 16th and 17th Century music, that there were some modern novelty items like Barnacle Bill.
Also, that we would not be wearing authentic costumes, only what we had been able to cobble together and make ourselves to create an impression of the time.
And while we do play composers like Playford and Susato, we do not have original instruments, just our usual ones. We even have banjos, piano accordian and an electric bass.
“Oh!” she said in a long drawn-out “Ohhh!”, wrinkling her nose as if something didn’t smell right.
She didn’t buy a ticket.
I once worked in an historical production and I have to tell you that the emphasis was so much on authenticity. The costumes had to be just right, and the things used in the set had to be just right. We were authentic alright, but the play itself seemed to be secondary and poorly done. The director was very hurt by the criticism and vented to me. In the end, I could only say that it seemed her real talent was set design and costume. I did not say that she should leave directing to someone else. All this to say, authenticity will not carry the show.
ReplyDeletePresentation is important, but not at the expense of content. Too many things now are disappointing when you get past the attraction.
DeleteGentle Giant were a Prog Rock band who could play anything from Renaissance music to modern day Rock.
ReplyDeleteI had to look them up. I remember Simon Dupree but did not know they became GG. They could really play.
DeleteShe was quite right. Can't have these common oiks trying to be something they're not. Good grief, you'll be expecting people to enjoy it next!
ReplyDeleteDo you wear sack cloth?
DeletePurists about ANYTHING always seem to come with a big helping of snobbery.
ReplyDeleteHumourless.
DeleteI’d love to hear some Susato, my favourite!
ReplyDeleteWasn't recorded, but we do some of this, including the first one:
Deletehttps://youtu.be/ck5xAnvLvco
That sounds like a lot of fun. My early music groups loved medieval and Renaissance playing but we weren't above putting silly hats on and playing silly stuff. That's authentic, anyway. People used to play what they could on what they had to play on.
ReplyDeleteAuthentically silly! The most important thing is to enjoy it.
DeleteHer loss, Tasker!
ReplyDeleteI second that!
DeleteIt was rell received. They sold 140 tickets and raised about £1,500 for the restoration fund.
DeleteYou play proper folk music then - music of the folk, for the folk...etc We grew up with folk music. It's an expression of community, brings people together to share voice and movement. D^^n the woman. How dare she try to define and put boundaries on folk art and claim it for some exclusive group of stuffed shirts.
ReplyDeleteMusic rather than song. Folk music can mean many different things. Early music is I suppose more specific, but there to be enjoyed rather than endured.
DeleteA two way street. You didn't want her leaving, huffily, in the midst of your favorite piece.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Bad temperedly, rather than dancing out to a hornpipe.
DeleteIt sounds like a lot of fun to me, Tasker, and I would have been there, you could be sure. A fly in the ointment is that you can't play at the moment - but you can listen and enjoy, and I wish you better health soon.
ReplyDeleteAs to snobs: I sense a huge insecurity underlying any snobbery - because they need (!) to elevate themselves above others - and they sound like "have to be right and better", without much joy from that.
Definitely an element of superiority about it. It's not a good idea to take oneself too seriously.
DeleteHer loss. I'm sure everyone else had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteYes. It was good for the fundraising and they want to repeat it soon, so it must have been all right.
DeleteSome music loving people - including some music teachers I have met - seem so wrapped up in the mechanics and theories of music that they don't really enjoy it. It was the same with Mrs Maddox - my piano teacher when I was nine. She managed to make music joyless.
ReplyDeleteJoyless is exactly the right word. Mind you, some English teachers manage that with reading.
DeleteYes. You are right about that. And some English teachers who promote and mark youngsters' writing never really write themselves.
DeleteI have a mechanism when I meet 'small-minded' people. Just feel sorry for them and do not engage. There is so much music in the world, enjoy it all.
ReplyDeleteSounds a good strategy. I guess we started out defensive and apologetic because we knew about her music group, so she hit hard with the put-down.
DeleteI'm with you on this, authentic performance has its place but most old music was meant to be fun and sung by friends. wish I had heard your concert keeping old music alive for today!
ReplyDeleteThank you. It seems to have been well received.
Delete