|
Ian Pace
|
 |
« on: 10:10:30, 24-07-2007 » |
|
Well, I never thought I would have a good word to say for Nigel Kennedy (artist formerly known as .....?), but his comments at a high-profile concert on the plight of the Palestinians are inspiring - http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/885378.html |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
|
|
|
|
ahinton
|
|
« Reply #1 on: 11:14:38, 24-07-2007 » |
|
Well, I never thought I would have a good word to say for Nigel Kennedy (artist formerly known as .....?), but his comments at a high-profile concert on the plight of the Palestinians are inspiring - http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/885378.htmlNor me - but, the typical gimmickry notwithstanding, at least some of what appears in this article is encouraging. Just out of interest, what do you make of the activities of Barenboim and his youth orchestra in that neck of the - er - desert, by the way? Best, Alistair |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
thompson1780
|
|
« Reply #2 on: 11:36:28, 24-07-2007 » |
|
Hmm, his use of the word "phoniness" amuses me.
I am sure there are people who would remember him as a little boy from a middle class background, and may view his current persona as phony - but who are we to say who the real Nigel Kennedy is? I like what he says in the article, and it sounds genuine enough.
Tommo
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Made by Thompson & son, at the Violin & c. the West end of St. Paul's Churchyard, LONDON
|
|
|
|
Ian Pace
|
|
« Reply #3 on: 11:57:07, 24-07-2007 » |
|
Well, whether or not his persona is phony, his actions in terms of playing to the Palestinians, and refusing to play in Israel while they continue their apartheid-like policies, are for real, and those are what ultimately count, I believe.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
|
|
|
|
ahinton
|
|
« Reply #4 on: 14:16:19, 24-07-2007 » |
|
The thread title's "analogy" with Nixon in China has not gone either unnoticed or unappreciated (by me, at least).
Those thoughts (if any) re Barenboim, Ian?...
Best,
Alistair
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Ian Pace
|
|
« Reply #5 on: 01:08:24, 25-07-2007 » |
|
I missed your comments on Barenboim earlier, alistair. Just to say that I think what Barenboim is doing with the East-West Divan Orchestra is extremely important and valuable, yes, and he has taken quite a degree of flak from various quarters for so doing (and for other things). There are some radical Palestinian voices who cast doubt on the fact that such an enterprise is framed exclusively in terms of Western musical traditions - I can see that argument, it might seem as if the Palestinian musicians are being allowed participation so long as they conform to Western musical ideals, but nothing like this can be perfect, and that's a compromise that needs to be made. I do have to confess that I actually haven't heard the orchestra yet - from what I've heard from others, I get the impression they are perfectly fine, though in terms of the sounds they make not all that distinctive, simply sounding like a lot of other orchestras of such a type - of course I need to hear for myself before having an opinion on that. But that isn't really the point - this is a venture that's playing some (inevitably small, by necessity) part in bringing two peoples together in a part of the world where that is so sorely needed. From one musician who I know well and work with (not anyone here), I did here the comment that the Palestinian musicians are really not at all technically able and are being included for purely tokenistic reasons. That really saddened me - the comment, not the phenomenon which I don't believe, certainly on the basis of other reports. Let's hope the orchestra thrives.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
'These acts of keeping politics out of music, however, do not prevent musicology from being a political act . . .they assure that every apolitical act assumes a greater political immediacy' - Philip Bohlman, 'Musicology as a Political Act'
|
|
|
|
