Ah, finally, Grimes on Barrett on Grimes.

Yes, that was me clinging to a buoy, and not waving but drowning.

Ron
 

The subject of Barrett's early responses to Grimes has emerged in the 'A few naive questions' thread, so I thought I would copy it here, as it seems the more appropriate thread!

In the context of talking about 'suspension of disbelief' in vocal works:

RB: A question I often ask myself when watching operas, particularly recent ones, that is to say from a period in history in which the pull of convention is weaker or absent, is "why are they singing?" Which isn't to say that there couldn't be a reason, but recently I finally got started on listening to Peter Grimes, and the first scene kept that question in my mind almost constantly - it seemed to me there was nothing in the scene which couldn't have been more clearly and powerfully projected if the music were left out. Harsh words, I know, and I'm prepared to be converted if I ever get past this scene, but it sounded to me that all Britten was doing was combining commonplace vocal lines with a rough-and-ready accompaniment in order just to fill the time out with music.

IP: Well, that's a question I ask in the context of operatic works as well. But in the case of the first scene of Peter Grimes, I do feel there's more to it. It is somewhat in the manner of a more fleshed-out recitative at first (the whole scene is necessary in order to put the subsequent events in context), so that the moments when the music add an extra perspective are all the more striking. Swallow's vocal writing surely adds considerably to the impression of his pomposity, especially with those rather overwrought angular lines where he sings the opening melody ('Peter Grimes I here advise you...'). Grimes's own lines are consistently accompanied by sustained string chords, the idea for which surely came from the similar treatment of Christ's singing parts in Bach's St Matthew Passion. These contrast strongly with the surrounding music, and communicate something of the martyr-like figure that Grimes will come to represent. The sense of the 'lone individual against the crowd' is quite overwhelming in this scene, with only Grimes given any sort of more sensitive characterisation, most of the other characters (nearly all of whom make an appearance in this prologue) merely caricatures. This aspect of Britten's writing was something that put me off for a while, but closer listening reveals that it is just the way he introduces people, giving some sense of the way they can be observed as grotesques from the outside. Most of them are developed quite significantly and subtlely through the course of the opera, revealing more dimensions than the original caricatures might suggest. Various motives which will be later developed throughout the opera are also introduced in this prologue (for example the F-B-flat-A-B-flat for the crowd, which recurs at several points, most tragically in Grimes's final mad scene, also the rising ninth which always symbolises Grimes's forlorn dreams). There is a lot going on in this scene which might seem less significant when taken on its own, but is essential to the whole work, and which could not in my opinion be conveyed just by the words. Do keep listening!

By the way, the 'rough-and-ready' quality of the music surely plays a part in communicating what a farcical affair this inquest is, doesn't it?

(hopefully all to be continued! )

Excellent good sense here, about one of Ben Britten's more persuasive and powerful works. For all that I found BB fascinating (not least for what was to me - though not at all to him! - a surprising love of and admiration for Chopin), I must confess that I have never especially warmed to a great deal of his work, its consistently splendid craftsmanship notwithstanding. Peter Grimes, however, represents to me a classic example of certain human concerns and interests that BB had which, as a composer, eh felt both impelled and able to transliterate into operatic terms and I think that he handled the whole with very considerable sensitivity and persuasiveness in this opera.

Best,

Alistair

I'm sure I've banged on about this elsewhere, but one 'human concern' I feel to be treated far too lightly in the opera is the issue of exploitation of child labour (brushed off by Keene, Balstrode, Ellen and Grimes himself - in this sense I have greater sympathies with the rest of the Borough, actually Boles says it most clearly - 'Is this a Christian country? Are pauper children so enslaved? That their bodies go for cash?'), because of the quasi-messianic status accorded Grimes himself (very different to the character in Crabbe, and to some extent that envisaged by Slater). Though there are alternative ways to interpret the opera with this in mind (and, presumably, to produce it); when I've finished lots of other current projects, I might finally get back to the monograph I started writing on the opera from this perspective

I'd love to know any further thoughts you have on the church scene in particular, and the character of Ellen, martle. The middle section of the church scene ('Child, you're not to young to know') is in my view perhaps the most important (and tragic) moment in the whole opera. Everything else leads towards or away from this.

Just sent you a private e-mail with some thoughts on that very scene. Love to read your postings after the seminar tomorrow!