Harrison Birtwistle.

I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.

Ob. Archers – not many people with the forename Harrison, was the
Ambridge copper named after the above? I believe there was some chap in
a shoot-em-up space opera once, wasn't there?

Rosie

On 18/04/2022 19:16, Rosalind Mitchell wrote:
> Harrison Birtwistle.
>
> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.

<languid wave>

--
Sid
(Make sure Matron is away when you reply)

On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 at 19:16:35, Rosalind Mitchell
<walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote (my responses usually FOLLOW):
>Harrison Birtwistle.
>
>I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
(Me too, I fear.)
>niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>
>Ob. Archers – not many people with the forename Harrison, was the
>Ambridge copper named after the above? I believe there was some chap in
>a shoot-em-up space opera once, wasn't there?
>
>Rosie

Ford Prefect?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

If you're worried that your house is haunted by a ghost and might need
exorcising, there's an easy way of working out if it is or it isn't: it isn't.
- Victoria Coren Mitchell, quoted in RT 2017/10/7-13

On Monday, 18 April 2022 at 19:16:40 UTC+1, Rosalind Mitchell wrote:
> Harrison Birtwistle.
>
> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>

You are a lady of impeccable taste, Rosie

On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
<walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:

>Harrison Birtwistle.
>
>I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
>niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>
Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.

Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.

Nick

On 18/04/2022 21:05, Nick Odell wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
> <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Harrison Birtwistle.
>>
>> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
>> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>>
> Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.
>
> Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.
>
> Nick

In addition, while I might not have gone out of my way to attend or
listen to a Birtwistle performance I can feel glad to live in a
civilisation which could produce and support him.

I have a hazy memory of finding the score of a piece by him based on a
Mummers' Play while baby-sitting many years ago which prompted me to
write a Mummers' Play for my own children to perform.

john

On Monday, April 18, 2022 at 7:16:40 PM UTC+1, Rosalind Mitchell wrote:
> Harrison Birtwistle.
>
> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>
> Ob. Archers – not many people with the forename Harrison, was the
> Ambridge copper named after the above? I believe there was some chap in
> a shoot-em-up space opera once, wasn't there?
>
> Rosie

+ 1

On 18/04/2022 21:51, John Ashby wrote:
> On 18/04/2022 21:05, Nick Odell wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
>> <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Harrison Birtwistle.
>>>
>>> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more
>>> familiar with the
>>> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>>> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>>>
>> Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.
>>
>> Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.
>
> In addition, while I might not have gone out of my way to attend or
> listen to a Birtwistle performance I can feel glad to live in a
> civilisation which could produce and support him.
>
> I have a hazy memory of finding the score of a piece by him based on a
> Mummers' Play while baby-sitting many years ago which prompted me to
> write a Mummers' Play for my own children to perform.

I certainly mentioned it while he was alive - although probably not on
umra because I don't ever recall the subject coming up - and I daresay
Rosie did, too.

It's true that any death is a sad thing and I agree that it's a very
good thing that our civilisation should produce and support people like
Birtwhistle, but that doesn't mean that I have to like what he wrote.
I'm genuinely glad that others do, but I don't. That doesn't mean that
it has no merit (I don't like most of Wagner or Shostakovich either, for
example), it just means that it's not to my taste. I think it's valid
for me - or Rosie - to say so.

I've always liked Alan Bennett's remark that at the entrance to the
National Gallery there should be a sign saying "You don't have to like
everything."

(In similar vein, although I like some of what I've heard of Radu Lupu's
work, I'm not very keen on his recordings of the Schubert Impromptus,
but it's probably best if I don't mention it.)

--
Sid
(Make sure Matron is away when you reply)

Nick Odell <nick@themusicworkshop.plus.com> writes:

> On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
> <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Harrison Birtwistle.
>>
>>I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
>>niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>>musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>>
> Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.
>
> Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.

Death is the most inevitable thing in life. Some die much too early and
that is tragic but those who reach 88 had a good run I reckon. I have a
hunch I won't make it that far and it doesn't bother me; some have said
(not unkindly) I have already done more than my fair share of
living. It's not inevitable to have glowing tributes in the newspapers,
so I am merely offering a counter-view. I believe that in another
hundred years, when wise voices come to comment on the music that
defined the late 20th and early 21st century the name of Harrison
Birtwistle will not loom large, and furthermore the repertoire of 22nd
century opera houses will certainly include Tosca and The Magic Flute
but not Punch and Judy.

Rosie

Rosalind Mitchell <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
> Nick Odell <nick@themusicworkshop.plus.com> writes:
>
>> On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
>> <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Harrison Birtwistle.
>>>
>>> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
>>> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>>> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>>>
>> Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.
>>
>> Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.
>
> Death is the most inevitable thing in life. Some die much too early and
> that is tragic but those who reach 88 had a good run I reckon. I have a
> hunch I won't make it that far and it doesn't bother me; some have said
> (not unkindly) I have already done more than my fair share of
> living. It's not inevitable to have glowing tributes in the newspapers,
> so I am merely offering a counter-view. I believe that in another
> hundred years, when wise voices come to comment on the music that
> defined the late 20th and early 21st century the name of Harrison
> Birtwistle will not loom large, and furthermore the repertoire of 22nd
> century opera houses will certainly include Tosca and The Magic Flute
> but not Punch and Judy.
>
> Rosie
>
>
>

A poster was seen in a maternity unit ‘The first ten minutes of life are
the most critical’ to which someone added ‘The last ten minutes are pretty
dodgy too.’

--
Toodle Pip, Mike McMillan

On 19/04/2022 18:34, Mike McMillan wrote:
> Rosalind Mitchell <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Nick Odell <nick@themusicworkshop.plus.com> writes:
>>
>>> On Mon, 18 Apr 2022 19:16:35 +0100, Rosalind Mitchell
>>> <walneyrose@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Harrison Birtwistle.
>>>>
>>>> I'm... well, terribly underwhelmed I'm afraid. Otherrats more familiar with the
>>>> niceties of modern music may have positive things to say but this
>>>> musical numpty has to say he only ever gave me earrache.
>>>>
>>> Not something I recall you mentioning while he was alive, Rosie.
>>>
>>> Any man's death diminishes me, Rosie.
>>
>> Death is the most inevitable thing in life. Some die much too early and
>> that is tragic but those who reach 88 had a good run I reckon. I have a
>> hunch I won't make it that far and it doesn't bother me; some have said
>> (not unkindly) I have already done more than my fair share of
>> living. It's not inevitable to have glowing tributes in the newspapers,
>> so I am merely offering a counter-view. I believe that in another
>> hundred years, when wise voices come to comment on the music that
>> defined the late 20th and early 21st century the name of Harrison
>> Birtwistle will not loom large, and furthermore the repertoire of 22nd
>> century opera houses will certainly include Tosca and The Magic Flute
>> but not Punch and Judy.

> A poster was seen in a maternity unit ‘The first ten minutes of life are
> the most critical’ to which someone added ‘The last ten minutes are pretty
> dodgy too.’

Tea on the monitor, Mike!

--
Steveski