MUSIC & VISION NEWSLETTER
ISSUE 1 - JUNE 1999
Welcome to the monthly newsletter of Music & Vision, the daily
music magazine edited by Basil Ramsey. Ates Orga is Consultant Editor (keyboard).
STOCKTAKING
The gradual growth of Music & Vision's readership encourages
us to keep our present course in terms of the level of general readability
for the mixture of amateur musical enthusiasts and professional musicians
who have found our site, and then return for more. The comparatively small
amount of opinion that comes via email is amazingly kind, which leads me
to invite the shrewd amongst you to tell us when you are displeased or just
plain angry with anything specific. We may not agree but we'll listen and
do whatever seems appropriate.
In terms of material, we have barely scratched the surface of possibilities;
nor can we anticipate the musical 'unknowns' out there in the world with
gifts galore but not the means as yet to publicise them. There's an increasing
tide of global competitive events designed to spotlight exceptional talent
in the making. As proved already, we endeavour to bring such matters to
readers' attention when we can. Which provides the chance for reminding
all readers of the importance of telling us when anything musical in your
neighbourhood is deserving of wider publicity. You need only email us the
crucial details of an event plus a contact for queries. Obviously we cannot
guarantee use of such material, but we will endeavour to give a balanced
view of what we consider apposite within the context of each day's output.
Please, then, make your presence known to us with anything relevant at
any time. We, in turn, will strive to gather writing from interesting people
in music and use the best facilities of the internet to help us help you,
and occasionally to entertain as well.
Copyright © Basil Ramsey, May 31st
1999
MELLERS WRITING ON JANACEK AND CAMPION
Wilfrid Mellers explores the music of Janacek and the songs of Thomas
Campion, in the guise of two lengthy CD reviews.
Of Janacek, Mellers writes:
'His vocal lines make audible, visible, even tactile, the people living
and suffering in his world, for the melodies' short, reiterated motives
echo the word- and body-gestures of rudimentary human creations, while the
orchestra "incarnates" the natural and social environment they
inhabit.'
Read
more >>
Of Campion: 'That Campion was technically "progressive" although
an old-fashioned Gentleman, bears on his unexpected variety, making it possible
for him to make a narrative ballad, such as "It fell on a summer's
day", wherein the music is as artfully sophisticated as the words,
so that we have no difficulty in accepting it as "democratically"
pertinent to us today.'
Read
more >>
Mellers will return shortly with more CD and book reviews. Whenever possible,
we will schedule Mellers' articles for Saturdays.
** ADVERTISEMENT **
BramichKeith announces the launch of Gerard Schurmann's new graphics-rich
website at www.gerard-schurmann.com
- including a full works list, Earl Tomson's biography, and a variety of
photographic images. David Wishart presents an appreciation of Schurmann's
film music.
Continue reading the newsletter >>
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