Wildlife March 2010

[mark smyth]

What kind of music are you referring to Anthony?

[Anthony Darby]

Anything the kids at school listen to, well, normally listen to.

Many years ago, I ran a pets club in school with chinchillas and gerbils as well as snakes and lizards. Sometimes the kids would ask to come in to my classroom whilst I was having lunch. One day I was teaching some of these pupils and one started humming a tune. I listened for a while, and then the penny dropped. I had a tape machine in in the classroom, but the only tape I had in my drawer was one of Monteverdi madrigals (). It was one of these and when I enquired, they said they listened to it quite regularly.

[mark smyth]

That probably includes me also for likes in music. I'd bet they aren't into the songs your choir sing.

[Anthony Darby]

That probably includes me also for likes in music. I'd bet they aren't into the songs your choir sing.

Yep. I occasionally resort to playing some (of my kind of) music. Keeps me sane. At least the stuff that sounds like a broken washing machine seems to have died a death (except in Renault Clio drivers).

[Lesley Cox]

Surely Anthony, your pupil's Monteverdi experience indicates there are possibilities for some subtle subversion in the classroom, with selected tapes playing "underground" as it were?

[Anthony Darby]

Absolutely Lesley. Alas, it is not something they are used to, but it is amazing how quickly they appreciate it. I studied music at school and had to do keyboard harmony, written harmony, musical analysis, music history as well as two instruments to AB Grade 7 standard. Now you can do music in Scotland to the equivalent of GCSE without being able to read it!

[Lesley Cox]

Sounds about on a par with modern education systems Anthony. I did to Grade 8 on piano but was never going to rival Martha Argarich and eventually stopped, which I bitterly regret now. (My mother told me that I would!) I haven't touched a piano for 40 years and doubt if I could even read music now. My sister, on the other hand plays both piano and cello, the latter of which she did to FTCL Performers' level, then, silly woman, went and got married and had a family, music put on the back burner. She does play again now though.

[Anthony Darby]

I did grade 8 on the church organ, but only 5 on piano. I did Grade 7 violin, which was the standard for Scottish Higher music then (just below A level standard - S5 in secondary school, so 16 years old), but you only need grade 4 for Higher now. Lucy is doing grade 4 violin next month and grade 4 piano in the autumn and she's in P6 and 11 today!

[Lesley Cox]

Elizabeth is now learning to play the concert organ. She'll be 74 in May!

Happy birthday to Lucy. I hope you had a nice party for her.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks Lesley. She had a great party, with her favourite food (fillet steak, medium rare!!!!! ) with yours truly cooking. I think I'll be learning to feed myself without making a mess at 74! Learning the concert organ is no mean feat at any age!

[johnw]

Learning the concert organ is no mean feat at any age!

Sh'ed better have mean feet.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

She's a lot thinner and more agile than I am. In that respect takes after our Dad, though it was Ma who was musical. Elizabeth knows Gillian Weir.

[Anthony Darby]

Gillian Weir played a recital in the cathedral in Dunblane a few years ago, as part of a series to celebrate our new pipe organ. She went to a posh function afterwards but had to excuse herself to go to another - wine and nibbles in a fellow Dunblane chorister's kitchen. I think she enjoyed herself slumbing it with us plebs!

[Lesley Cox]

I'm sure she did. I remember a concert in the Wellington Town Hall years ago and the dress she wore, a magnificent thing all in brilliant greens, blues and purples, but like lame (read the acute), so that it flashed and glowed. It was very wide in the skirt and filled the whole seat. The music was OK too.

[Anthony Darby]

She must have worn the same dress here! I loved the way she sat down on the organ stool, spun round and started playing in one movement! Very flamboyant!  
Dame Gillian Weir is giving a recital to inaugurate the new organ at Paisley Abbey on Wednesday 21^st April. This is the second rebuild with the same organist (George McPhee) in residence, which must be a rare occurrence. Organists tend to last a long time! George Thalben-Ball was organist at Temple Church for nearly sixty years, and even has his own Beecham quote (During the early years of his life he was known simply as “George Ball”. He appended his Mother’s maiden name following an encounter with Sir Thomas Beecham who heard him play whilst still a teenager and was impressed:-
“What did you say your name was?”
“Ball Sir”
“Hmm. How very singular”)