A Passing Observation

[poliphilo]

I admire Benjamin Britten no end but there's something seriously out of kilter about  a folk song or sea chanty being performed- at the grand piano-  by two chaps in evening dress. 

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This was prompted by your post of a few days ago and by hearing "Down by the Salley Gardens"- words by Yeats, arrangement by Britten- being rendered by the archetypal two chaps in evening dress. I'm guessing the tune must be traditional. Anyway, I know it from the repertoire of the folk singer Bram Taylor.

I'd be interested in reading your opinion of Vaughan Williams. Material for a future post, maybe?

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Ah, I wondered if it was pure coincidence.

Material for a future post, maybe?

That's kind of you, but probably not: I'm trying to minimise the grumbling in my LJ. But the short version is implicit in my comment here: there are some lovely tunes in Vaughan Williams, which have nothing to do with how good a composer he is (which I'm not competent to discuss) and everything to do with what wonderful tunes they are. Full credit to him for recognising that...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I get your drift...

I suppose V-W acknowledged his borrowings- or did he?

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

He was well known as a collector of folk songs, and a leading member of the EFDSS, so I don't think there was any concealment on his part. How much the classical music fans are aware of it is another question.