Sorry, I meant hear, hear! It's very late hear, I mean, here. Gary
----- Original Message ----- From: "gary digman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lutelist" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 3:32 AM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Sting and his CD > Here, here, Stewart! I heartily agree. One question: Mr. Sting describes > Dowland as the first English singer/songwriter. Is there any evidence that > Dowland actually sang professionally? > > Gary > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Lute Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 11:28 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Sting and his CD > > > > Dear Alfonso, > > > > If what you say is true, there must be something wrong with how they > > assess lutenists at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I have > > listened to Sting's CD, and I have to say I am impressed with what > > he has done: > > > > 1) All the words are sung clearly. So many singers, who are admired > > for the quality of their voice, do not enunciate the words clearly. > > For them, the music is more important than the words. In my opinion > > it should be the other way round. > > > > 2) The words are sung with understanding and with a suitable variety > > of tone colours to reflect the meaning. There is no all-purpose > > lovely tone. > > > > 3) The music is sung in time when it needs to be, so that, for > > example, "Can she excuse" goes with a real swing, as it should, > > because it is essentially a dance tune (a galliard). > > > > 4) Dowland's lute songs are essentially solo songs. For many of them > > there are optional alto, tenor and bass parts, but I have never been > > convinced that singing these songs with four voices is satisfactory. > > The songs are rhetorical in nature, and benefit from being sung by a > > solo singer. Sting's novel idea is to use the other voice parts, but > > they are sung quietly in the background, so that the solo voice > > still stands out as a solo. > > > > 5) Sting makes no claims to have a wonderful voice. In the sleeve > > notes he modestly describes his voice as an "unschooled tenor". His > > voice might not be what we have come to expect with performances of > > Dowland, but it is as valid as anyone else's. Our mistake is to > > type-cast the lute song, so that we expect singers to sing these > > songs in a particular way. People will buy the CD, because they like > > Sting's voice, not, I imagine, because they are keen on Dowland, and > > not because they expect him to sound like Alfred Deller or Emma > > Kirkby. > > > > 6) By risking the sort of prejudiced criticism, which he has > > received on this lute net and in newspaper reviews, Sting has put > > his reputation on the line. No wonder he confesses to being more > > nervous singing Dowland to a small audience than singing his usual > > stuff to an audience of 5,000. He has an affection for Dowland's > > music, which he wants to share with others. With one CD he has done > > much to promulgate the quality of the lute and Dowland's music. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart McCoy. > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Alfonso Marin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Lute Net" <Lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > > Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 7:58 PM > > Subject: [LUTE] Re: O Sting, where is thy death? > > > > > > > > > > On 16-okt-2006, at 20:41, Daniel Shoskes wrote: > > > > > > > The lute playing however was much worse than on the CD. Horrible > > > > tone, illogical tempo changes, rattling glissandi, lots of > > > > mistakes. Probably the worst "professional" performance I have > > ever > > > > heard. > > > > > > I guy did not pass the entrance exam in the Conservatorium van > > > Amsterdam playing much better that Karamazov in "Come again". > > > > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/480 - Release Date: 10/17/2006 > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.4/480 - Release Date: 10/17/2006 > >
