I don't actually want to reply to this but I can hardly avoid doing so given what I'm accused of. This will be my final response.
My short and spontaneous answer would be "Oh, for God's sake, Anthony, don't be so bloody WET!" I said that the performance needed one to have a barf bag handy. You referred to that remark as "gratuitous nastiness" and "cruelly revolting" (and now "insulting, dismissive and out of order"). That is a ridiculous overreaction on your part. Perhaps you are not familiar with the expression "get me a barf bag" (or the finger-in-throat gesture that often accompanies it). It is a common expression of dislike -- not revulsion or hatred -- by no means as savage as you make out. And I was attacking a performance, not Dru. >>>to my way of thinking. Exactly! >>>[we...] should not be in the game of belittling one another's musical >>>favourites. I believe that we should be able to express both positive AND negative views on this forum. We are not here to like or encourage EVERYTHING (even just pedagogically). Various bona fide "Famous Pipers" have made FAR more dismissive comments here about performances - particularly those of a certain lady - than my "barf bag" remark. >>I am suggesting you move on from your prejudices against trained singers and >>listen to the whole story of the piece which seems to be more Lieder than >>Folk. I haven't the faintest idea what you mean here. I have no prejudice whatsoever against "trained singers" (including in the Irish repertoire) or the piece. My objection was to the particular performance referenced, which turns a great piece of sean nos into something cloying and mawkish, with a horrible plinky accompaniment -- "Arran-sweaters-by-the-fireside" easy listening. I - i.e. me, myself, personally -- find that it does violence to the essence of the music. NB: I was/am commenting on a paid professional performer, who places herself before the public for money, thus inviting comment. And although these are my personal opinions, I can assure you that a lot of lovers of Irish folk will share them. The repertoire that the song comes from has real GUTS. It's not meant to be simperingly sweet. Many of the great female sean nos singers sing with a similar "trained" voice production but without the mawkishness. This particular song is about loss and longing, both personal and (symbolically) national. You wouldn't sing the Marseillaise, for example, as a soppy lament! (OHMIGAWD!! Beam me up Scottie -- I've gone and expressed an OPINION again! You're allowed to disagree, Anthony - no problem -- but remember the hackneyed old Voltaire quote.) >>We don't want to know if it makes you sick!! You clearly don't, and I'm sure masses of forumees will instantly agree with you, as they slip another Maureen Hegarty CD into the player. But as Tim Berners-Lee was pointing out on the Beeb only this week, his brainchild has had the effect of opening up debate not just to like-minded groups and mutual admiration societies but also to objectionable rotters like me. Cheers, Sixtus Beckmesser (I have locked Paul Gretton in the cellar so he can't savage any more nice people) _______________________________________________________________________ From: Anthony Robb [mailto:anth...@robbpipes.com] Sent: 06 February 2010 00:12 To: Paul Gretton Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Subject: RE: [NSP] Re: Gaelic Pronunciation Find it revolting if you must - but we don't need to be informed of it! This is a a forum for that tiny minority of people who have found Northumbrian music and culture rewarding and uplifting. If you have to disagree with a posting please do it with some understanding and respect for the person expressing their thoughts. Your response was insulting, dismissive and out of order to my way of thinking. We are a tiny minority of Northumbrian pipes lovers and should not be in the game of belittling one another's musical favourites. I am suggesting you move on from your prejudices against trained singers and listen to the whole story of the piece which seems to be more Lieder than Folk. We don't want to know if it makes you sick!! As aye Anthony -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
