The Proms season this year has featured several performances for music lovers to savour for many years to come. One performance in particular stood out for me. In world music, there can be few bigger names than Daniel Barenboim. Where to start?
Now aged 74, this Argentinian man is also a citizen of Israel, Palestine and Spain. In music parlance, he has done it all. He remains one of the great piano players of his generation and, for 20 years until her death from multiple sclerosis in 1987, he was married to the legendary cellist, Jacqueline du Pre. It takes an extraordinary man to conduct Wagner's Tristan Und Isolde in Jerusalem. Wagner's music had been effectively banned in Israel since the Nazi Kristallnacht in 1938 in which Jewish homes, schools, hospitals and synagogues in Germany were ransacked. It was of course merely the prelude to something far more disturbing. Barenboim though, did perform Wagner in Jerusalem in 2001. If that wasn't enough, he directed the Berlin Staatsekapelle. It is still talked about today but it takes a brave man to break down a barrier of that magnitude.
Barenboim founded the West-Eastern Divan orchestra in 1999 with Edward Said, an American-Palestinian. Every summer, they bring together young classical musicians from Israel, Palestine and other Arab countries to study, perform and promote mutual reflection and understanding. It has been a truly ground-breaking collaboration and this year, they performed Liszt's Piano Concerto no. 1 followed by Wagner's Tannhauser overture and two pieces from his famous Gotterdamerung. As ever with Barenboim (who conducted the orchestra), they were performances of the very highest standard which served to remind us of the power of music to unite us even when unity seems impossible. http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ezw2mb#b07rkvp4
In a recent post, I referred to the Greek philosopher Plato and I do so again because his words on the value of music stand the test of time; "Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything". That other great philosopher, Nietszche, also wrote of music, "Without music life would be a mistake". Beethoven wrote, "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life". I could go on but suffice to say that music, like a great feast, is one of the few things in life which can break down the barriers and bring us closer to each other. It unites us as few things can and touches us in ways we can scarcely express. In short, music is a fundamental necessity in our lives whatever our taste. Be it rap, pop, blues, soul, classical, punk or any other genre, music has something for everyone. That is why it is our duty to nurture our young with music. Like Barenboim, they can use it to break down barriers and make the world a better place.
So why am I making such a big deal about music? This summer, aside from gorging on watching the Proms, I have also had the opportunity to witness something which I consider to be even more precious. The Proms features the best musicians from around the world but all those great musicians started out by playing at school in groups and orchestras. Three weeks ago, I watched my son take part in a performance of the Denbighshire Music Cooperative orchestra at the Llangollen Pavilion. More of the concert in due course.
The Denbighshire Music Cooperative was formed as a not-for-profit organisation providing quality music tuition in the Denbighshire area. Their aim is to develop each pupil's music potential according to their individual needs and aspirations. They are currently the lead music co-operative in Wales. They were established in April 2015 in response to Denbighshire County Council's decision to cease funding the then William Mathias music service for children. It was a decision widely condemned and stands as a low point even in the context of other equally philistine cuts. A petition with 4,000 signatures was to no avail. Since cutting the paltry £103,000, county councillors in Denbighshire have since approved an improved pay deal for the chief executive and senior officers. I can only imagine what Nietszche might have said..
But back to the concert. It showed what an amazing job the Denbighshire Music Cooperative have done. Children from the ages of 5 to 17 were brought together for five days leading up to the concert and the finale featured an extraordinary rendition of "American Trilogy". During the recent European Championship football tournament, Wales were saluted for their football, the behaviour of their fans and the spine chilling singing of their fans in the various stadia. In short, more than most, Wales is a country through which music flows. It transcends our culture to the Eisteddfod and far beyond. That any Welsh council could even consider cutting provision of something so fundamental is beyond my comprehension. If they could have seen the determination and pride on the faces of those children in Llangollen, they would be utterly ashamed.
Now aged 74, this Argentinian man is also a citizen of Israel, Palestine and Spain. In music parlance, he has done it all. He remains one of the great piano players of his generation and, for 20 years until her death from multiple sclerosis in 1987, he was married to the legendary cellist, Jacqueline du Pre. It takes an extraordinary man to conduct Wagner's Tristan Und Isolde in Jerusalem. Wagner's music had been effectively banned in Israel since the Nazi Kristallnacht in 1938 in which Jewish homes, schools, hospitals and synagogues in Germany were ransacked. It was of course merely the prelude to something far more disturbing. Barenboim though, did perform Wagner in Jerusalem in 2001. If that wasn't enough, he directed the Berlin Staatsekapelle. It is still talked about today but it takes a brave man to break down a barrier of that magnitude.
Barenboim founded the West-Eastern Divan orchestra in 1999 with Edward Said, an American-Palestinian. Every summer, they bring together young classical musicians from Israel, Palestine and other Arab countries to study, perform and promote mutual reflection and understanding. It has been a truly ground-breaking collaboration and this year, they performed Liszt's Piano Concerto no. 1 followed by Wagner's Tannhauser overture and two pieces from his famous Gotterdamerung. As ever with Barenboim (who conducted the orchestra), they were performances of the very highest standard which served to remind us of the power of music to unite us even when unity seems impossible. http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ezw2mb#b07rkvp4
In a recent post, I referred to the Greek philosopher Plato and I do so again because his words on the value of music stand the test of time; "Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything". That other great philosopher, Nietszche, also wrote of music, "Without music life would be a mistake". Beethoven wrote, "Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life". I could go on but suffice to say that music, like a great feast, is one of the few things in life which can break down the barriers and bring us closer to each other. It unites us as few things can and touches us in ways we can scarcely express. In short, music is a fundamental necessity in our lives whatever our taste. Be it rap, pop, blues, soul, classical, punk or any other genre, music has something for everyone. That is why it is our duty to nurture our young with music. Like Barenboim, they can use it to break down barriers and make the world a better place.
So why am I making such a big deal about music? This summer, aside from gorging on watching the Proms, I have also had the opportunity to witness something which I consider to be even more precious. The Proms features the best musicians from around the world but all those great musicians started out by playing at school in groups and orchestras. Three weeks ago, I watched my son take part in a performance of the Denbighshire Music Cooperative orchestra at the Llangollen Pavilion. More of the concert in due course.
The Denbighshire Music Cooperative was formed as a not-for-profit organisation providing quality music tuition in the Denbighshire area. Their aim is to develop each pupil's music potential according to their individual needs and aspirations. They are currently the lead music co-operative in Wales. They were established in April 2015 in response to Denbighshire County Council's decision to cease funding the then William Mathias music service for children. It was a decision widely condemned and stands as a low point even in the context of other equally philistine cuts. A petition with 4,000 signatures was to no avail. Since cutting the paltry £103,000, county councillors in Denbighshire have since approved an improved pay deal for the chief executive and senior officers. I can only imagine what Nietszche might have said..
But back to the concert. It showed what an amazing job the Denbighshire Music Cooperative have done. Children from the ages of 5 to 17 were brought together for five days leading up to the concert and the finale featured an extraordinary rendition of "American Trilogy". During the recent European Championship football tournament, Wales were saluted for their football, the behaviour of their fans and the spine chilling singing of their fans in the various stadia. In short, more than most, Wales is a country through which music flows. It transcends our culture to the Eisteddfod and far beyond. That any Welsh council could even consider cutting provision of something so fundamental is beyond my comprehension. If they could have seen the determination and pride on the faces of those children in Llangollen, they would be utterly ashamed.
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