tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post3684349891811919367..comments2024-01-01T17:21:52.555+00:00Comments on Is the BBC biased?: IntrosCraighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-68149373423197977382017-07-16T19:54:05.563+01:002017-07-16T19:54:05.563+01:00Dudamel is complaining only because they ran out o...Dudamel is complaining only because they ran out of other people's money and he can't occasionally bask in the glory of El Sistema. He was fine with it last year.David Preiser (USA)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00055001852090086556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-41729611847140458822017-07-16T18:42:55.188+01:002017-07-16T18:42:55.188+01:00The BBC certainly did go with Dudamel's Simón ...The BBC certainly did go with Dudamel's Simón Bolivar (Youth) Orchestra in a big way for a while. (3 appearances, including that very famous one). Just Googling, it seems that Dudamel has finally dared to speak out against Maduro. His 'too little, too late' criticism has had a mixed response. As you'll probably know already, one of his Sistema musicians was killed by the regime there.<br /><br />https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/04/venezuela-gustavo-dudamel-attacks-maduroCraighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-15545081864998275642017-07-16T17:30:24.658+01:002017-07-16T17:30:24.658+01:00That's even more than I thought. The Beethoven...That's even more than I thought. The Beethoven cycle was mediocre at best, and my criticisms above were mostly drawn from that. And I recall rave reviews for some of them. Feh. <br /><br />Another example of a pure political statement at the Proms is Floppy-Hair Dudamel and his Simón Bolivar (Youth) Orchestra. Three appearances, with the most egregious being last year's concert. This is the BBC celebrating the wonders of Socialism while the people of Venezuela were @#$^ing starving because of it.<br /><br />Having said that, there is one incident of forcing identity politics into a concert that I didn't mind so much. I didn't see it at the time, but have watched on YouTube (several times) the Rameau concert which featured the Buskaid Soweto Ensemble. Now, the easiest thing would be to say they were invited because they is black. And it would be true. But they can play! It's a good band, period instruments, even (a major plus in my biased view). It was part of a larger Rameau concert with Gardiner and the OAE, which featured costumed dancers doing some authentic and some very inauthentic modern stuff. Mostly very enjoyable, although one could certainly snark at the <i>regietheater</i> crap, especially shoving totally unrelated African costumes into the mix. It was a wonderful concert all the same, with nods to the humor where appropriate, drama, martial aspects, etc.<br /><br />The point is that it was an obvious PC/political statement to bring in the Soweto players. But it makes all the difference if they can play. The racialists at the BBC can pat themselves on the back for broadcasting black faces at the knuckledragging racist English viewers, but if you close your eyes, it's good stuff, music wins in the end, screw the BBC. I don't care what race or religion any of them are if they make good music, and neither should a BBC claiming not to allow political statements. It's the lying about it that's the worst.<br /><br />Full concert is here (low res video is all that's left up):<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5IJL21MsxwDavid Preiser (USA)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00055001852090086556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-11449709776577782322017-07-16T16:19:04.134+01:002017-07-16T16:19:04.134+01:00I've found a page on the BBC website that list...I've found a page on the BBC website that lists all the Proms appearances of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the Proms over the years. It proves how enthusiastic the BBC have been about them.<br /><br />https://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/events/performers/a0866859-b547-4146-9035-46509a4d861c/performances<br /><br />They were invited in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 (two concerts), 2012 (five concerts), 2014, 2015 and 2016. Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08741318067991857821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-39759486766468828032017-07-16T14:06:04.413+01:002017-07-16T14:06:04.413+01:00The clip they showed of Barenboim and his East/Wes...The clip they showed of Barenboim and his East/West Divan band reveals exactly why I can't stand it, and how everyone supports relatively poor music-making for a political cause. I've heard enough of the B-level youth orchestra playing over the years, egged on by Barenboim. His overly-mannered interpretations are meant to gloss over or distract from the flaws in the playing.<br /><br />And here we were just told that the BBC doensn't allow the Proms to be a political platform. At least it's a really good group this year, his Staatskapelle Berlin. There are good reasons to watch both of his concerts.<br /><br />I just laughed out loud at Marr using the 'Complaints From Both Sides' meme with Barenboim being accused by Iran of being a Zionist, while others accuse him of being anti-Israel. It means I'm getting it about right, says the maestro. YCMIU.David Preiser (USA)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00055001852090086556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3272054900018746845.post-89657768929218522932017-07-16T13:16:30.997+01:002017-07-16T13:16:30.997+01:00Maybe Rob Burley reminded him of the Blair/Brown y...Maybe Rob Burley reminded him of the Blair/Brown years, and the coup plot against Brown. Or Thatcher's final days.<br /><br />Highly unusual sofa panel balance!David Preiser (USA)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00055001852090086556noreply@blogger.com