Get to the library ... tomorrow!
Post categories: Jessica Duchen
| 11:52 UK time, Monday, 9 February 2009
I sometimes think that my personal blogging in-box would be a good starting place for a study of national character on either side of the Pond. Messages arrive by the dozen from way out west, where everybody sells themselves like there's no tomorrow, yelling, in essence, 'MAN GIVES CONCERT ...' and expecting that, since London, YooKay, is only just down the road from Phoenix, Arizona, I will actually be there to review it.
Then, just very occasionally, a quiet little message taps gently on the door from somewhere in the UK, immensely apologetic and embarrassed at doing such a desperately unBritish thing as publicity, to tell me about ... something terrifically interesting that I then wish to pass on to all of you straight away.
Here is one such: a delightful little note from no less a national institution than the , telling us about a Mendelssohn seminar ... tomorrow! All of us enthusiasts should get on down to St Pancras, Tuesday 10 February, 6.30pm: one of the BL's superb series of talks and seminars is devoted to ''. Peter Ward Jones, of the , Oxford, is talking about Mendelssohn's reputation as reflected on record:
'At the start of the recording era Mendelssohn's critical reputation was probably approaching its lowest point, abetted by comments like 's accusation of "despicable oratorio mongering". But how far was this situation mirrored in the actual production of recordings? Did Mendelssohn continue to be more popular with the public than with the critics? 's legendary "Hear my prayer" recording may have owed its success to much more than the name of the composer, but the variety of Mendelssohn on disc in the first half of the twentieth century was impressive, if far from representative of his whole oeuvre. This illustrated lecture will sample the historical legacy, and also consider the role recordings may have played in the critical re-evaluation of the composer that has characterized recent decades, with the result that on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Mendelssohn may be said to enjoy greater esteem than at any time since recordings began.'
That isn't all, though. Our friends in St Pancras also pass on the info that a valuable first edition of Mendelssohn's works is being made digitally available by the music department of the - a publication by in 157 volumes.
They say: 'This edition is divided into 19 series (work groups) and was compiled by the musician and friend of Mendelssohn Ju (1812-1877) during 1874-1877. It includes around 5900 pages and contains all known works of Mendelssohn at that time. Some early works and alternative versions have only been discovered decades later and are not contained in Rietz's edition. Nevertheless, the work of this great German composer is represented here in its vast spectrum, including the symphonic work, the chamber music, oratories, operas, music for spectacles, sacred music, and Lieder.'
That's the great advantage of big anniversaries: it's a perfect time around which to plan interesting and important stuff that will be of benefit to musicians, academics and music-lovers for years to come. It is also a great time to remember how marvellous libraries are, how idealistic, civilised and humane. We should all support them as much as we possibly can.
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