Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Smashing a violin

Having put a link to this elsewhere, I though I ought to put it here too:

(you might be too righteous to read it where I posted!)
This is the climax of Maxwell Davies' Eight Songs for a Mad King, a piece about George III's madness and death - the youtube page claims that this is the comedic climax but I think it's far too dark. I saw this piece with the Fires of London back in the 70's where the instrumentalists were all in huge bird cages and the singer reaches in through the bars and grabs the instrument. It is difficult for me to listen to Handels 'Comfort Ye' without it summoning up Maxwell-Davies' swung version - but that's not in the bit above so you're safe!
You probably don't want to invite this singer to this years Royal wedding!
I do love the comedic touch with the 'cello at the end of the extract though...!

3 comments:

Suem said...

This isn't loading for me. You can't taunt us like that, where did you post it then?
Yours unself-righteously,
Sue.

rajm said...

Does http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV35uha6rrQ&feature=player_embedded work for you? I assume the youTube still appears and it just doesn't start? I posted the link as a comment on the (err) Anglican Mainstream item on Maxwell Davies

Suem said...

Hi,
My computer was being very strange, I couldn't get any videos, not even on youtube. I tried the time honoured trick of unplugging it for a few hours and now they are back.
This is weird, sort of sinister and funny (?) at the same time.
Don't know how I missed that on AM.