tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post112317816691362117..comments2024-03-26T15:57:13.443+00:00Comments on On An Overgrown Path: No such thing as an unknown Venezuelan conductorUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123660636640322172005-08-10T08:57:00.000+01:002005-08-10T08:57:00.000+01:00Many thanks for all these very valuable posts whic...Many thanks for all these very valuable posts which have helped paint what is a very complex picture. This story is not only about Gustavo Dudamel. It is also about the importance of music education, a subject evangelised by our own Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (I urge you to read my archived post <A HREF="http://theovergrownpath.blogspot.com/2005/04/musician-with-teeth.html " REL="nofollow">A musician with teeth </A> and the his speech which is linked to it). It is also about the commercial forces in classical music, which like an iceberg are 90% invisible. I have tried to make those forces more visible with posts such as <A HREF="http://theovergrownpath.blogspot.com/2005/08/music-like-water.html " REL="nofollow">Music-like-water</A>.<BR/><BR/>I thought long and hard about the recent comment which said I was not presenting a balanced view of this story. To a certain extent that is a fair comment. This is a blog. One definition of a blog is as follows <I> Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site.</I><BR/><BR/><I>On an overgrown path</I> represents my personality. And as my wife will testify that is certainly not balanced. You will not find mentions on this blog of composers ranging from Varese to Gilbert and Sullivan. That is not because they are insignificant composers, but personally they mean little to me.<BR/><BR/>The checks and balances can be added by you the readers via the comments and email facilities. This is not hopeless idealism on my part. The reader input on the Dudamel story has been overwhelming. I know some of you have put a lot of effort into transcribing reviews. That is much appreciated. Thanks, it has worked.<BR/><BR/>So please keep the comments pouring in to this unbalanced, but well read, blog.<BR/><BR/>P.S. It is an irony of blogging that the posts that are special to the writer sink like a lead baloon with readers. Would someone now please post a comment on my <A HREF="http://theovergrownpath.blogspot.com/2005/08/peerless-portuguese-polyphony.html" REL="nofollow">Peerless Potugese Polyphony post!</A>Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123584945553825802005-08-09T11:55:00.000+01:002005-08-09T11:55:00.000+01:00Aminovice the problem is, as far as I can ascertai...<I> Aminovice</I> the problem is, as far as I can ascertain after investing some time googling, neither the <A HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?menuId=566&menuItemId=-1&view=PICHEADLINESUMMARY&grid=P6&targetRule=10" REL="nofollow">Telegraph</A><BR/>nor <A HREF="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,14932,00.html" REL="nofollow">Times</A> reviews of Dudamel’s concert are available online. If you, anyone else can locate them, or other reviews, please post the links.<BR/><BR/>Alternatively, if you would like to transcribe the text of the reviews, with acknowledgement to avoid copyright problems, and post them here, I am sure readers would be very interested to share them. <BR/><BR/>So no hidden agendas. Music blogging is the art of the possible. The <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/proms2005/0,16079,1503804,00.html" REL="nofollow">Guardian</A> are the most web-friendly newspaper, and that is why their excellent online reviews resource is linked in all my Proms posts.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123507775751491152005-08-08T14:29:00.000+01:002005-08-08T14:29:00.000+01:00Read the Guardian review of Gustavo Dudamel's Prom...Read the Guardian review of Gustavo Dudamel's Prom debut by following <A HREF="http://theovergrownpath.blogspot.com/2005/08/review-of-now-quite-well-known.html" REL="nofollow">this link</A>Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123503413855578392005-08-08T13:16:00.000+01:002005-08-08T13:16:00.000+01:00Thanks for posting aminovice, civilized debate is...Thanks for posting <I> aminovice</I>, civilized debate is the oxygen which <I>on an overgrown path</I> runs on.<BR/><BR/>I was going to respond by saying that record labels have much less power these days than artist management companies.<BR/><BR/>But then I went on the <A HREF="http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/green/green/home.nsf/Artist_Conductor_List" REL="nofollow">Askonas Holt web site</A> and noticed that Claudio Abbado (who of course is a DGG artist) is also managed by Askonas Holt. As indeed is Claudio's nephew Roberto, which makes it a real family concern.<BR/><BR/>May not be 'remarkable' but interesting how the <I>overgrown paths</I> connect....<BR/><BR/>I am full of admiration for the musical education system in Venezuela, and the links I have posted above have, hopefully, helped in a small way to bring it to a wider audience.<BR/><BR/>I am delighted that leading conductors are working to bring this most worthy activity to the media, and the world’s, attention. But by the same token I do not consider that a reason for not also drawing the reader’s attention to the linked interests of the various parties involved.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123307948988450832005-08-06T06:59:00.000+01:002005-08-06T06:59:00.000+01:00I recall seeing an article a few years back on how...I recall seeing an article a few years back on how the Venezuelans had fiercely promoted musical education to the degree that children in tiny, poor villages were learning to play musical instruments and participate in youth orchestras, resulting in a rich legacy of extremely fine musicians. See the following: http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/abreu.htm about the man who spearheaded this movement, and another link http://www.mvdaily.com/concerts/item.cgi?id=221072 about Dudamel being raised through this system. And here’s a link I got from The Well-Tempered Blog on the subject: http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=38652 . Anyway, the story of Venezuela and its child musicians has stuck with me for some time now, your recent post triggered it again. I only wish that American education would “get it”—music and arts are the first things for the chop in economic hard times because it is seen as a luxury for rich people, not integral to every person’s well-being.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123270493585414012005-08-05T20:34:00.000+01:002005-08-05T20:34:00.000+01:00Yes, you're right. The relay started at 20.25h, as...Yes, you're right. The relay started at 20.25h, as apparantly did the concert. The announcer didn't give a reason, but my guess was that it wasn't a technical hitch. I fear the hall may have been cleared because of a security alert which would account for the 55 minute delay. There is a huge police presence in London today - more than 6000, many armed.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123269154781322452005-08-05T20:12:00.000+01:002005-08-05T20:12:00.000+01:0020:10 BST and still no show. They're playing the L...20:10 BST and still no show. They're playing the Labeque twins doing Ravel on BBC Radio 3 because there's some kind of technical hitch at the Albert Hall.PooterGeekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01961179077252080477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123254217783862462005-08-05T16:03:00.000+01:002005-08-05T16:03:00.000+01:00Garth, thanks for that link pointing to Drew's in ...Garth, thanks for that link pointing to Drew's in depth analysis of music education in Venezuela. <BR/><BR/>The resources available across the network of music blogs is just fantastic - particularly when I notice that the most recent news story today (5th Aug) on <A HREF="http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsListTemplate.asp?newssectionID=1" REL="nofollow">The Gramophone web site</A> is dated 1st Aug! <BR/><BR/>Support music blogs if you want the hot stories.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123252792047834792005-08-05T15:39:00.000+01:002005-08-05T15:39:00.000+01:00pliable, besides Bart Collins' excellent Well-Temp...pliable, besides Bart Collins' excellent Well-Tempered Blog on Venezuela's extensive classical music education efforts, there is also Drew McManus's equally fine three-part blog, at ArtsJournal.com, on his classical music education study trip to Venezuela earlier this summer.<BR/><BR/>http://www.artsjournal.com/cgi/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=6&search=venezuela<BR/><BR/>The power of blogging times 3.1!!Garth Trinklhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11084463787729969177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123244764516003982005-08-05T13:26:00.000+01:002005-08-05T13:26:00.000+01:00I note that the Tubin Toccata, in tonight's progra...I note that the Tubin <I>Toccata,</I> in tonight's programme is a victim of the change of conductor. It has been dropped.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123243876694894462005-08-05T13:11:00.000+01:002005-08-05T13:11:00.000+01:00Hi,You have a great music blog. Love the writings....Hi,<BR/><BR/>You have a great music blog. Love the writings.gPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07439371766182405053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123235432986707592005-08-05T10:50:00.000+01:002005-08-05T10:50:00.000+01:00Only the best people read this blog - this popped ...Only the best people read this blog - this popped up on my server log this morning... <BR/><BR/><I>in.parliament.uk (Houses Of Parliament)<BR/><BR/>United Kingdom, 0 returning visits<BR/><BR/>Date Time <BR/>5th August 2005 10:26:25 <BR/></I>Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-1123234082137889752005-08-05T10:28:00.000+01:002005-08-05T10:28:00.000+01:00See a very useful complimentary post to this story...See a very useful complimentary post to this story at <A HREF="http://pianophilia.blogspot.com/2005/08/gustavo-dudamel.html" REL="nofollow">The Well-Tempered Blog</A> in which Bart Collins focuses on the excellent musical education programmes in Venezuela.<BR/><BR/>When read together these two posts give a much more in-depth and useful analysis of the Dudamel story than that offered by 'mainstream' media like the Guardian.<BR/><BR/>Such is the power of music blogs.Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.com