Rock Me Amadeus

Hello! I just wanted to swing by to tell you how great I think your OAOP blog is. I am a regular, avid reader; albeit a relatively new one; indeed after reading your recent piece on the Vigneron Art of Fugue I rushed out to purchase it, and have been suitably blown away. As a recent convert to the world of classical music, your informed and passionate writing genuinely helps me along, and opens my philistine's brain out into previously unknown, uncharted realms. So thanks.

I'm a writer myself; indeed the consequences of my own, Laboured yet Honest travails along the path of Classical Music Enlightenment are documented within my most recent effort. Here's a link if you're interested:
It's basically High Art through a Low Cultural prism, and is meant to be taken with a couple of dozen pinches of salt. Starched purists (and Classic FM) despise me, but most people have given me a fair crack of the whip. Despite all my bullshit, music is THE love of my life, and most people tend to at least appreciate that.

Anyway, I merely wanted to drop by and say thanks. I probably listen to more classical music now than I did before my "quest" began. And one of the reasons for this is your writing. It's appreciated.
Best regards, Seb - http://www.sebhunter.com/

This email arrived a few days ago from Seb Hunter (picture above) who is the author of several books including Hell Bent for Leather - Confessions of a Heavy Metal Addict, and a contributor to the Guardian and Observer. The new book he refers to is Rock Me Amadeus, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Handel … and I read it with considerable interest when it was published by Penguin back in May completely unaware that Seb travels On An Overgrown Path.

Quite rightly a lot of time is spent debating how classical music can reach new and younger audiences. The promotional blurb for Rock Me Amadeus says ‘Once he’d reached his early thirties Seb Hunter knew it was time to grow up – but that, of course, meant attempting to enjoy classical music. Pretending just wouldn’t do.’ Regular readers will know that although free MP3 downloads feature here frequently, I do not share the view that they are some kind of ‘musical magical mushroom’ that will turn on a new generation of listeners and concert goers. File downloads, high profile books like Rock Me Amadeus, and music blogs such as On An Overgrown Path and many others all have an important role to play in spreading the gospel. To hear that somebody is a fan of OAOP is just a bonus, to hear that somebody has been blown away by a recording or composer discovered here is what really matters.

Any copyrighted material on these pages is included for "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s). Report broken links, missing images and other errors to - overgrownpath at hotmail dot co dot uk
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