This was forwarded by Varda Novick. I thought it would be of interest to this list in light of conversations, off and on, about the lack of aesthetic sense today.
Selma ----- Original Message ----- Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 8:42 PM Subject: Why the Queen is no culture vulture > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3102853.stm > > By Jonathan Duffy > BBC News Online > July 29, 2003 > > She's not a fan of classical music, has bought only 20 paintings during > her reign and is an avid reader of the Racing Post. When it comes to the > arts, the Queen, it seems, is not a huge fan. > > She prefers sweet German wine to the classic dry reds and whites of > France, has been known to choose a gin and Dubonnet over a glass of fine > champagne and likes nothing better than to retire to her quarters in the > evening to work on a jigsaw puzzle. > > Such are the tastes of Her Majesty. > > The Queen may be patron of such distinguished institutions as the Royal > Shakespeare Company and the London Symphony Orchestra, but culture, at > least in the traditional sense, is not one of her greatest loves. > > When the Queen takes her seat at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday night > for a concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her coronation, it will > be only the second time she has been to the Proms in her reign, the first > time being in 1994. > > One might also include last year's Prom at the Palace, staged as part of > the Golden Jubilee celebrations. But the fact that, two nights later, she > also sat through performances by the likes of Atomic Kitten, Emma Bunton > and Ozzy Osbourne, only muddies the picture of what Ma'am likes and > dislikes. > > Royal Train decor designed with the help of Sir Hugh Casson, former Royal > Academy of Art president Said by Palace officials to be 'very Homebase or > B&Q' Includes net curtains and lots of Formica > > Norman Lebrecht, music critic of London's Evening Standard, is unambiguous > about Her Majesty's attitude to classical music. > > "She doesn't like it at all - the Queen Mother was the classical music > fan," says Lebrecht. "Even in those orchestras of which she is patron, she > would become patron on the condition that she would never have to attend, > or at least not more than once every couple of years." > > Whether it is an aversion or, as some believe, mere indifference, it marks > her out from many of her forebears on the throne, who passionately > supported new compositions and composers. > > Henry VIII's love of music was legendary, and he was known to be handy > with lute, harpsichord, harp and recorder. The Chapel Royal, which is > considered to be the cradle of English Church music, has seen many noted > organists and composers, including William Byrd and Henry Purcell. > > Handel's Water Music was composed for George I; his Firework Music and > great anthem Zadok the Priest, for George II. > > > Malcolm Williamson died an almost forgotten figure > But when Malcolm Williamson, the current Queen's Master of Music, died > earlier this year, his passing was not widely noticed. A successor to the > sponsored post - the musical equivalent of Poet Laureate - has yet to be > chosen. > > It's not only music where the Queen's cultural credentials have been > questioned. Last year it was revealed that in her 50 years on the throne, > she has purchased just 20 new works of art for the prestigious Royal > Collection. The collection comprises 7,000 paintings. > > At times, critics have painted her attitude to high art as a neglect of > her potential powers of patronage. > > Scorn of critics > > "The Queen is a vulgarian. She could be the most important patron of the > arts. Instead she collects glass animals," said the writer and critic > Germaine Greer some years ago. > > You have succeeded in adopting the tastes and textures of a Blackpool > landlady > > Waldemar Januszczak, critic > > And writing in the Sunday Times last year, critic Waldemar Januszczak, > said she would "be remembered as a monarch with next to no aesthetic > sense. You have succeeded in adopting the tastes and textures of a > Blackpool landlady." > > But the picture is more complicated, says classical music writer Andrew > Stewart. > > The Queen's reign has been a missed opportunity for those who believe it's > the monarch's role to push the cultural boundaries. > > "But those with more traditional tastes in classical music will perhaps be > pleased that she has not taken this opportunity," he says. > > Despite it all, and in times of increased financial pressure on the > monarchy, she maintains the tradition of the Chapel Royal, while both St > James's and Buckingham Palace are given over to gala fundraising concerts, > says Stewart. > > The Malcolm Williamson episode is instructive, Stewart believes, in > revealing a more complex story behind the Queen's relationship with > creativity. > > As Master of the Queen's Music (a post once held by Edward Elgar, among > others) from 1975, Williamson died an almost forgotten figure. But his > abilities were stifled by ill health, says Stewart. > > The fact that his predecessor, Arthur Bliss, also served under Queen > Elizabeth, and produced notable work, is sometimes forgotten. > > The decline in musical patronage under the Queen has coincided with a less > deferential attitude to royalty and a yearning for them to be more > "normal", says Andrew Stewart. > > Spirit of openness > > "Now, the majority of people's exposure to music is through pop or rock," > says Stewart. So, would we rather the monarch commissioned an album from > Robbie Williams? > > The Queen's Gallery - fine artworks and some oddball items > In this spirit of greater accountability, the Queen has put an emphasis on > public access and conservation, at least for the collection of royal art > works. > > Last year saw the opening of the 20m revamped Queen's Gallery at > Buckingham Palace and another at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. > > Both house a collection of art works and antiquities amassed by the royals > over the past 500 years. In addition to the more celebrate works at Buck > House are an Faberge aardvark, snapped up for 18 by George V, a pig > scratching its ear, fashioned out of agate and diamonds, and a dormouse, > comprising chalcedony, platinum, gold and sapphires, tugging its whiskers. > > The mere thought of which may lead any arbiter of the high arts to quietly > praise the current Queen for sticking to her jigsaw puzzles. > _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
