The curse of reality TV has finally visited the world of contemporary art. A panel consisting of critic Matthew Collings, artist Tracey Emin, collector Frank Cohen and curator Kate Bush (sadly not THE Kate Bush) deliberated over the talents or otherwise of several young art graduates before leaving the mysterious Mr Saatchi to choose just six to go forward to the next round. Saatchi, being the recluse that he is, was represented on Earth (or in this case TV) by his rather stilted spokeswoman probably called Rebecca or Deborah or something.
TV has chosen best chef, singer, rock band, choir, dancer and even mechanic in recent years, so best onanist must surely be coming soon (no pun intended). Although I hate such formats, I found this programme almost watchable. The quality of the artworks was predictably uneven, but there were enough good ideas to make future episodes probably worth seeing.
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Thursday 19 November 2009
Staff Benda Bilili, Fiddlers, 18 November
The music of SSB struck me as having elements of soukous without the lilting guitar interplay you normally associate with that form - the piercing note of the Satong was dominant - oh how I wish it had been a chiming guitar though! They really were at their best in their extended funky workouts which brought real edge to the music. I like a bit of rough and this was certainly a visceral sonic experience which, together with their unusual appearance, made this a memorable evening. Great stuff.
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Saturday 14 November 2009
Ten Favourite Symphonies
Vaughan Williams 5 My fave symphony is a miraculous journey from anguish to radiant redemption. It's in me veins, mate.
Elgar 2 It really is a toss-up between Elgar 1 and 2, but this symphony just has the edge. Stoic and heartbreaking.
Sibelius 7 Because of its short, one-movement structure, this symphony sustains an unbelieveable tension and, by the end, the emotional impact is equal to symphonies three times as long. Essential.
Peter Maxwell Davies 5 The spirit of Sibelius presides over this towering work. Listening to this is like standing on a storm-lashed headland. Bracing. Wear yer oilskins.
Vaughan Williams 3 Those early critics who thought this was about cows peering over farm gates were tossers. This is one of the greatest of war symphonies - desolate, poignant, strange, intense and unbelievably moving.
Ives 2 The famous Mahlerian adagio is monumental, but the rest of the symphony ain't bad either - classic Americana.
Moeran Symphony in G minor Take an ounce of English pastoral melancholy, season with a pinch of celtic twilight and mix with Sibelian austerity. Often called the greatest British symphony with some justification.
Beethoven 3 I've heard performances that make this sound like Haydn, others that make it sound like Mahler. Do what you like with the bloody thing and it still sounds great.
Bruckner 4 Worth it for the first five minutes alone - the greatest opening of any symphony ever. In the world.
Lutoslawski 4 Beautiful orchestral colour, dramatic and mysterious. A bridge between romanticism and atonality. Presses all the buttons.
Elgar 2 It really is a toss-up between Elgar 1 and 2, but this symphony just has the edge. Stoic and heartbreaking.
Sibelius 7 Because of its short, one-movement structure, this symphony sustains an unbelieveable tension and, by the end, the emotional impact is equal to symphonies three times as long. Essential.
Peter Maxwell Davies 5 The spirit of Sibelius presides over this towering work. Listening to this is like standing on a storm-lashed headland. Bracing. Wear yer oilskins.
Vaughan Williams 3 Those early critics who thought this was about cows peering over farm gates were tossers. This is one of the greatest of war symphonies - desolate, poignant, strange, intense and unbelievably moving.
Ives 2 The famous Mahlerian adagio is monumental, but the rest of the symphony ain't bad either - classic Americana.
Moeran Symphony in G minor Take an ounce of English pastoral melancholy, season with a pinch of celtic twilight and mix with Sibelian austerity. Often called the greatest British symphony with some justification.
Beethoven 3 I've heard performances that make this sound like Haydn, others that make it sound like Mahler. Do what you like with the bloody thing and it still sounds great.
Bruckner 4 Worth it for the first five minutes alone - the greatest opening of any symphony ever. In the world.
Lutoslawski 4 Beautiful orchestral colour, dramatic and mysterious. A bridge between romanticism and atonality. Presses all the buttons.
Sunday 8 November 2009
Thursday 5 November 2009
Horizon on Black Holes, BBC2, 3rd November
I get pretty pessimistic about the coverage of science on the media in general and the BBC in particular, so it was with some relief that I can report that this week's 'Horizon' was an altogether more challenging watch than is the norm for the flagship science show.
The highly contentious area of theoretical physics was explored in some depth, particularly the point at which Einstein's theory diverges from current thinking about the nature of gravity. The role of Black Holes in determining the size of galaxies was also considered. The programme went on to ask if a unified theory of everything might be just around the corner.
The second biggest question humankind can ask after 'what is the point of Davina McCall' must surely be 'how did the universe begin?' Horizon failed to answer this inquiry, of course, but kept us up to date with the latest efforts to resolve the conundrum. No doubt 'Horizon' will return to business as usual next week; the insidious blend of reality TV and populist 'human interest' stories once again holding sway. In comparison, programmes like Tuesday's offering seem all the more precious.
The highly contentious area of theoretical physics was explored in some depth, particularly the point at which Einstein's theory diverges from current thinking about the nature of gravity. The role of Black Holes in determining the size of galaxies was also considered. The programme went on to ask if a unified theory of everything might be just around the corner.
The second biggest question humankind can ask after 'what is the point of Davina McCall' must surely be 'how did the universe begin?' Horizon failed to answer this inquiry, of course, but kept us up to date with the latest efforts to resolve the conundrum. No doubt 'Horizon' will return to business as usual next week; the insidious blend of reality TV and populist 'human interest' stories once again holding sway. In comparison, programmes like Tuesday's offering seem all the more precious.
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