INSIDIOUS DECLINE
SIR,
Tuesday evening (21
March 2006) marked the final recital
in Skipton Music Society’s winter season
of concerts.
Considering the absolute
capacity audience, it seems that the
public also regarded it as the most
worthy of patronage since the performer
was the international concert pianist
John Lill. Suffice to say that for this
listener it was unquestionably the finest
of the whole season. It was not solely
the impeccable musicianship of Mr Lill
but the whole ethos of his presentation
and platform manner.
Despite the generally
first class standard of performance
brought to these concerts by
many of the talented younger generation
of professional concert artistes, there
is regrettably a sloppiness of attitude
regarding the way they present themselves
on stage. This is notable in the oft-times
casual way they dress.
While it is all very
well to say that times have changed
and that we are all now far more casual
than once was the case, is it not perhaps
yet another sign of the insidious decline,
of standards in public life of almost
everything?
Fine for a pop concert
perhaps but for serious music should
not the manner of its presentation -
and this certainly includes the way
the performer dresses - reflect the
stature of the music itself?
So often we are treated
to performers who come attired as if
they thought: "Oh! This is only a country
bumpkin town, any old black boiler suit
and tatty shirt will do" or if they
are female performers they come similarly
dressed, probably in totally drab, unappealing
trouser suits and butch footwear as
if they had come to repair the central
heating boiler rather than inspire us
with the greatest of the world’s music.
Not so John Lill. He
came faultlessly dressed in the formal
white tie and tails, nor did he regale
us with wise-cracking anecdotes about
the. music or some of his funny experiences
in the past.
Without fuss or other
gauche, embarrassing awkwardness, he
just bowed to us and got on with the
performance, reminding one of that other
impeccable British. concert artist,
Sir Adrian Boult.
Sad to say that so
much of the casual way that performers
now treat us influences audiences too.
What might be appropriate at a car-boot
sale or afternoon tidying up the garden
seems incongruous at a "proper" concert
such as we have in the Town Hall. Some
men even come without a tie. Women,
who would once have prided themselves
when out for an evening by wearing attractive
clothes, similarly come casually dressed.
The excuse that it
is too expensive nowadays is not a convincing
argument, for most of our patrons are
probably quite well-heeled and are by
no means poor. Is all this .just one
other sign of the times: the gradual
dumbing down of British society?
Arthur Butterworth
