Moral for Critics
ERHAPS the BBC Gilbert and Sullivan is not quite as good as we thought it ten years ago. There are bits of business which might not have been radio clichés then but are now, like the gushing voices adoring Sir Arthur, But unlike most of the imitations, it really does give sotne insight into its subjects. Or at least into Sullivan. The new version suffers from the loss of Cecil Trouncer: the new Gilbert has not so far managed to infuse any nuances of
feeling into the military manner. But Sullivan is always more interesting. His drama comes in two ways: the fact that so many of his sparkling tunes were written while he was in dire pain; and his guilt that he, expected by the Queen and all other solemn people to uplift British music, should waste his talent with theatrical frivolities. And the irony is that the frivolities only are remembered, and that because the discipline of restraining his music so that Gilbert’s words could be heard, which so frustrated him, kept away the turgid sounds he was apt to produce otherwise. There may be a moral in this, especially for critics. It is not given to everyone to play Hamlet, and some
would be better not to try
R.D.
McE.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19570712.2.49.2
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 935, 12 July 1957, Page 30
Word count
Tapeke kupu
216Moral for Critics New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 935, 12 July 1957, Page 30
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in