31 October, 2024

I began writing Big Music seven years ago.

In the last few days stories are trending about Rosemary who claimed she spoke to dead composers Mozart, Chopin and Rachmaninov and they channelled new compositions through her.

Here's an example: https://theconversation.com/meet-the-composer-who-claimed-her-music-channelled-the-spirits-of-classical-music-icons-241158

Somehow Rosemary crept onto the page in Big Music's chapter Mysterioso on page 116.

'She had believers-Peter Katin, the pianist for one. He recorded all of the 'new' Chopin pieces. The British composer Richard Rodney Bennett was convinced Brown was genuine because she had minimal piano skills and couldn't read music.....'

There are other topical issues

How musicians manage performance nerves?

Pressures on women in music leadership roles.

Tendency of professional musicians to combine and form a fierce lobbying group if there's a feeling an injustice has been done. Witnessed recently with the MSO who politicised against management when the concert pianist Jayson Gillham's recital was cancelled because he had supposedly addressed an audience with his political views.

Ignorance regarding musicians' crucial need for soundproofing and well designed acoustic spaces.