Bbc Music Magazine This Month

[Peter Clark]

Shame! You should have told them frankly what you really thought, instead of only hinting at the way you felt.

 

Whoops, sorry - nice one! The magazine I always really wanted to scream at was The Organ under its previous editor. All those reviews of Handel Opera (I probably unfairly assume that he got complimentary tickets by saying he would review these performances) and disparaging remarks in turn about virtually every serious organ-music composer which he (predictably) found boring. Trouble is, they've been kind to me so I felt constrained. The New Management (Dr.David Baker etc.) seem already to have smarted it up a lot!

 

 

Now that I agree with. A couple of months after the new organ was installed at St Peter's in Cardiff, the then editor came to the church to interview me, take some photos and promised us that we could proof-check his copy before publication, and that a complimentary copy would be sent to the church. What happened was that (i) instead of using his own photos he used one taken by our parish secretary, without acknolwledgement; (ii) the copy he used was largely taken from a write-up I did for our parish website on the Gillian Weir opening recital, editied, but under my name; this was followed by some publuicity material taken from the organ builder in English but syntactically what I take to be Swiss-German and yet attriburted to me! Needless to say none of this was sent in advance - if it had of been it would not have seen publication. A friend who subscribes showed me the issue.

 

Sorry about the rant, but Paul's post reminded me of an episode in my organ-playing career which left a somewhat bitter taste. I haven't actually seen the journal under its new editorship, perhaps I should give it a go.

 

Best wishes

 

Peter