Comments on: Always funny

By: Britten Sinfonia: Britten in America « Tim’s Zen Blog of Sparseness

Britten Sinfonia: Britten in America « Tim’s Zen Blog of Sparseness — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:35:51 +0000

[...] To add to the excitement Pekka and Nico were down to do a pre-concert talk at 19:00. I knew that Nico’s pre-concert talks were liable to be entertaining from a blog post (or should I say blog rant) he wrote about naff questions at pre-concert talks: http://nicomuhly.com/news/2010/always-funny/ [...]

By: Ingmar

Ingmar — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 00:49:53 +0000

hells yea kwakiutl! i’m impressed by your first nations knowledge

By: Cultural intrepretations

Cultural intrepretations — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:50:51 +0000

P.S. Great blog!

By: Cultural intrepretations

Cultural intrepretations — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:50:25 +0000

The discussion about “Wiggers” reminds me of the controversy surrounding KFC Australian TV advert. Personally, I’m adverse to a dominant culture forcing its own cultural interpretations and preconceptions on to another (despite my country’s astounding past track record in that area), but its probably unavoidable in our increasingly global community. I ‘spose one could argue we’re “talking about wiggers” while located in the US right now. OK so I’m not, Charlotte’s not, Wigmore Hall isn’t, the author of the blog currently isn’t, but Grrg may well be, other readers certainly are and this website probably has its physical home there. But anyway, don’t worry Grrg, Charlotte likely has enough wherewithal about her to remain culturally sensitive, and therefore inoffensive and un-assaulted, during any travels she might make in the States, without your help.

By: Grrg

Grrg — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:44:33 +0000

Jim, I’ve been to Wigmore Hall. Many times. But regardless of the context, if go you around talking about “wiggers” in the USA, you are going to be smacked. Like, physically. Back of hand to the face. Just a word to the wise.

By: Gunnar J.

Gunnar J. — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:17:33 +0000

If you really don’t care about scenes you will write an outrageus piece for voices and percussion and call it “A Huge Pile of Sass.”

There.. I have forced my opinion on all of your asses!

Byyyeeee…

By: Samuel Becker

Samuel Becker — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:31:22 +0000

No, Samuel Becker, letting the audience ask questions is a really brave and wonderful thing.

In theory I completely agree with you. But in practice I find myself far too often listening to people who just want to make their opinion heard and don’t have a very interesting question to ask. So many times I’ve sat there when someone has been talking for five minutes or more and I’m thinking ‘what IS your question?’
Maybe I’ve just had bad luck to be at cringe-inducing question sessions?

By: Ed Verbeke

Ed Verbeke — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:27:22 +0000

Love it! I was entertained, I learned, and now I need to look up the word synecdochal. And I thought I had a good vocabulary. lol

Thanks Nico

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:30:20 +0000

Grrg, “the Wigger” just means “Wigmore Hall”; I’ve usually heard “Wiggers” though (which can also refer to the audience, especially regulars).

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:14:47 +0000

Whatever happened during the talk, the Times reporter couldn’t say enough good things about you in the profile today, so I think your reputation in London is safe.

Is the BBC broadcasting either of your concerts?

By: Grrg

Grrg — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:17:15 +0000

(Ms Higgins, you might want to be a little circumspect about throwing around the word “Wigger” in some contexts.)

By: Amanda Mae

Amanda Mae — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:14:23 +0000

No, Samuel Becker, letting the audience ask questions is a really brave and wonderful thing.

I imagine most people who would go to a pre-concert lecture are interested in learning more about music, and it seems like a really great thing for someone to be good enough to stand up and give a little lecture, as well as to answer any questions. Some questions will be dumb, but some are probably very earnest and well-meant. You can’t say “No one may ask questions because someone might ask a really stupid one.”

At the same time, whenever I’m trapped at a press conference with journalists and they’re asking actors “What was it LIKE working with Tim Burton?” I just want to die, so I do understand that other side.

By: theresa

theresa — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:46:02 +0000

The problem with a “scene”, or rather the invocation of one, is that it automatically diminishes the intimacy and personality of a piece to the audience at large. “Ah. Now I know you’re from New York. I’m going to try to find New Yorkness in every measure”… it really does a disservice.

By: Samuel Becker

Samuel Becker — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:01:20 +0000

Letting the audience ask questions is, in practice, very often A Bad Idea.

By: Charlotte Higgins

Charlotte Higgins — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:53:18 +0000

Keep your knickers on, love. One batty question at the Wigger doth not a Troubling National Tendency make.

Did you hear the Wigmore Titter (to be heard at end of Haydn scherzos), the Wigmore Hacking Cough or even (as sometimes occurs) the Wigmore Actual Death Rattle during your sojourn?