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Sean Fear


Happy Christmas Graeme. You've become a Con Home institution.

WRT atheism - I'd say it's impossible to be simultaneously a Conservative, and someone who is actively hostile towards religion - in the way that the National Secular Society is. That's why such organisations are missing the point when they complain that Britain's large agnostic/atheist populartion punches below its weight politically, because the Tory atheists/agnostics (of whom there are quite a lot in my experience) have some regard for the faith of their fathers.

Alexander

Happy Christmas Graeme,
And I say that as a devout Tory atheist (pun intended).

Sally Roberts

Another beautiful article, Graeme! Like you I find music very emotionally charged and that song from "West Side Story" is one of the most moving there is! The quote from Noel Coward "Strange how potent cheap music is!" just popped into my mind - but none of George Gershwin's music IS "cheap" - just potent!
I wish you and Mr Keith a lovely star-spangled Christmas full of love and happiness and I hope that 2008 brings you everything you wish for. Love is the most important thing there is and lasts longer than life itself (at least I believe that anyway!)

Tony Makara

The power of music is something no-one can understand. My favourite singer is the 1950s musical star Jane Powell, she is a soprano and whenever I hear Jane Powell sing my ears actually purr! I don't know why this is but all I know is that she is the only singer who has that effect on me, maybe its all to do with pitch and the shape of my ear drum, but listening to Jane Powell effects me physically!

I think the reason why so many people like old songs is because it reminds them of being younger. I've now reached a stage in life where I'm hearing songs that I hated in my youth but now find that I'm quite glad to hear them.

Its funny too how certain recording are 'Just right' I have a very old recording of Beliotz's Symphonie Fantastique on an audio cassette, it was recorded in the days when radio three used to broadcast on the medium wave and the sound distorts a little because it was recorded in the evening, yet that distortion actually adds to the atmosphere of the piece! For atmosphere though nothing beats Choral Evensong, whenever I listen to Evensong I find myself falling into such a peaceable and relaxed state. The magic of music.

Tony Makara

Graeme, if you love beautiful singing then just listen to my favourite singer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBm4YMPjdBc

Sally Roberts

"Its funny too how certain recording are 'Just right' I have a very old recording of Beliotz's Symphonie Fantastique on an audio cassette, it was recorded in the days when radio three used to broadcast on the medium wave and the sound distorts a little because it was recorded in the evening, yet that distortion actually adds to the atmosphere of the piece!"

Yes I find that an amazingly atmospheric work too, especially "The March to the Scaffold" which sends shivers down my spine!!

Tony Makara

Sally Roberts, yes, Berlioz used the book 'Confessions of an English opium eater' as his inspiration. The 'Fantastique' symphony was also played by the Apollo eleven astronauts as the orbited the moon which is an amazing thought. As you say its quite a piece.

Dave H

Happy Christmas Graeme and Best Wishes for 2008.

Tony Makara

Sunday afternoon culture!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohYvJIhW2H4

Ben L

A happy Christmas, Graeme. Beautiful writing.

sjm

Graeme, please continue writing for ConsHome, I love your pieces, political, personal, whatever!

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to you and Mr Keith.

Dale

Does this mean mean we no longer have to read your non-sensicle drivel anymore?

BorisforPM

Thanks for another great column, Graeme. On "the potency of sentimental music," if Mr Keith will be doing the traditional Christmas eve gift-dash, he might like to pick up a copy of Oliver Sacks's "Musicophilia" for you. It's all about how and why the brain responds to music in the way it does. Fascinating stuff!

As for "doing god," I think it is entirely possible to be a Conservative and simultaneously to be suspicious of religion. I think the line to be drawn here is between organised religion and personal faith. That a right-leaning person should be suspicious of ideas - sometimes even complete doctrine - coming, centrally-imposed, from on high within a large, monolithic institution is hardly philosophically surprising. But to have no respect for those with faith, with belief in God, would - as Sean said earlier - be difficult to equate with the liberalism the Conservative party stands for [and I mean the l-word in its uncontroversial, 19th-C English sense].

I hope you both have a wonderful break, and look forward to reading more of your stuff soon, be it here or on Platform 10.

Tony Makara

"I think it is entirely possible to be a Conservative and simultaneously to be suspicious of religion."

BorisforPM, very true. Actually its possible to be a Christian, Jew or Muslim and be very wary of some of the cults that attach themselves to those faiths. Its incredible that Christianity can range from Gay Christian groups through to the Ku Klux Klan. Judaism has some very obscure talmadic sects and the Muslim world is very much open to interpretation too. The point you make about personal faith is interesting. I've heard many people say that they believe in god but think all the churches are corrupt, or words to that effect. Maybe humankind does have a spiritual nature, but one that finds no happy resting place.

BorisforPM

Quite right, Tony - indeed, if our brand of Conservatism is ever going to be sufficiently popular that we can actually gain power, then it needs to be compatible with people of many faiths, just as it needs to encompass political Conservatism of different stripes.

I don't think that churches are corrupt - and that is an unfortunate line of argument for anyone to pursue. Even if churches were all corrupt institutions, that in itself would have no bearing on the truth or otherwise of their respective assertions as to the nature and origins of the world.

I would consider myself an atheist, and I do feel slightly neglected in that by Conservative politicians in the UK sometimes. But that must be same for people of many different religions. As soon as one's faith [or lack of] becomes a matter of political irrelevance, we'll know we're on the right track, IMHO. "No religious test for public office" is one of the few constitutional prescriptions I would suggest we might borrow from the USA.

Sean Fear


Boris for PM, I come at this from a slightly different angle. A philosophical Conservative is bound to have respect for the traditions of his own nation, including their religious traditions, because he sees value in tradition. A libertarian might loathe such traditions, as of course might a socialist or marxist, but not, I think, a Conservative.

The model of a religiously sceptical conservative, who is nonetheless respectful of religion, would be Cicero.

john

Sally
Gershwin was a great writer, but "There's a place for us" is one of the terrific songs from West Side Story, written by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
I didn't see the TV show in question, but I can imagine the Bernstein song would make the others seem like something from the Spice Girls catalogue.
I'm sure the singer was good, but a well made song is generally singer-proof.
The best interpreter of Bernstein or, say Rogers and Hart, is the American soprano Dawn Upshire. IMHO.

Tony Makara

There have been some great emotive numbers but I think Sondheim's 'Send in the clowns' especially the Glynis Johns version takes some beating for sheer atmosphere.

As a collector of musicals I get to hear many songs that go straight-to-the-heart one of my favourites is 'Tammy' by Debbie Reynolds which has such a nice melody, its not too emotive but it just touches a nerve and registers an emotion. Delicate but nice. Here is the number on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkXBRPmekAI

Malcolm Dunn

Another great piece Graeme. I really hope this is not really the last for Conhome.I've found them all consistently thought provoking and without exception beautifully written.
A belated Merry Christmas to you and Keith.

Ali cat

Congratulations Graeme on some great writing. Just voted for you in the survey. A Good New Year to you and Keith.

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