Can Bass 1: Sir Stanley Vann
However I cannot but post on the following subject. Mr (yes, dear reader) Stanley Vann, erstwile organist of Pizzaborough Cathedral, composer, conductor, choir-trainer and church musician par excellence has just celebrated his 100th birthday. He will, no doubt, have received some form of congratulatory communication from 'Her Majesty'. (Probably a text-message or a tweet or something similar, but no matter.) What he will not have received, but so richly deserves, is a Knighthood.Now let me be quite clear: I am not one to advocate the bestowing of gongs on those for whom achievement seems to be synonymous with longevity. There is no especial merit in avoiding the inevitable shuffling off for longer than your neighbour. But Mr (oh dear) Vann has achieved so much in his century, far more in fact that all the obsequieous, toadying boobies in Whitehall for whom a Knighthood seems to be the equivilent of the long-service carriage clock. And he has achieved a great deal more than certain foul-mouthing, masticating, cheque-book wielding, referee-abusing managers of Association Football clubs whose enoblement has so debased the currency of our British Honours.
Gordon Brown's fury must be fit for purpose | News
On Sunday evening I was caught up in a perfect rainstorm of traffic. A burst water main, closure of bridges, a football match and the return to the city. I could feel my temples throbbing and stretching in a dangerously Gordon Brown/Incredible Hulk fashion, so I quickly retuned the radio to Aled Jones's tribute to the great choir master Stanley Vann. The leadership style of Vann was brilliantly effective. If the choir performed well, he would say: "Thank you, gentlemen and boys." If they were exceptional, he would say: "Thank you very much." If they sang badly, he would politely murmur his disappointment and the choir would lapse into devastated silence.
On Sunday evening I was caught up in a perfect rainstorm of traffic. A burst water main, closure of bridges, a football match and the return to the city.
I could feel my temples throbbing and stretching in a dangerously Gordon Brown/Incredible Hulk fashion, so I quickly retuned the radio to Aled Jones's tribute to the great choir master Stanley Vann.
The leadership style of Vann was brilliantly effective. If the choir performed well, he would say: "Thank you, gentlemen and boys." If they were exceptional, he would say: "Thank you very much." If they sang badly, he would politely murmur his disappointment and the choir would lapse into devastated silence.
There is no motivating force in this universe beyond knowing that there is an adult who is truly disappointed in your performance. Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
But perhaps not quite as twiddly.
Would be interested to hear this with the drums and vocals it was no doubt supposed to be performed with.
