David Cameron, who has admitted on air that he has no idea who composed Rule, Britannia! (‘Elgar, was it?’), regained some street cred today by appointing Michael Berkeley to join Andrew Lloyd Webber in the upper chamber that his coalition partners, the LibDems, want to scrap.
So, that’s two composers in the House. Why not three? Atonalist, for a change? Lord of Dense Pages?
photo (c) Betty Freeman/Lebrecht Music&Arts
Lord Ferneyhough would be great! But if there’s a pecking order to these things, do our two “Sirs” Birtwistle and Maxwell Davies get to become Lords first?
I suppose one has to have an interest in politics, it’s not really a simple ennoblement as such is it. On that basis I put forward Steve Martland who once said to me when I asked if he would accept an honour: “A Lordship? No, a Dukedom or nothing!” which I thought was brilliant. Anyway, Lord Martland of Islington it will have to be. That will liven up the place!
re: Cameron and Rule Britannia :
NL’s interesting article below says how Tony Blair had clearly never heard of Harison Birtwistle.
And after Cherie’s portrait by Birtwistle Junior (Adam), maybe she wishes they’d never met !
http://www.scena.org/columns/lebrecht/001014-NL-Birtwistle.html
I’ve never heard of Harison Birtwistle either
Harrison, on the other hand …
(Sorry!)
You mean one they will now have a composer in addition to the other man
“Why not three?”
Cameron is rumoured to be searching for Elgar, E.W. in the telephone directory.
Someone needs to tell him that ‘Vaughan’ isn’t the man’s first name
I somehow doubt Harry would accept the ermine, even if it were offered to him!
)
I mean, look at the lamentable Lords he’d have to meet there… Lord Prezza of Pie-Scoffing, Lord Blair of Electrician-Murdering, Lord One-Piece-Of-Hand-Baggage Reid, and Lord Peter Meddlesome of Iraq… every one of them a fugitive from the judicial process.
Apparently Angela Merkel has an encyclopaedic knowlege of classical music. And Rattle said he was impressed that she and her husband attend events “on their own tab” rather than taking advantage of all the freebies.