SO, JAMES Dillon believes the RSNO was "dismissive" of his Via Sacra and delivered a poor performance (March 24). As a patron of the orchestra and a music-lover for many years, I wonder how anyone except Mr Dillon or a graduate in music would be expected to tell. Having listened to his pre-concert talk - the most unenlightening I have heard - in which he stated he often "had difficulties with performers" and "found most conductors quite unmusical", I then listened to the RSNO perform Via Sacra, which completely failed to involve me. While at times the piece presented some interesting effects and sound textures, these in themselves do not music make.
Speaking to a number of other regular concert-goers at the interval, I could not find a single opinion to conflict with mine. Some of the comments are best not repeated.
Perhaps the orchestra didn't like the piece. But to level accusations of unprofessionalism not just at the RSNO but at maestro Lazarev, an acknowledged advocate of contemporary music, seems bizarre, and I cannot let them go unchallenged. All composers deserve a fair hearing, but if by the audience they are found wanting, then what? Perhaps in another 100 years, pieces such as Via Sacra may find wide appreciation. At this time, I cannot but feel James Dillon is writing for an audience of one.
Ian Taft, 226 Aros Drive, Glasgow.
I WAS amazed to read your article about James Dillon and his comments on the RSNO. As a member of the same audience can I redress the balance by sending again a letter I wrote after the initial review which you declined to publish at the time?
Conrad Wilson (March 7) was scathing in his comments about the RSNO and its conductor Alexander Lazarev's valiant attempt to perform the work, Via Sacra, by James Dillon.
He had not heard the only previous performance, but had no doubts as to the "quality of the music", ergo the performers were to blame. Perhaps he has seen the score and understood it, hearing in his imagination how it should sound. At the dress rehearsal, the composer's own score unfolded into something the size of an architectural drawing. It is a tribute to the flexibility of musical notation that such a hotchpotch and at times cacophony of sounds could be represented on paper at all. Sadly, in life reality often disappoints our imaginations.
The lack of a programme note was reported as a barrier, yet the composer himself, interviewed by Linda Ormiston on stage prior to the performance, could not articulate the meaning or structure of the piece, and referred to its naming as a totemic experience, whatever that is. Listening to it was anything but: a random, discordant, boring piece of meaningless twaddle that made the subsequent Stravinsky, modern yet classical, a masterpiece of writing, exploring the dark themes of incest and patricide, a delight to hear and perform. Totemic in fact. The encore series has allowed Dillon's piece to be heard twice. Radio 3 will give it a third airing. For me, twice was more than enough.
Graeme Simpson, 18 Stanely Drive, Paisley.
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