A pop-chart classical hit that falls between two stools

A pop-chart classical hit that falls between two stools

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norman lebrecht

July 30, 2014

We were quick to applaud when Nicole Benedetti’s new album broke into the UK pop charts, the first classical violinist to do so in two decades.

The content we found less encouraging. Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy is a blend of Bruch and Robbie Burns. It sounds pretty good. What it fails to do is come down one side or the other in the Scottish independence debate. And that’s a fatal weakness in the concept.

Click sinfinimusic.com for more.

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Comments

  • Will Duffay says:

    “What it fails to do is come down one side or the other in the Scottish independence debate. And that’s a fatal weakness in the concept.”

    You’re joking, right?

  • Rob says:

    Why does it have to have anything to do with the independence refererendum? 2014 is also being branded as Homecoming Year by Scotland’s tourist board.

    http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/homecoming-scotland-2014/

    Strikes me that an album called Homecoming is probably more related to that than trying to make any political point…

  • Halldor says:

    It’s a shame, certainly, that this disc doesn’t include the lovely piece that James MacMillan wrote for her, “In Ayrshire” – which would surely be appropriate to the theme.

  • Martin says:

    The album was times for the Commonwealth Games which are held in Glasgow just now – not for the Indepandance debate. No artist should be forced to make a political statement.

    One Swiss ski star, Bernhard Russi, says it right: He has a political opinion, but it belongs to discussions amongst friends and family. As a public person, an well liked expert in skiing, all political expressions would be taken seriously despite he is no expert in those fields. Therefore it is correct to say silent in public. Benedetti’s an expert in playing the violin, not in decision making about independance.

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