Sir Keir Starmer enters the Leeds Piano Competition
NewsThe prime minister has offered a tribute to the contest, presently under way. He writes:
The Leeds combines two of my greatest loves: the city that absolutely formed me when I came here as a student; and the joy and discovery of music that changed my life. Everyone involved in this competition will know what I mean when I talk about that experience of being truly moved by a piece of music – of losing yourself and finding something new in the space that artistry creates. The piano does that like no other instrument. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, in particular, never fails to take me to that state. Although that may also be because my wife chose it as her entrance music for our wedding!”
[Music] gave me the confidence to perform, and taught me so much about culture and creativity. Above all, it made me believe that music was something for me. I want that same belief for everyone. So as Prime Minister I am determined to put creativity at the heart of our school curriculum and ensure that every young person has access to music and all the arts – something I know was a lifelong passion of this competition’s long-time Founder, Chair and Artistic Director, the late Dame Fanny Waterman.
That is lavish. We have hardly ever read such words on classical music from a Conservative leader, not since John Major in the early 1990s, at any rate.
Thanks, Sir Keir. (You can keep my winter fuel payment.)
Hear, hear.
As an American, it’s remarkable to hear a country’s leader say anything about the arts, let alone classical music. The fact that Starmer can cite a Beethoven piano concerto is quite impressive – such a statement would never come from one our national politicians’ lips.
Wasn’t Harris talking about coltrane just the other week?
Yes, there is a video of her buying vinyl(!!) at a record shop, and mentioning whose LPs she bought. Some folks deride a politician for liking classical, jazz, or other music or art as this implies intelligence that some would resent being reminded (that they don’t have). There is currently in the U.S. political sphere – for some – a “fashionable” condescension toward anything smacking of discernment.
Quite possibly. I believe she’s name-checked Gershwin too. Certainly a more viable spokesperson for the arts than her illiterate opponent.
Nor any Tory in Britain … philistinism seems to be in their DNA!
Dr Rice?
Lifted from Wikipedia;
“ Although Rice did not ultimately become a professional pianist, she still practices often and plays with a chamber music group. She accompanied cellist Yo-Yo Ma in playing Johannes Brahms’ Violin Sonata in D minor at Constitution Hall in April 2002 for the National Medal of Arts Awards.[247][248]”
Hooray !! Well done Sir Keir – classical music needs all the plugs it can get – it’s being pushed to the limit at the moment ! And – if it wasn’t for the early composers there would be no pop or jazz today !!
Is it a parody or are you that insensitive?
What do you mean?
I haven’t a clue who you’re you’re replying to, Affreux Jojo…
Keep northern ballet live which is in Leeds!
So what is more important to you Norman: that he likes piano or that he imposes an arms embargo on Israel while it fights a war against barbarians whose main objective is indistinguishable from Nazi Germany?
Edward Heath’s…he P.M…Scriabin was sublime as was his foray into
early 20th century…English composers only recently ‘equalled’
by Honybourn’s championing of these English works.
These are fine words from the PM, but your winter fuel payments remark is in bad taste. Not everyone has the luxury of forfeiting it that you have!
I entirely agree with you, re the winter fuel payments.
Lucky you Norman. Many pensioners existing on a state pension of less than £10k per year would rather Two Tier Kier had not spitefully withdrawn their WFA.
If you were living ONLY on a state pension of under £10k you’d qualify for pension credit and therefore also still be eligible for WFA…
I suppose so, but there are still many, probably running into millions, of people ho only get a little bit more than £10k and they’d still be really badly off.
If you only have the state pension, you’re still getting the winter fuel payment, plus being encouraged to sign up for every other benefit there is
Also the state pension is £11,500 and is going up by over £400 next year. Plus the winter fuel payment makes it about £12.5 k
You are right, it is a refreshing change to hear a UK Prime Minister say positive things about music and culture. Whether that is reflected in policy, who knows?
I don’t actually recall John Major saying much about music (but then it was 30 years ago) but he always looked happy enough when attending concerts and the opera along with his wife Norma who was definitely an enthusiast. (Cricket on the other hand …)
Let’s hope he puts the money where his mouth is. For widening participation and for supporting our orchestras, our concert halls and our opera houses.
Yes, a rare sighting of a politician prepared to buck the trend.
After a decade and a half of austerity, music departments closing, ENO forced to relocate, libraries closing… I wish I hadn’t started. Yet more ground to make up.
I recall that we nearly had a culture minister who had been a professional cellist, which wouldn’t have done any harm.
Hopefully KS & Co can deliver – the Reeves budget could help. If not, we’ll have to remind them…
Do you seriously think 2tk will reverse any of the above? Music has always been the Cinderella of Tory and Labour governments alike since time immemorial, coming even way lower down the list of priority spending than the pensioners WFA! Expect the situation to be even worse by the time Kier leaves office!
This is a classical music forum, not a politics forum. If you want to refer the PM as 2tk, do it elsewhere.
Has he entered the competition then?
And what can he do about Brexit, which is destroying classical music in Great Britain?
As a professional musician, I have to say that I believe it is a bit of a myth about Brexit and musicians livelihoods.
It is true that a few opera/Ballet companies have found it more difficult to tour in Europe because of added costs imposed on them by the EU regime, but these tours, whether it be ballet or symphony orchestras, have always been desireable rather than 100% necessary for income of musicians. Europe has their own fine orchestras and ballet companies and don’t rely on musicians etc from Britain.
The main culprit to thank for destroying the Arts and Music Education in this country is the government (and I include Labour as well as Conservative governments). Unfortunately, music and the arts take low priority as far as the bureaucrats in Whitehall are concerned.
You Remoaners really are the limit, seeking to pin the blame for everything on Brexit so avidly! Your energies would be far better directed asking Kier why every UK government, both Labour and Tory within living memory, has undervalued the arts like a Cinderella, whilst countries like Germany have been very much more generous in their support of high culture. Let’s face facts – if the powers that be in the UK had given music the PROPER recognition and support it deserves as a PROFESSION, as opposed to the current all-too-fleeting empty gracious platitude by politicians like Starmer, we British musicians would not need to be looking abroad for adequate remuneration/performance opportunities. Furthermore, opportunities in places like Europe are not what they used to be. The fortunes of the arts are regrettably indissolubly tied to those of the economy – when the economy falters (as it is now doing quite markedly in the EU) music suffers in consequence. Forget the mindless Brexit Bash, and target your criticisms where they are genuinely needed!
Good for the UK to have a music-loving MP.
The Emperor concerto as entrance music for a wedding ? Original idea. I quite like it. I can picture the bride on horseback, charging down the aisle with a whoop.
Desert Island Discs – he said it was No. 5, Second Movement. Does work, I would say.
I can picture a young bride entering the church, and dying of old age on her zimmer Frame before the prelimary orchestral entry to the first movement is complete! The actual marriage vows themselves would have to be conducted posthumously at that rate, and best postpone the reception altogether ( especially if following up with the Ninth Symphony as Finale)! No criticism of the Emperor per se – absolutely wonderful work, but totally unsuited to a wedding!
While it is heartening to read such a testament, let alone a commitment, from any political leader, I find your response to it utterly tone-deaf.
It may be all very well for you, presumably in a very safe income bracket. But your crack about the now-cancelled winter fuel payment, which is is going to wreak havoc on many pensioners and lower-income families, already struggling to make ends meet, is distasteful in the extreme. People are choosing between food and heat in the UK — a lot of people, presumably not those you see regularly.
Starmer’s commitment to arts education, however laudable, is obviously going to cost money. That may mean cuts elsewhere. That you should laugh off cuts in fuel supplements to the neediest in society as if that is a reasonable price to pay for music is making my stomach tie up in knots.
You know the poorest pensioners will still get the winter fuel payment don’t you? It hasn’t disappeared. It’s just not going to well off pensioners.
Anyway, enough politics. What about the Beethoven?
Well it’s no use him saying that while continuing to preside over the ideologically-driven dismantling of all our national musical institutions by the Arts Council. This is just empty rhetoric.
Jeez give him a chance, he’s only had the job a couple of months and, as important as the arts are there are a few other things in front of them when it comes to priorities…
Wonderful!
At last something positive. Every time he speaks it is gloom and doom. I now hope that he puts some investment into Music in Schools.
Inspiring sentiment. Let’s hope he puts his money where his mouth is.
The imposition of VAT on independent schools will severely impact music education in the UK. The decision to impose the tax mid way through the academic year in January is particularly vindictive.
Thank you Sir Kier.
Good news, but given the current situation it will take a long time to re-establish Music in particular as a major element in state schools. In addition, all initiatives must begin in pre-secondary education – starting to take the Arts seriously at secondary level is too late.
It’s wonderful having a prime minister who has a love of art music. We here in Australia had Prime Minister Paul Keating many years ago who would speak about and write articles on Mahler and his individual symphonies for example. This was in contrast to some of the Country Party Coalition whose musical understanding stopped at the Top Forty. I’m sure you would have analogues in the UK – Boris perhaps?
Boris Johnson can sing the Ode to Joy in German, so I suspect it is a safe bet he has a passing knowledge of classical music.
Good to read this – if it is followed up by action I will be overjoyed!
How refreshing to read such appreciative words about Classical music from a Politician. More please …..
High praise indeed. But can he walk the walk for the arts? Or just talk the talk?
Time will tell. Let’s see if he actually contributes something significant to the arts sector, whatever and however that may be. Or whether it all amounts to a rather anaemic word salad.
Just words, which are cheap.
Let’s wait and see what happens.
Someone PLEASE remind me to make a point of never playing the Emperor ever again! It was one of my favorite piano concertos to perform – until reading this article, that is!
What exactly is your problem — that a politician whose views one can infer you do not share likes the same piece?
Grow the f*&^ up. Quite a few of us love Wagner, and I doubt any of us has an iota of sympathy for his most famous fan.
I’m sure we’ll all feel devastated and deprived if you never play the Emperor again!
Words. If anyone thinks Starmer is going to be seen throwing money at the arts when he has social care, housing and a failing health service hemorrhaging money from an already chronic financial black hole, they haven’t realised how bad things are out there.
Some of the reactions I’ve heard have been cynical, pandering to the elite. Who remembers the great Tory MP, Terry Dicks, otherwise styled ‘Rent-a-gob,’ the man who claimed his constituents objected taxpayers money being wasted on ‘a fat Italian in tights?’
There are very good reasons for receiving the words of all politicians with cynicism. It doesn’t have to be either/or.
Sorry if your particular tribe has been offended.
don’t get your hopes up – look at Labour’s record in office in Wales.
I fear for these 24 young pianists in Leeds- beautiful people & devoted to the piano & the art of music. But where is there for them to play currently?- in a depressed & Philistine nation populated by a bunch of yobos.
So good, so comforting to hear world leaders talking about classical music at its best and its value for culture and creativity.
Conservative Prime Mimister-Keir Starmer?!