mpdconcerts

[mpdconcerts]

Dame Cleo Laine

All of us at MPD were saddened to hear of the death of one of our Patrons, Dame Cleo Laine.

She was one of the most outstanding and versatile singers of her time, equally at home in jazz, musicals, opera, lieder, and new compositions, many of which were written by her husband and close musical collaborator, the clarinettist, saxophonist and bandleader John Dankworth.

Her distinctive voice, with its husky tone and four-octave range, was instantly recognisable, and she worked with many of the jazz greats, including Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Frank Sinatra. Cleo Laine also enjoyed success in the theatre, appearing in plays at The Royal Court among other venues.

In 1970, John Dankworth and Cleo Laine established The Stables – a music venue at Wavendon, Bucks, which aimed to break down musical barriers by hosting performances of jazz and classical music, masterclasses and educational events. Over the years, many famous musicians have taken part in concerts at the Stables, including Dave Brubeck, Nigel Kennedy, James Galway, Courtney Pine, and Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason.

Cleo Laine was an exceptionally talented and original performer, who will be hugely missed by the musical world. We are privileged to have had her support as a patron of MPD.

Photo: CC BY-SA Michael Cohn

[mpdconcerts]

Letter to the BBC

7 August 2024

Dear Mr Davie,

On behalf of the members and committee of Musicians for Peace and Disarmament, I am writing to express our surprise and dismay that the advert placed by the Peace Pledge Union in the programme for the Promenade concert on 17 August has now been removed, in spite of originally being accepted and paid for.

The work to be performed, Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, was created as a direct result of the composer’s deep commitment to peace. For many years, he and his partner Peter Pears had a close involvement with the PPU, and the advert provided important context for the origin of the piece.

At a time when tensions in many parts of the world have reached a frightening level, and when huge numbers of people are experiencing unimaginable suffering, the promotion of peace is urgently needed. Britten’s masterpiece conveys the horrors of war very powerfully; by drawing attention to the composer’s links with the PPU and giving information about the organisation, the advert affirms this message, and could not conceivably have offended anyone. The composer himself would surely have been appalled by this unnecessary censorship by the BBC.

We hope that you will reconsider your decision and reinstate the advert.

Yours sincerely, Anthony Lamb (Chair, MPD)

[mpdconcerts]

The Conflict In The Middle East

The raid by Hamas on 7 October was unspeakable in its brutality. The crushing response by the Israeli government has at the time of writing already resulted in nearly 29,000 dead and countless more injured or missing, and has devastated the lives of everyone in Gaza. The sheer scale of slaughter and destruction have led many around the world, including the International Court of Justice, to warn that this response might constitute genocide. It should be remembered that our own government has over many years supplied weapons to Israel, which are now being used in this way.

The horrific and ever-deteriorating situation in Gaza has tragically opened up deep and painful divisions in our society and around the world, with people on both sides polarised in their fervent indignation and outrage. MPD’s position reflects our core belief that violence and killing are wrong in any context, and that in the long term they create a vicious circle of revenge and counter-revenge, in which everyone loses, and untold numbers of people suffer.

Unless a solution is found which guarantees the security of everyone in the region, there will be further bloodshed, and an already catastrophic situation could become even worse if other countries are further drawn into the conflict. The task is immense; historical events, including a long occupation of Gaza and increased illegal Jewish settlements, continuing attacks on Israel, religious and cultural differences, and many other factors, are a major stumbling block to achieving peace, but ultimately only one course of action is possible if a never-ending cycle of violence and death is to be avoided: a complete ceasefire leading to political agreement. Ultimately, humanity must prevail.

[mpdconcerts]

Tribute to Bruce Kent

All at MPD were very saddened by the news of Bruce Kent’s recent death. He was a towering figure in the peace movement, and for many decades he was an inspiration for everyone interested in peace, social justice, and the attempt to build a better world.

Bruce held important positions within a number of organisations, including CND, Pax Christi, and The Movement for the Abolition of War. He spoke at many of our concerts, and his warm and witty manner brought home the truth of the most serious issues with great effectiveness.  

Although his work will be continued by others, his death is a great loss to the peace movement. In the words of Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, “He was one of the finest human beings I have ever met.”

[mpdconcerts]

MPD statement on the war in Ukraine

Like millions of people around the world, MPD has reacted with horror towards the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The devastation already caused has been immense, but talk of using nuclear weapons has made the situation the most dangerous since the Cuban missile crisis of 1962.

MPD will continue to work for peace through the power of music, but at this time it’s vital for all of us to take whatever actions are possible, not just to alleviate the present suffering, but to alert world leaders and their citizens to the urgency of the nuclear threat.

Many initiatives have sprung up, including those that use the power of music to support and unite. We urge all our members to use their musical skills to vote for peace and an end to this invasion. Do let us know any actions you take so we can inspire others through our website.

Thank you.

[mpdconcerts]

Letter written by MPD Chair

Source: 'Boris Johnson should withdraw this reckless nuclear weapons plan', The Guardian, 23 March 2021. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/mar/23/boris-johnson-should-withdraw-this-reckless-nuclear-weapons-plan (Accessed 24 March 2021)

Serhii Plokhy’s article (Boris Johnson is playing a dangerous nuclear game, 19 March) explains why this could not be a worse time for the government to raise the cap on nuclear warheads. Musicians for Peace and Disarmament (MPD) has been campaigning for a nuclear-free world since 1983. Although progress towards this end has been painfully slow, little did we expect such a sudden and profound setback as the recent announcement.

This reckless decision threatens to destabilise the already fragile world order, and instead of using precious funds for positive purposes, it squanders them on weapons of mass destruction that can never be used, are illegal, and are inherently immoral. Society will need rebuilding after the destructive effects of the pandemic; millions of people around the world are in desperate need of help after years of conflict in their countries, yet foreign aid has been cut; and the climate emergency, now almost at the point of no return, must be made a matter of absolute priority.

Along with countless other people who have expressed their dismay, MPD strongly urges the prime minister and his government to show political wisdom and moral leadership by withdrawing this plan.

Tony Lamb Chair, MPD, Frankie Armstrong, Wissam Boustany, Sir Mark Elder, Julian Jacobson, Dr Colin Matthews, Ralph McTell, Peggy Seeger, Roger Vignoles Patrons, MPD

[mpdconcerts]

Open Letter written by MPD Patrons Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Mark Elder

Source: ‘UK orchestras may not survive coronavirus pandemic, conductors warn‘, Guardian, 10 June 2020. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/10/orchestras-might-not-survive-after-coronavirus-pandemic-uk-conductors (Accessed 9 July 2020)

The Rattle/Elder letter

There are so many pressing problems to solve in the UK that it takes courage even to mention the desperate situation of classical music in the time of Covid-19.

There’s a real possibility of a devastated landscape on the other side of this; orchestras may not survive, and if they do, they may face insuperable obstacles to remain solvent in our new reality. What we write applies, of course, to all types of music, not just classical music which is our area of expertise. Our music is essentially a live experience and requires all the participants, performers and listeners alike, to be in the same room together. What we may do individually over the internet in these months is all well and good, but the living core of our work is a live communion, a sharing of space, art and emotion which is both vital and healing.

This healing will become ever more necessary in the coming time as we attempt to bear witness and understand what we have all gone through. In such an existential crisis, the realisation of our shared vulnerability will surely change and deepen our relationship to all the arts. In our own field we are asking ourselves; how can we get back to live music? How can we give our audiences the courage to gradually return?

More immediately, how can we maintain musical continuity when orchestras are silenced? And how do we nurture a generation of young musicians whose prospects look bleak just as they embark on a career in this ever more uncertain world?

The recent extension of the furlough scheme is a blessing and enables many organisations to hang on. For freelance musicians, which include four of the London orchestras among others, huge problems remain. Currently many freelancers fall between the cracks of the government’s self-employment schemes. We need to find a way to sustain some kind of backbone of income so that we will eventually be able to play whenever that will be possible. At the most basic level, despite all appearances to the contrary, musicians are humans. They need to eat and pay their bills. But we also need to play together and train, just like any sports team, albeit in a totally new environment. Crucially, this musical team is part of a complex structure that is focussed around, and serves, its home town or city.

We will have to reinvent the wheel in so many ways. Learning to play while remaining distanced from each other will be much harder than it may initially seem.

Our venues will have to learn to shepherd audiences in and out of performances in safety, and accept that at maximum only 25% capacity will be allowed, with all the economic knock on effects that this reality implies. We MUST find a way to play together soon, even without an audience, if we are to maintain anything like our normal standards, and we badly need clarity from government, a timeline, of when that might be and how it can be implemented. We understand that we cannot expect to revert to everything as it was before; we will be creative and tireless in making contingency plans and solving problems.

All musicians of whatever genre share the magnificent problem of an art form which is, fundamentally, songs transmitted to people in a room. When will our audiences have the chance to experience this once more?

We refuse to believe that live music will die, but it will not survive merely on energy and optimism. It will need support and understanding, particularly when it ventures out in public once more. The first year of performing with fewer musicians to a much smaller public will be our toughest time, and we will need a helping hand to make it through.

In Mainland Europe orchestras are gradually opening up and finding different ways to deal with the problems of distancing. Good practice is being built up: in the UK we must gain time by learning what has already been proved to work, rather than starting from the beginning yet again, with people not from the performing arts making the decisions. Until we have some practical idea of what our future might entail, musicians in our country will continue to feel out in the wilderness.

Sir Simon Rattle, OM, CBE, Music Director, London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Mark Elder, CH, CBE, Music Director, Hallé Orchestra