David Munrow lives!

... yes, I know... the risk is being quite annoying - i.e. I have my myths and I cheerish and love talking about them... but please don't blame me for quoting again my beloved David Munrow, a big, BIG inspiration of mine, someone who I love, listen to, collect, read about, write and talk about since my short-trousers days.

I wrote a short, too short appreciation post in my native language some months ago... returning on him is nothing short than an exceptional evenience to me, as I finally had the rare opportunity to enjoy a DVD of the six "Granada Television" half-an-hour TV series programs he shot back in 1976, few months before his untimely death, at 34 superbly spent years.

He was really very young, but seeing him in my large screen tv-set, with his handsome, courtly manners, elegantly dressed, witty, formal, yet happily conducting and playing with his cohort, the Early Music Consort of London, well, I'm not exagerating saying you all tears dropped copiously from my eyes after few minutes.

Reading records liner notes while listening to his music, looking at the studio stills, the expressions of all the musicians, his fiery eyes during rehearsals, the halls and recording venues, the elegance of musicians during recording sessions, lots of ties and jackets... no sweaters, in this (romantic) England, back in the '70s... all and more I already knew and already absorbed, as a plus to his great musicke...

I wasn't prepared to the emotion of seeing him almost alive, spreading his enourmous knowledge and art from the pixels of my screen directly to my heart... utterly moving, entertaining, enriching, so full of academically correct rendering to the ancient artworks - miniatures, paintings, stone carvings, all depicting instruments, dressings, playing positions... a 360 degrees music adventure, a musical travel, something to be shown in schools, indeed!

Words are uneseful and too limited, sometimes... I respectfully hint everyone loving ancient music spending the little bucks - actually about 20 GB Pounds - involved in the purchasing of such a treasure. A true must-have!

... and, no, definitely I'll do not copy the DVD for friends eventually asking for... I owe too much respect to David Griffith's generous, humble, lovingly made work in undusting these great footage and giving them to the World, a value which is far, far greater than the DVD price-tag.

Thanks, dear David, and thanks David.

David Munrow's site - a labour of love

David Munrow's papers at Royal College of Music in London (1)

... also: DM's papers at Royal College of Music in London (2)