Vote early vote often has always been my mantra. And today I highlight multiple opportunities to vote.
ClassicFM is running a poll celebrating much that is dumbed down in their perception of music. They are calling it The Nation's Favourite Music Poll and it presents six categories
The hideousness of this is manifold. Note we get 'Favourite Soundtrack' but not 'Favourite Symphony' or 'Favourite Concerto' or even 'Favourite Non-Vocal Orchestral Work', nor of course 'Favourite Chamber Music'. We get two categories for singer, and one that encompasses the whole of the rest of instrumentalists.
And the shortlists ...
Ten composers, including Mahler and Vaughan Williams, but not Verdi or Wagner.
Favourite opera includes 3 by Puccini and 2 by Mozart but none by Wagner. Or Britten. But does include Mikado (might as well include The Sound of Music, too).
Favourite female singer includes one dead and three retired (or semi-retired) greats, and several singers currently active, including a microphone-dependent pop singer known on this blog as Warbling Barbie (why not include other pop singers?).
And favourite male singer includes a good selection of decent singers plus Andrea Bocelli and Russell Watson. I'm just shocked that Paul Potts isn't included. I am being lobbied vociferously by the Simon Keenlysiders, but I strongly recommend my readers to vote for Plácido Domingo.
It's not clear whether the voter is supposed to have a preference based on live performance or on recordings, or what? Lifetime contribution or merit in the past year or so?
It's pretty clear that the final result, especially in regard to the singers will prove nothing other than effectiveness of the lobbyists of their respective followers. And,also, it does seem to allow multiple voting, although not in the same session. So, fundamentally flawed.Think, when Katherine Jenkins wins, she will go on and on and on about how this technically flawed farce 'proves' that she is whatever she thinks she is on any particular day. Merely that the votes of those who appreciate vocal greatness were split several ways and the votes of those that love mediocrity were split only between Jenkins and the infinitely more talented (but still mediocre) Lesley Garratt.
My professional opinion as an auditor and my informed opinion as a politics graduate with two decades experience of actively fighting elections is that this is a total joke. As a blogger, I repeat, Vote Early and Vote Often! Up until 31 July.
Of considerably more merit, but still, I believe, with the ability to vote often is the Gramophone Awards 2008 – Artist of the year. Although this is co-sponsored by Classic FM, somehow Warbling Barbie doesn't make the cut. Instead I am forced to decide between Gerald Finley and Rolando Villazón. How can they make me do this? Oh, wait, I can vote often for both!
