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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪

@grahamrickson.bsky.social

1.3K followers 1.2K following 990 posts

London-raised, Leeds-based primary music teacher, horn and ukulele player, film and classical CD critic, responsible dog and cat owner. Writing things for www.theartdesk.com (@theartsdesk.bsky.social)since 2009. Proud Irish citizen ☘️.

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 7m

Bought this second hand as I couldn’t resist the Supraphon sleeve art. Magnificent stuff. #supraphon #dvorak #karelancerl #czechphilharmonic

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 3d

I liked this, especially for Pappano’s 9th: www.theartsdesk.com/classical-mu...

Classical CDs: Voice flutes, flugelhorns and froth

Corelli/Handel: Sonatas Michaela Koudelková (recorders), Monika Knoblochová (harpsichord), Libor Mašek (cello), Jan Krejča (theorbo) (Supraphon)

www.theartsdesk.com

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 4d

As with Handel’s Messiah, I have never heard Gerontius. Any good?

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Reposted by Graham Rickson 🇮🇪

theartsdesk.com @theartsdesk.bsky.social · 5d

The latest #ClassicalCDs from @bernardhughes.bsky.social @seb-scotney.bsky.social @grahamrickson.bsky.social - Voice flutes, flugelhorns and froth in Baroque sonatas, English orchestral music and an emotionally-charged vocal recital www.theartsdesk.com/classical-mu...

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 5d

Many years ago I was hired to provide music for a BBC radio play which starred Patricia Routledge. My composing/improvising career floundered soon after, but working alongside Routledge was fun.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 5d

What links Francis Poulenc and Cliff Richard? Find out here: www.theartsdesk.com/classical-mu... @bernardhughes.bsky.social @seb-scotney.bsky.social @londonsymphony.bsky.social #MichaelaKoudelková #recorder #holst #poulenc #cliffrichard #vaughanwilliams #dobrinkatabakova #ecm

Composer Francis Poulenc with his doggie

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 5d

I had a blow on one of these once - Selmer double with ascending third valve. Very confusing.

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 5d

And French composers used to treat the horn as another woodwind instrument

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 6d

Optimism and hope for the future!

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 6d

I remember the old Penguin Guide being full of guff like "a reading of great distinction".

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 8d

Have only seen the Ken Russell 'Monitor' film. Lovely. Delius crops up in David Mitchell's epic novel 'Cloud Atlas'.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 8d

Yes! Is puppetry animation? Presumably not. The elaborate lift-off routines were devised to conceal the fact that the puppets couldn't walk convincingly.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 8d

Am teaching some Y5/6 classes about film music, and couldn't resist showing them a clip of the Thunderbird 1 launch sequence. They were bemused but 'liked the beats'.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOJ7fZPt0qI

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 8d

The best Barry Gray theme is UFO. Here's an amateur Italian wind band playing it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wST1... Gray's final years were spent playing piano in a Guernsey hotel bar, which is cool.

UFO S.H.A.D.O. - Main Theme - Barry Gray

YouTube video by Società Filarmonica Pisana - Scuola di Musica

www.youtube.com

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 9d

Also the scherzo from the Scottish Symphony. Ouch.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 11d

I've taken part in a performance, with a teenage prodigy! The audience loved it. Given how short the piece is, we should have encored it.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 12d

I teach in UK primary schools. Boomwhackers, chime bars and ukuleles are what I see most days!

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 12d

I had a go on an Ableton earlier this month at a training event. Great fun, but the price would put most UK state schools off investing in a class set.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 12d

I couldn't get my head round that work, despite repeated trying, then took part in a performance a few years ago and ended up loving it.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 13d

Also wonderful.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 13d

My favourite of the seven. Not a wasted note.

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 13d

So much to choose from! Currently I’m listening regularly to the 5th and 6th quartets and the 13th Symphony.

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Reposted by Graham Rickson 🇮🇪

Robert Komaniecki @komaniecki.bsky.social · 14d

Once on Twitter somebody was like “I have a music PhD but apparently I’m not qualified to teach elementary music??”

And like. Yeah no, you’re not qualified. The preps+teaching+admin+coordinating concerts would have you sobbing by 1pm on the first day

Hannah Pumpkins 🎃 🍂 @hannahposts.bsky.social · 14d

My brother is a first-year elementary school music teacher. Is that an incredibly hard job? Everything he tells me about it seems impossible. I had been led to believe that, as a middle school English teacher, I was dealing with one of the harder teaching jobs, but I don't know if that's true

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Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 13d

I teach music in 7 different primary schools over the week, with children aged from 4 to 11. Keeping on top of it takes a lot of thought. As a music teacher you're 'on' all the time, so it can be very tiring. A great job though - I'd never go back to regular class teaching.

Graham Rickson 🇮🇪 @grahamrickson.bsky.social · 14d

Yes - it sounds just like Strauss. Great piece.