From Blackadders to Big Bangs
Review in Oxford‘s Daily Info of An Evening with Howard Goodall at the Oxford Playhouse, March 2001, by Jacqui Mulville
Howard Goodall is an engaging, amusing and extremely talented man. This benefit evening at the Playhouse acknowledged his talent and in an informal setting of one man and a piano, gave us a glimpse into his world. Not knowing what to expect, it turned out he has been responsible for a number of well known tunes and TV shows. Blackadder, Red Dwarf and the Vicar of Dibley are amongst his credits, as are programs on organs and choral works. Musical talent aside, Howard’s other skill is in talking and making people laugh. Playing and singing only five pieces of music to demonstrate his skills, the best part of the night was listening to him express his enthusiasm for music of all sorts. In contrast to those who present music in dense and difficult terms, his mission was to talk to us about music as it is lived. He started with his meeting with Rowan Atkinson in his first few days of studying in Oxford and his subsequent involvement in the revue. At that time music at the revues was all jazz, and lost in something of a timewarp. Howard sought to change this by introducing contemporary tunes, a trend which continued in his work on ‘Not the9 o’clockNews’. This ex-chorister has continued to engage with all forms of music, which brings a relevance and immediacy to his work.
On TV he presents music as a topic for study in its own right. Howard is not interested in watching folk performing great works, but sees music as a living, breathing, essential force in our lives. Describing the spine tingling sensation of examining an original musical manuscript, he helped to bring music alive as history, as culture and as a rhythm for life. The conversation ranged from Germans in Lederhosen to the Dong tribe of China. A question and answer session let the audience further into the composer’s mind. Asked about authenticity in music, Howard playfully replied that it had a place, but to hear music as Handel had experienced it would involve reintroducing castration!
As a person who has little knowledge of classical or choral work, I found it refreshing to hear an expert speak in such an inclusive manner about all forms of music. This was an immensely enjoyable evening, even to a musical ignoramus, and I am glad I heard this stimulating man speak. Go along to the Sheldonian Theatre on 29th June for his selection of romantic choral works, or failing that, watch out for his TV programs to be fired up by his musical enthusiasm.