Judy dear, you are embarrassingly, totally, OTT!!
And I would ignore this post, if you hadn't made the mistake of of saying
that my sonnet was read by a professional actor, when it was actually thank
goodness read by a professional poet, and one of those who reads extremely
well. Considering this thread's topic, I don't think I can let that one go.
What you can sometimes get if a poem's read in the interval of a concert
broadcast (as this one was) is the announcer-of-the-day reading it, with
shall we say variable results. So I count myself very lucky there.
joanna
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judy Prince" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 11:25 PM
Subject: Re: Poem/Play (was Re: Pinter on Blair et al.)
> bits to joanna and douglas,
>
> for the most part, i prefer a poet reading her works.
>
> joanna boulter's the most gifted reader I've heard. It is as if one is
> hearing music, deep meaningful sensual music, when she's reading. same
> when she's speaking, i'm pleased to report. of course, some of that can
> be grasped and practiced-imitated by another reader, but oh my so much of
> the skill's inborn, i feel. no accident that joanna's significant studies
> and pleasure's in music.
>
> when joanna's shostakovich sonnet was read recently by a professional
> actor on radio3, 'twas lovely---but i'd have preferred joanna's reading
> most definitely! at the point I heard the radio reading, i'd not yet met
> joanna, tho we'd been emailing for months. when at last last month i met
> and heard her, i became a fan, a devotee, a magnetized listener.
> enchanting voice, brilliance, powerful poetry-creating---these she
> possesses, these profound life-changing-to-others things.
>
> chirfullest chirs,
>
> judy joodles
>
>
>
>> From: Joanna Boulter <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: 2005/12/12 Mon PM 12:18:26 EST
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Poem/Play (was Re: Pinter on Blair et al.)
>>
>> You say 'embody'. I'm assuming (hoping!) you aren't simply referring to
>> gesture? I've seen poets whose gestures amount to mannerisms or even
>> tics,
>> and it can be at best distracting and at worst embarrassing. How far can,
>> should, this be done, I wonder, through pitch and pace of voice?
>>
>> joanna
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Douglas Barbour" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 4:17 PM
>> Subject: Re: Poem/Play (was Re: Pinter on Blair et al.)
>>
>>
>> > Fascinating point, Joanna, & I agree. To all points, but I think it's
>> > also
>> > to do with differentiating the genres, drama & poetry, so that holding
>> > that book or page while you 'read' a poem signals precisely that what
>> > is
>> > happening has to do with poetry not drama. Which is not to say that
>> > there
>> > are good & poor readings, & that a good one does involve learning how
>> > to
>> > pitch the poem, how to 'embody' it, etc....
>> >
>> > Doug
>> > On 10-Dec-05, at 2:46 PM, Joanna Boulter wrote:
>> >
>> >> A few times, I've heard memorised poetry performed. I must say, this
>> >> usually makes me somewhat uneasy -- it tends to lead performance
>> >> towards
>> >> declamation if it's not very carefully handled.
>> >>
>> >> This is not the same, I would stress, as giving a reading and finding
>> >> part way through that you've been doing occasional bits from memory.
>> >>
>> >> Didn't we have a thread somewhat along these lines, some time ago?
>> >> It's
>> >> still interesting.
>> >>
>> >> joanna
>> > Douglas Barbour
>> > 11655 - 72 Avenue NW
>> > Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
>> > (780) 436 3320
>> >
>> > My roof was once firm
>> > yet now it cannot even
>> >
>> > keep the stars out.
>> >
>> > Christopher Dewdney
>>
>
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