Fe br uar NEWSLETTER 2011 y No. 33 Editor: Andrew Maund, 57 Marlborough Avenue, Bromsgrove, Worcs B60 2PH E-mail Address: [email protected] Combined magic of Ricks and Burnett dazzle New York audience Kate Shaw reports on “Passwords” at Poets House on 27th October, sponsored by the Housman Society. Archie Burnett and prison for Oscar Wilde, were Christopher Ricks were on terms used by other poets as sparkling form at Poets well as A.E.H. House,1 New York on October 27, 2010. The Christopher Ricks read ASL dynamic duo had entertained XLI, ‘In my own shire’, to us with Housman letters in show the utter simplicity of Oxford in 2009, now they A.E.H.’s poems but then went called their talk ‘Passwords’. on to dazzle us with the Their combined magic dazzled complexity of the poem with an audience which included its anagrams and alliteration: James Fenton, a previous lines such as ‘The earth Professor of Poetry at Oxford because my heart was sore, who had given a lecture on sorrowed for the son she Housman in the 1996 bore’. celebrations, and Nick Laird, the poet and novelist who has Ricks thinks the literary value of the anagram has been spoilt recently written the introduction to the Penguin Classic edition by crossword puzzles but he pointed out that it has been of Housman’s poems. Archie Burnett explored the relation used by poets as far ranging as Emily Dickinson, Ted Hughes, between biography and poetry in his talk while Christopher Pope, Austen Clark, Byron and T.S. Eliot. Words are Ricks explored the anagrams and contracted and expanded, puns puns that distinguish the work of discovered by ear or eye. He A.E.H. and other poets. ended by speculating on whether Archie Burnett asked whether POETS necessarily know what poets disclose or reveal their own they are doing! lives in their poems. Do they use The talks were followed by their poetry as a window or questions, which produced barrier? He is currently editing further insights from the the collected works of Philip speakers. Did A.E.H. know Larkin and used the poem Mr Shropshire? Was A.E.H. a critic? Bleaney to show how Larkin Yes – he read to find failure; for clearly used his own experiences instance he read Dickens not so while A.E.H. in his poems is more elusive. much to enjoy but to criticise and find fault. While Archie stipulated there was no evidence that A.E.H. Was he preoccupied by death? Yes, but he enjoyed life. had ever had a physical relationship with anyone there is still Why Manilius? Because of the textual problems he thought a homosexual theme in the poems and they are remarkable for what they do not overtly say. There is a codified language The Housman Society Book Exchange is pleased that would have been recognised by A.E.H., Oscar Wilde and their circles in a repressive Victorian milieu. The use of to offer for sale a copy of the 1896 First Edition ‘lads’, ‘comrades’, ‘fellows, ‘friends’ and ‘trouble’, meaning A Shropshire Lad. Full details can be found on pages 12-13. Housman Society Newsletter - February 2011 Page 1 Keenly Contested Schools Poetry Reading The presence of Pip from The Archers (played by Helen Monks) to present the prizes added special interest to the fourth Housman Society Schools Reading Competition held at Artrix on 11th November. Five local Secondary Schools and four Middle Schools participated in a keenly contested competition and once more North Bromsgrove High School produced the winners in both senior sections as well as scooping the newly awarded Housman Cup. Kate Shaw with Steve Crook he alone could solve. And he did. A.E.H. was a genius because he had both a converging and diverging mind. He could tackle the detailed textual criticism associated with being a classical scholar and write the poems, which come from the imagination. At the reception afterwards members of the audience were able to meet members of Poets House1 board of directors, Lee Briccetti, their administrative director, as well as offer thanks to Archie, Christopher and Poets House1 program [sic] director, Stephen Motika for arranging such a wonderful Daniel Edwards, winner of the Housman Cup, with Helen Monks evening. NOTE Chairman of the Judges, Andrew Maund, praised overall winner Daniel Edwards for his choice of poems (Housman’s 1. ‘Poets House’ uses no apostrophe – Is this poetic license? Grenadier and John Cooper Clarke’s Nothing) and for his thoughtful and beautifully delivered readings. In a brilliant reading of The Naming of Parts Caroline Hazel (Haybridge A Library of 50,000 High School) clinched the Runner-Up prize. Megan Gilday (North Bromsgrove High School) won the Seniors prize Volumes with Housman’s Isle of Portland and a wittily delivered I wish I’d looked after me teeth by Pam Ayres. In the Middle Schools At the request of Paul Naiditch we sent a number of volumes section Henry Spooner (St John’s Middle School) was the of the Society’s Journal to one of his contacts in the U.S.A winner, his apt choice being ‘Far in a western brookland’ in who was interested in P.G.N.’s lists of Housman’s library. In which Housman describes the mill pools round his Perry thanking us for the volumes, and in apologising for not joining Hall (now Housman the Society he says the following: Hall) home. ‘You kindly sent me, at Paul Naiditch’s request, the five Kate Shaw, who has volumes of The Housman Society Journal containing his masterminded the account of Housman’s library. They arrived last week. Competition, said: Many thanks! I am enjoying the other articles too, especially “The standard was those on scholarly subjects, e.g. by Colin Leach and Malcolm higher than ever and Davies. If you expect an excuse from me as to why I do it is wonderful that not become a member since the contents are obviously so more and more Elizabeth Oakley, Bryan Maybee and congenial to me, I will say that I already have 50,000 schools are taking volumes in my house, the last 1,500 of which are stacked Andrew Maund were judges for the part”. Chairman of Sixth Form Competition on the floor, that I subscribe to 35 journals already, and the Council, that I have too many interests and can barely keep up with Councillor June Griffiths, rounded up the proceedings by anything. Time and money! Fortunately, I almost never use congratulating all the pupils on the excellent standard the internet, which would drive me over the edge.’ achieved. Page 2 Housman Society Newsletter - February 2011 Complete C.W. Orr Pete Postlethwaite Songbook Remembered The majority of C.W. Orr’s settings are of Housman’s poems, Not many people reading the obituaries of Pete Postlethwaite, and of his total output of 36 songs, the texts of 24 are by who died recently at the age of 64, knew about his wonderful A.E.H. Orr’s ability to capture the perfect balance between recording of A Shropshire Lad, which he made as a tape for the simplicity of the verse and the darkness of the subtext EMI in 1995 in anticipation of the centenary year. In fact makes his settings some of the most successful among the no obituary even mentioned it but to lovers of Housman’s many composers who have been attracted to Housman’s poetry his gentle delivery in a genuine Shropshire accent poetry. Many of his songs are gems and it was significant gave his interpretation an authority which few other versions that Ian Bostridge chose ‘Into my heart an air that kills’ when could match. Sadly it sold out very quickly and was never he sang at the unveiling of the window to A.E. Housman in re-issued. However it is saved for posterity as there is a Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey in 1996. copy in the Society archives. C.W. Orr was born in Born in Warrington, Cheltenham and lived for Postlethwaite had originally the majority of his life in planned to be a priest. He Painswick. The musical became a teacher but world tends to be divided eventually took to the stage, into two groups: the vast beginning his career at the majority of people have Everyman theatre in never heard of him, and Liverpool, to which he the few that have returned in 2008 as the lead consider him to be a in King Lear, a role he had songwriter of genius. always wanted to play. The About once a decade performance was one of the throughout the latter part highlights of Liverpool’s year of the twentieth century, The blue plaque on C.W. Orr’s as the European Capital of Culture. attempts had been made house in Painswick Pete Postlethwaite’s first Shropshire home was at Minton, to publicise this unusual near Church Stretton, before the family moved to a farm composer, but sufficient momentum was never gathered, and on the outskirts of Bishop’s Castle. “I do love Shropshire,” his work has remained in the shadows to all but a few. he once said, “whenever I get home, my shoulders drop by However Mark Stone, who gave a such a memorable recital two inches. The only reason I’ve been able to do the things of Housman settings at St John’s College, Oxford in the 150th I’ve done is because I have my family and Shropshire to anniversary year, has firm plans to make two CDs of Orr’s come home to.