The return of the BBC Proms following the lunga pausa of Covid-19 has been a joyful reaffirmation of what we have missed as music lovers. It has also given a renewed appreciation of the somewhat precarious lives of the professional musicians who provide it for us.

What we would give to have the chance, let alone the talent to take to the stage of the finest concert halls under the greatest maestros in the world? 

Then again, what about the daily pressures of live performance, unsociable hours, demanding conductors and hours of travel, let alone variable rates of pay, fragile employment security, high stress levels and potential hearing loss?  

The life of a freelance musician offers wonderful artistic fulfilment, but as Covid-19 showed, you still have to be able pay the bills like anyone else.

Narrative thread

That’s the narrative thread (albeit covering the period 1965-200) that discreetly underpins this wittily acerbic and unflatteringly honest biographical recall of a musical live well lived and thoroughly enjoyed by Peter Bassano.

Then again how about going to work with Ashkenazy, Globokar, Santi, Salonen, Previn or Sophie von Otter, or sitting near to Denis Wick, John Fletcher, Maurice Murphy and Willie Lang in their playing (as well as mischievous) prime?     

He too has had to pay well publicised and expensive bills in his time, but then again, how do you put a value on the experience of playing under the likes of Klemperer, Haitink, Abbado, Barbirolli, Muti and Maazel, or linking up with Pink Floyd or being recorded  by George Martin for the vocal chorus of ‘Hey Jude’  by The Beatles?

Then again how about going to work with Ashkenazy, Globokar, Santi, Salonen, Previn or Sophie von Otter, or sitting near to Denis Wick, John Fletcher, Maurice Murphy and Willie Lang in their playing (as well as mischievous) prime?     

Eye for character

The stories are embellished by an easy writing style and a keen observational eye for character – warts and all about himself and others (one trumpet player with a ruddy complexion looked like “one of Poussin’s satyrs”) whom he has spent hours upon hours with – from recording studios to hotel rooms.  

From helping to put in Placido Domingo’s contact lenses to John Fletcher’s remarkable party tricks, the self-deprecating wit is laced with a genuine respect and love for his fellow artists.

From helping to put in Placido Domingo’s contact lenses to John Fletcher’s remarkable party tricks, the self-deprecating wit is laced with a genuine respect and love for his fellow artists. There is also a healthy dose of sardonic honesty about some of the less tasteful character traits of some notable egocentric performers and conductors (although the lack of an index could be a blessing).

As a musician of note and wide-ranging, informed artistic insight, Bassano provides a remarkably candid appreciation of perhaps the last great period of time when professional musicians led lives where the appreciation of talent still outweighed the worries of the mundane necessities of life.

We can only hope that they return for him to write about more.

Iwan Fox 

To purchase:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Music-Stopped-Professional-1965-2000/dp/B09NGXZPZB