Daphne Anson: The Sound & The Fury: "Demonstrators seem to have turned entire audience pro-Israel"

Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East. (From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Friday 2 September 2011

The Sound & The Fury: "Demonstrators seem to have turned entire audience pro-Israel"

So the vicious BDS campaign, reportedly spearheaded in this case by by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, succeeded this evening in disrupting the BBC Proms concert given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in London to such an extent that the programme was eventually removed from air. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14756736
Update: I've since added a video of the event:http://daphneanson.blogspot.com/2011/09/anti-israel-yobs-disrupt-ipo-concert-at.html

It's reported that outside the building about a score (no pun intended) of the usual suspects waved banners and sang songs in protest against the appearance of this fine and venerable orchestra. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/8736402/BBC-Proms-radio-broadcast-pulled-after-Israel-protest.html
and see also http://www.thejc.com/blogs/jonathan-hoffman/psc-turns-proms-audience-pro-israel
as well as this brilliant piece: http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4454%3Abbc-proms-shaham-israel-philharmonic-orchestra-mehta&Itemid=27

Predictably, the Israel-demonisers are a-Twitter, tweeting gloatingly and self-righteously about the chaos the protesters' selfish, nasty act has caused.

Not surprisingly, there has been fury at their actions not only by overt supporters of Israel. but from music-lovers irritated by constant interruptions from the protesters. There had been calls inside the hall for the protesters to desist, and there were altercations outside as some concert-goers made their feelings known.

The protesters' despicable antics could yet prove counterproductive. There were six interruptions - but seven standing ovations (hat tip: Richard Millett).

Indeed, Britain's Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey, who attended the concert, tweeted: "Demonstrators seem to have turned entire audience pro Israel".

"One wonderful thing is nobody is blaming Israel for anything that is happening in those Arab countries – usually it is always Israel's fault," said the IPO's distinguished conductor, Indian-born Zubin Mehta, a Parsee, some days ago regarding the Arab Spring.

"I hope Israel takes advantage of the new regimes to come close to them and that the new regimes will also try to make a détente with Israel.

We have scaled so many artistic heights but also on the political spectrum we went to India and China 15 years ago when diplomatic relations were resumed ... we went to the south of Lebanon and played in 1982.

This orchestra has done things that other great orchestras don't have to do, thank God, but because we find ourselves in this corner here we have to take part in the ebb and flow of the life of the country. Hopefully we will play music very soon in Amman."

Compare those noble-hearted sentiments with the mean-minded ones that prompted a number of musicians (some of them very active in the BDS movement, as the following video shows) who wrote the following letter (reproduced on the website of London BDS) published in the Independent a couple of days ago. There is something grossly repellent about musicians demanding that other musicians be silenced and collectively punished in this way:

'As musicians we are dismayed that the BBC has invited the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to play at the Proms on 1 September. The IPO has a deep involvement with the Israeli state – not least its self-proclaimed “partnership” with the Israeli Defence Forces. This is the same state and army that impedes in every way it can the development of Palestinian culture, including the prevention of Palestinian musicians from travelling abroad to perform.

Our main concern is that Israel deliberately uses the arts as propaganda to promote a misleading image of Israel. Through this campaign, officially called “Brand Israel”, denials of human rights and violations of international law are hidden behind a cultural smokescreen. The IPO is perhaps Israel’s prime asset in this campaign.

The Director of the Proms, Roger Wright, was asked to cancel the concert in accordance with the call from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott (PACBI). He rejected this call, saying that the invitation is “purely musical”.

Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians fits the UN definition of apartheid. We call on the BBC to cancel this concert.'

[Signatories]
Derek Ball (composer)
Frances Bernstein (community choir leader)
Steve Bingham (violinist)
John Claydon (saxophonist)
Malcolm Crowthers (music photographer)
Raymond Deane (composer)
Tom Eisner (violinist LPO)
Nancy Elan (violinist LPO)
Deborah Fink (soprano)
Catherine Ford (violinist, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)
Reem Kelani (Palestinian singer, musician and broadcaster)
Les Levidow (violinist)
Susie Meszaros (violinist, Chilingirian Quartet)
Roy Mowatt (violinist, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment)
Ian Pace (pianist)
Leon Rosselson (singer-songwriter)
Dominic Saunders (pianist)
Chris Somes-Charlton (artist manager)
Leni Solinger (violinist)
Sarah Streatfeild (violinist LPO)
Sue Sutherley (cellist, LPO)
Tom Suarez (violinist, New York)
Kareem Taylor (Oud Player/Guitarist and Composer)
Miriam Walton (pianist, organist and French horn player)

9 comments:

Daphne Anson2 September 2011 at 09:38
O, gremlins again! Perhaps the black print reflects the black-hearted sentiments!
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Ian G2 September 2011 at 10:02
Daphne, with respect, Sin is red not black. Skin is black - or close to it. apart from which, Iagree with the essential sentiment.
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Samson2 September 2011 at 17:06
"...This is the same state and army that impedes in every way it can the development of Palestinian culture, including the prevention of Palestinian musicians from travelling abroad to perform."

Oh, irony of ironies. The original name of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, prior to the founding of the State of Israel, was...are you ready...THE PALESTINE ORCHESTRA!
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Daphne Anson2 September 2011 at 17:33
I stand, or rather sit, corrected Ian!

Samson, yes, I know the original name of the orchestra - that was long before the adjective was hijacked by propagandists who decided that it would be a great way of distorting history and delegitimising Israel.
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Daphne Anson2 September 2011 at 17:43
I've just seen Jonathan Hoffman's blog at
www.thejc.com/blogs/jonathan-hoffman/psc-turns-proms-audience-pro-israel

He says (inter alia - read it all):

"The PSC morons tried to stop me doing an interview with the BBC outside the Hall after the concert, by yelling and screaming. If you can't win an argument try censorship - that's the way these Stalinists operate.

The applause at the end of the Bruch Violin Concerto - before the interval - was tumultuous and soloist Gil Shaham even played an encore. I was told that the applause at the end of the concert was every bit as enthusiastic."
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Daphne Anson2 September 2011 at 19:22
Brilliant blog here:

http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4454%3Abbc-proms-shaham-israel-philharmonic-orchestra-mehta&Itemid=27
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Juniper in the Desert2 September 2011 at 19:33
Thanks, just read the post. A message for Deborah Fink: remember what happened to Trotsky!
BTW, loved this - 'Two whiskery old men started to hound the orchestra from a box, while a lady next door hooked one of their necks with her walking stick'
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Daphne Anson2 September 2011 at 19:41
I jave seen her singing elsewhere - she is a very talented musician to give her her due.
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Daphne Anson3 September 2011 at 02:33
Excellently put, Samson. Many thanks!
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