Alan Lynn ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>William Jenks writes:
>
>...and I see nothing wrong with attractive musicians taking advantage of
>that attribute on their covers, either.
>
>I assume this is in reference to the recent trend for young female
>violinists to be photographed topless and/or completely naked with only
>their instruments covering their *G strings*, a la Austin Powers.  While
>as a redblooded American male I certainly don't object to beautiful women,
>there seems to be something inherently wrong about this sort of display on
>the cover of an album of Bach partitas...

I entirely agree (except for being American, which I am only in the sense
of "North American", in my case Canada, but I digress...)

I presume you are referring to the Lara St. John (a fellow -!  - Canadian
BTW) CD.  What made me particularly uncomfortable about this is that Ms.
St.  J., although 25 at the time of the recording, looks on the front of
the disc as if she's about 12.  I was happy I was sent a review copy of
this otherwise excellent record; I'd have felt very uncomfortable buying
it in a shop - they might just as well have plastered "Music for pederasts"
on the front...

What also worries me is what I suspect is a trend to sign up recording
artists primarily on the basis of their looks.  It would not surprise me
if this were the case with the Eroica Trio; while they are by no means poor
musicians, I cannot believe there aren't at least a dozen superioir ones of
similar age who simply aren't as photogenic.  This, BTW, admittedly on the
basis of one CD, which I found so eminently forgettable I can't even recall
what was on it.  Gershwin? Ravel?

Deryk Barker
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