Wes Crone ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Janos Gereben wrote:
>
>>Paul McCartney, perhaps the greatest composer of contemporary lieder...
>
>I agree wholeheartedly.  I would go as far as to say that, in my opinion,
>he is the greatest songwriter of all time.  Sure Schubert wrote wonderful
>stuff as did Schumann and Brahms and Poulenc but my opinion remains that
>Paul is the greatest.  I can't describe the feeling, really.  I have
>listened to nearly every Schubert song and many of the Brahms and Schumann.
>They are among my favorite of all works.  I simply love the McCartney songs
>more. ...

Well, if you are assuming that McCartney wrote every last word and note of
the stuff he did with the Beatles, you'll be in error yourself.

Consider Eleanor Rigby, which I agree is a great song (and says more in
its 1:58 than the whole 2 hours of the Liverpool Horrortorio).  Read the
history and you'll find that one of the most memorable of its counterpoints
("Ah, look at all the lonely people") was not written by paul at all.

>...  I just get the impression from people that Paul McCartney should quit
>treading on "sacred" classical grounds.  I think this is nonsense and the
>people who say this are typically quite arrogant in feeling that they know
>what is good for others to listen to as well.

Well I for one thought the Liverpool Oratorio was pure drivel, from start
to finish.  And what I heard of Standing Stone sounded like watered down
Brahms.

Deryk Barker
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