Danny Tan wrote:

>Every time she appears on TV, or when the radio announces that she is
>performing next, I switched channel immediately.  She may be a fellow
>Singaporean (not really now, she is born here but now lives in UK), but I
>cannot stomach the fact that she has rearranged the works of some beloved
>composers (who are dead now and supposed to be gods to be worshipped).

Oh for God's sake let's get over this kind of nonsense.  Composers were
(and are) human beings who had great talent.  They are not nor were they
ever deities.  Sheesh.  I loved the old disco version of Beethoven's fifth
in the 70's and have no problem with pop arrangements of the classics.
"I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" is a lovely song because of the sweet
combination of Chopin and Judy Garland, not in spite of it.  If Vanessa
Mae hooks a few teenieboppers on the classics, then more power to her.
I get so bloody tired of the elitist attitude of CM lovers.  Jeeze, we
want people to come to appreciate great music right.  Welllllll, I hate
to inform the purists, but I got turned on to the classics via Wendy
Carlos (then Walter) when I was in grammar school.  It didn't hurt me a
bit!

>I am still uncomfortable with her brand of pop classical, but cannot help
>admit that she has arranged this really quite nicely, and I am tempted to
>buy this CD.  Anyone heard it before?

Why be uncomfortable? That stuff is targeted to a rock and roll audience.
It doesn't do a bit of harm to the Hallowed Halls of the Great Masters.
Hell, Mozart made pop arrangements of his own operas in his day to beat
the competition from doing a hack job on his music.  Lighten up and take
Vanessa and her kind for what they are....pop entertainment!

Kevin Sutton