Quintessentially English?

[essayel]

Ralph Vaughan Williams and Elgar are in the frame at the moment and I know which of the two I'd prefer, but it does seem to cut down on choice. What about the Beatles? Sex Pistols anyone?

I'd be interested to hear what other people think - if they do.

So if you are listening to music, is there one piece more than any other that makes you think 'oh yeah that's English!' in a good way or bad?

For my own part this speaks to me of home but that's only from my small rather constrained experience.

Comments

[metallumai.livejournal.com]

This is going to take a long time and take up a bit of space; think I'll answer in a post. In a nutshell, though I think it's melodies, regardless of fashion or instrumentation.

[essayel.livejournal.com]

I'll be interested to read the post. As for melodies, each time i hear a tune I think is english it crops up in Irish/Scottish/French etc music as well.

[athousanderrors.livejournal.com]

Beatles are/were too influenced by American bands to really be 'british' for me.

I'd say (slightly cliched, perhaps) this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ0oCmDXrVk), for good or bad, is English, to me. Can't quite decide which. :)

(and yes, I know, my icon rather yells 'Scottish', but I don't have an English one. ;) )

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

o hwow.....
wowi wihs i coudl be there next year adn witness hat live. i'm looking forward to listenign again this year and for oncen ot forgeting or stumblign into it halfway through. that must be something fantastic. in holladn we had nothig non that with our version of 'land of hope and glory' *gulp*

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Your icon yells 'oooh nice bottom' to me.

Last night of the Proms is just magic - it's the one night of the year we can celebrate being English without giving too much offence, by bleating apologetically 'but it's traditional!'

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

oh wow! wow!!
man if they're still busy with the score for the hbp film, the yshoud lcite formthis for the phoenix lament 9i have somethign better thatthey could site from but i don't know the exact title) anyway....
phiew this is difficult. i cna't decide what 'sounds' destinctl ybritish to me.