Gillies observes

West Highland Gate-Willie Gillies

To Edinburgh on Wednesday to see the Turner watercolours.This is becoming something of a habit now. It is certainly a habit which Edinburghers have taken to.There are always 15 or 20 folk looking at the small but exceedingly choice group of works which are only displayed in January.

In fact I almost didn't go but the discovery that there was a chance-the last chance almost to see a show of Gillies watercolours clinched it. I had to go! It promised to be a treat in itself, and so it was. Most of the Gillies subjects were promised-the Highlands, the fishing villages of the East Neuk, farmyards and Temple itself.

I once  knew someone who had seen Gillies drawing and he told me that the artist was as liable to hold the drawing implement at any odd angle or with any grip other than as if writing.A pencil might be held near its base and pushed up the paper.That Gillies' line is fluent and free is obvious. His use of watercolour is very striking. I thought that quite a few of the works at the Scottish Gallery tended towards a fairly liquid gouache rather than watercolour.I wonder if he ever bothered with aquapasto. I'm thinking mostly of the freer more painterly works such as Rosebery near Temple.It seems to me that Gillies is at his best in the drawings and watercolours. I remember the big retrospective almost 20 years ago at the RSA as being rather disappointing when it came to the large oil paintings and  I certainly feel that he was easiest and most natural in the lighter medium.

It was  thoughtful of the Scottish Gallery to make the catalogue of the show available online as a PDF and you can download it here.The work I'm illustrating will have a resonance for anyone who has ever been in the west of Scotland.It is a small pencil sketch.I like it because it says something about the crofting, small farming way of life there.It reminds me of the accounts of crofting life in that poignant,matter of fact,unsentimental,witnessing found in Night Falls on Ardnamurchan by Alsadair Maclean. Maclean has something to say about the make do and mend lifestyle of his father who had to cobble together shelter for his beasts from whatever  materials could be found or collected. The gate is just the sort of thing you find where farmers have to bodge things together. There are an odd number of verticals and one of the cross pieces seems distinctly rickety.The whole thing seems fragile and possibly held together with a prayer and a bit of string. 

Exhibition Pictures

Well, the pictures are in place at the People's Theatre.You can download a PDF (16mb) showing most of the landscapes and a price list here.The hanging went surprisingly quickly: this was particularly due to Robert's patient and efficient help.The dreadful weather over the previous several days did a lot to increase the stress.On Friday 18 January I had to go to Alnmouth to pick up two paintings from Mick the framer who runs the Old School Gallery with his wife Amanda.

Given the weather forecast I had decided to go by train rather than risk a  car or bus journey.The chances of the A1 getting blocked were considerable and I just didn't feel like more stress and danger. When I got to the station all the trains seemed to be on time-except the one I was due to take.But I had an anytime ticket and so could catch the next train-in less than an hour.On the journey to Alnmouth I noticed the countryside getting whiter. You can see Northumberlandia on the left as you head north-about 15 minutes from Newcastle.It's profile is quite evident. Its a nice idea to produce an earth work but really it is rather timid and basic. It doesn't look very big, either.

From Alnmouth Station it is a 20 minute walk to the village. So, there I was with my walking pole,my gardening boots and my trusty umbrella. The umbrella was a great help as the snow was coming sideways at me. Visibility, because of the brolly in front of me was almost zero but,hey, Alnmouth is in my genes and it is a straight road.

At the gallery they were most welcoming and Mick's work set off the paintings nicely. He is very quick at understanding what you are aiming for. A cup of tea from Amanda was really very welcome and then, I had not expected it-a lift back to the station with my parcel was a kindness I shall remember for quite a while.Well,almost to the station,we got onto the bank which proved slippery and I had to leave Mick and press on for my train.

At the station I noticed someone selling coffee. I cannot recall the name of the firm in question but this seemed a little desperate. There seemed to be a small, square shaped tent made of transparent plastic material. Maybe there was one of those little vans attached. But you had to think, how do they put up with it?What do they do about a lavatory? Presumably there is some deal with the station. It is a manned station now,again, but I couldn't see a lavatory for passengers.I suppose that this kind of stall is the modern version of those  canvas and wood coffee stalls you used to see in the past.When the train approached you could see its lights about 150-200 yards away-but hardly see the train itself. 

Bruckner 8-Marvellous and Magnificent

Bruckner circa 1890

Last night at the Sage, Gateshead, those  few of us who turned out were lucky to hear an excellent  performance of Bruckner's 8th Symphony in C Minor.The orchestra was the CBSO.The conductor, as stand-in at short notice for Andris Nelsons was Simone Young.This proved to be an inspired choice.To complicate the matter further and reflect the specialism of the conductor the edition used was the 1887 version rather than the more usual 1890 version.All the more credit to the orchestra for rising to the occasion.There was an introductory talk by Stephen Johnson and the event was recorded by the BBC for future transmission.The work was billed as "Bruckner's apocalyptic" which is a catchpenny title if ever there was one-and inappropriate into the bargain.

The hall was at best no more than a quarter full.Those who were present enjoyed a memorable evening.

I must admit that my heart sank a little when when Stephen Johnson announced that we would be hearing the earlier version of the symphony; but then I had never  listened to it before. It turned out to be a notably different piece with many beautiful moments not found in the later version.

To take only the first movement;in terms of dramatic interest the revised 1890 ending  seems  all the better for being quiet-from fortissimo in the original to pianissimo in 1890.The 1887 ending is a spectacular Brucknerian climax and few, maybe no composers have written more gloriously for the brass section, but enough is enough- in the right place.When Bruckner revised it he was only doing what all creative people sometimes have to do-cut good things in the interest of the work as a whole. Schalk was later to say that,

"The first movement now ends pianissimo as we all wished it would."(Howie page 611.)Who are "all" in this context one wonders?

The 1890 version seems superior in terms of  emotional drama, coherence and the implacable power and unity of the finale.But having said that, I will certainly be looking out for Ms Young's recordings of the original versions.But I do not think it fair to say that the 1887 version is "the masterpiece".

I am compelled to think nevertheless that Hermann Levi was right to express his concerns about the 1887 version and Stephen Johnson inevitably recalled the well known story of Bruckner's devastation on learning that his "artistic father" (actually 15 years younger) had doubts about the original score. Levi's tact and consideration-not to mention consternation in responding to the work reflect his understanding of the man he was dealing with.He wrote  firstly to Schalk,in a letter dated 30/09/87, before responding to Bruckner, about his own first studies of the symphony.

"I am afraid he will be totally crushed by this disapointment."
 Levi saw,
 "...great similarity with the Seventh and an almost stereotyped form. The beginning of the first movement is splendid but I don't know where to start with the development section. And the entire final movement-it is a closed book to me." (Howie,page 554.)

Levi's concerns about Bruckner's feelings were were well founded. To the composer he wrote the following in his letter of 7/10/87.

"The themes are marvellous and magnificent, but their working-out seems dubious and, in my opinion, the instrumentation is impossible." (Howie,pages 554/555)

The expected reaction did follow and it was Schalk who replied to Levi about Bruckner's reaction:

"...he is upset, in despair and no longer able to believe in himself. Meanwhile his colossal natural strength,both physical and moral, will soon help him to recover." (Howie, page 556)

Later in October 1887 Bruckner is quoted as saying that, "Levi he's a knave. It's hard for him to grasp things you know." (Korstvedt,19)

Bruckner did indeed soon recover his mental balance, and quite quickly began to revise the work. Even a great creative spirit such as he can sometime benefit from the advice of junior figures.

To say that Ms Young threw herself into the music would be an understatement and no one could say that the beat she gave was unclear. In general I thought the performance was fairly incandescent and the orchestra as a whole on very good form.The almost barbaric splendour of the finale was amply demonstrated.

At the actual Vienna premiere of the symphony on December 18, 1892, there was a greater demand for standing room tickets than for any other performance that season.(Kvorstedt,4 ) One likes to think that perhaps the young were rallying to the Bruckner cause.

PS I see that another reviewer was impressed by this performance.You can read John Leeman here,

Anton Bruckner: A Documentary Biography:Vol II, Trial and Tribulation in Vienna,by Crawford Howie.2002.
Bruckner Symphony No 8: Benjamin M Kvorstedt,2000

Not Saussure about Cyanometers

All this reading about clouds got me thinking. Somewhere in deep in the brain  the memory banks are still working, I remembered that Ruskin had an interest in measuring the blueness of the sky which is after all the background to these clouds. Eventually I tracked the reference down to Praeterita.(Last paragraph,Chapter VIII)  He gives just a sentence to say that as an adolescent he had taken a cyanometer with him to Switzerland.

Saussure cyanometer

The cyanometer was invented by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure whose work as a natural scientist was to be well known to Ruskin.The device is simply a circular gradated scale of mostly blue tints-52 in number which can be compared to an area of sky.The original instructions specified that the observer face to the north.  Alexander von Humboldt was originally keen on the cyanometer. As a scientific device it had to be consistent and he got his from de Saussure.

From an artist's point of view I can see the attraction of focussing on an area of sky and analysing its colour.But does one really need a cyanometer to do it?
It is possible that the novelty may shock one's presumptions about sky colour but why not just look for yourself, perhaps through a cut out window in a piece of card? And how do you make your own scale? What kind of blue? Do you go out and observe -in which case why not keep the observation for an actual painting? It is obvious from my research on the web that cyanometers appeal to artists-see the links below.

Sometimes I think that  a cyanometer would be just a toy. An observant person can see that the sky is likely to be whiter near the horizon on a sunny day and bluer higher up.

So, does an artist really need a cyanometer. I think not. But one could be pleasant to use and experiment with.

Why not make a cloudmeter-to study the colour of clouds? There can be infinitely subtle differences of hue between the shaded side of a cloud and the sky which is its background.The values can be very close. But my objection to the cyanometer may also be valid here.

For information on Saussure and the cyanometer read:  Why the Sky is Blue: Discovering the Color of Life by Göetz Hoeppe.There is information about Saussure and the cyanometer here. For a modern artist designed cyanometer see the work by Macarena Ruiz-Tagle.For a simple cyanometer-which would certainly make an interesting project for children see the website of artist Benoit Philippe. For a modern design of a cyanometer see this site.

Sisley at Moret

 The Church at Moret: Evening

Musée du Petit-Palais, Paris

This postcard dates from about 1896/1899

-undivided back/République Française.Roughly contemporary with the Sisley paintings.

As you can see,both Sisley and the photographer stood in more or less the same spot to make their images.No influence is implied either way. One of the most consistently Impressionist of the Impressionists, Alfred Sisley spent the last years of his career at Moret-sur-Loing near Fontainebleau.Perhaps it was this consistency of outlook which caused Camille Pissarro to name him, when asked for an example, as a typical impressionist.The very late series of paintings of the church is one of Sisley's finest groups.They are comparable in quality to Pissarro's work at Rouen and perhaps also to those by Monet from the same city.Actually,in some ways I think I like them better than the Monet's.

In the UK there is a fine example at the Glasgow and another at Birmingham.

This is the Glasgow painting.

In the card above, you can see on the right, the wooden structure of the Provencher watermill which appears in many of Sisley's works.