I think this just might be the funniest speech I have ever heard
From Gerard Hoffnung's 1958 Oxford Address. Hoffnung, a cartoonist, tubist,impresario, broadcaster and public speaker was aged just 33 at the time of this performance. Unfortunately he died of a brain haemorrhage the following year.
More about him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_H...
from the wiki
"Malcolm Arnold's A Grand, Grand Overture, Op. 57 [2] which was dedicated to U.S. President Herbert Hoover and was scored for several vacuum cleaners and other domestic appliances.
After his death his concert concept was kept alive by his widow Annetta and collaborators."
Whilst at London University I went to the Gerard Hoffnung Interplanetary Musical Festival put on by Annetta at The Royal Albert Hall (just around corner from my college(Imperial))
and well remember the vacuum cleaners being played, being turned on and off as directed by the conductor very surreal: ethereal even.We had cheap seats (being poor students) behind the stage, after we had sat down I was alarmed to see several gents carrying rifles come in and occupy a row in front of us
But by the time another weird Hoffnung composition was played I had quite forgotten about them until they suddenly stood up and fired a very loud volley
I have a fabulous EP containing bits of speeches he gave at Oxford University including the Bricklayer's Lament as in the youtube "video" above If you play it through you will find that
Hoffnung's timing is immaculate.Indeed in esrly 1976 I had borrowed a copy of the original album and having played the bricklayer piece several times I was word perfect so when we attended our very first apres ski party (in January 1965) at a chalet North of Montreal I had an audience of young Canadians who had never heard the story. I was able to recreate Hoffnung's pauses very faithfully and I think I got almost as many laughs out of the crowd around me as Hoffnung had.
I remember that it was a very powerful feeling getting that audience reaction. I expect that is the sort of feeling that keeps Gord loving the work so to speak!!
Gerrard Hoffnung
