In conversation with Paul McCartney
As a child, Paul McCartney hated classical. But as Liverpool's favourite son has matured, he has found a way back to the music that so appalled his younger self. In his latest book, Conversations with McCartney, Paul Du Noyer spoke to the former Beatle about that journey and his growing catalogue of classical compositions.
'I’m primitive on music,' says Paul McCartney. 'I don’t want to learn music. It’s too serious, too like homework.' And nothing about his childhood inspired him with a love of classical music. 'Classical used to get switched off in our house,' he remembers. 'My dad was a bit of a jazzer. If a symphony came on the radio he’d turn it off.'
School was no better: 'You would have just had to play one Elvis record and we would have been hooked. We’d have turned up in droves to that lesson.' To this day he can’t read music, and his parents’ attempt to encourage the boy’s potential came to nothing: 'That’s what put me off learning the piano. The minute they gave me stuff to do at home, "This is it, I’m jacking it in." I hated homework. When the piano lady gave me some stuff, "Go and learn these crotchets", bloody hell, I hated that. I just couldn’t get beyond those first few lessons.'
And yet somehow, the teenage rebel who worshipped Elvis Presley developed into an all-round composer of amazing virtuosity. We hardly need reminding about The Beatles, but they account for only ten of McCartney’s 55 years in professional music. More than that, work in a classical vein now occupies a sizeable chunk of his whole back catalogue.
By: Paul Du Noyer
Source: Sinfini Music
