Leonard Cohen's Poetry Recitation Style
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 2:39 am
Hi,
From early on, Leonard Cohen's poetry recitation skills have been admired. Interesting, to this observer,
how his recitation style (as evidenced by spoken lyric recitations) has taken on a more engaged (method
acting parallels) style. This clip can provide listeners with understanding of what L.C. thought (and probably
still thinks, though to maybe a lesser extent) about how poetry should be read:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XkfBWSmcs. There seems to be more of an emotional investment in
the spoken conveying of lyrics such as in "A Thousand Kisses Deep." Granted, a concert venue isn't that
of a poetry reading gathering, but still. (Yes, there's a greater demand for entertainment in concert venues.)
Were Leonard Cohen to again have extended non-music poetry readings, how much of the more emotional
element would be displayed by him? To the extent that more would be displayed in his presentations, it would
be indicative of his becoming a more relaxed artist with a somewhat changed aesthetic. Wouldn't expect any
radical style departure, just an appreciable change.
In the Other Poetry section, had a link to a clip of Hubert Selby Jr. reading part of a story he wrote. I like
the reading and the material being read. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0wAJ8AFRmQ.
The reading conveys the emotional element by a reader of literary words that the above paragraph referenced.
It does so strongly. The more staid recitation style of Leonard Cohen was borne largely by academia.
Hubert Selby Jr. did not have much formal education. Hubert Selby Jr. demonstrated and L.C. demonstrates
most effective literary reading skills.
From early on, Leonard Cohen's poetry recitation skills have been admired. Interesting, to this observer,
how his recitation style (as evidenced by spoken lyric recitations) has taken on a more engaged (method
acting parallels) style. This clip can provide listeners with understanding of what L.C. thought (and probably
still thinks, though to maybe a lesser extent) about how poetry should be read:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2XkfBWSmcs. There seems to be more of an emotional investment in
the spoken conveying of lyrics such as in "A Thousand Kisses Deep." Granted, a concert venue isn't that
of a poetry reading gathering, but still. (Yes, there's a greater demand for entertainment in concert venues.)
Were Leonard Cohen to again have extended non-music poetry readings, how much of the more emotional
element would be displayed by him? To the extent that more would be displayed in his presentations, it would
be indicative of his becoming a more relaxed artist with a somewhat changed aesthetic. Wouldn't expect any
radical style departure, just an appreciable change.
In the Other Poetry section, had a link to a clip of Hubert Selby Jr. reading part of a story he wrote. I like
the reading and the material being read. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0wAJ8AFRmQ.
The reading conveys the emotional element by a reader of literary words that the above paragraph referenced.
It does so strongly. The more staid recitation style of Leonard Cohen was borne largely by academia.
Hubert Selby Jr. did not have much formal education. Hubert Selby Jr. demonstrated and L.C. demonstrates
most effective literary reading skills.
