Creative partnerships

creative partnerships

Complete these super famous partnerships

Music:

Lennon and _______

Simon and _______

Freddie Mercury and Brian _______

Film:

Christopher Nolan and Hans _______

Martin Scorsese and Robert _______

Tim Burton and Johnny _______

Power couples:

Beyoncé and _______

Taylor Swift and _______

Tom Holland and _______

Comedy:

Laurel and _______

Stephen Fry and Hugh _______

Larry David and Jerry _______

Discussion

• Which of these partnerships are you most familiar with?

• Are there any that you've never heard of?

• Can you add one more iconic partnership to each category?

• Which of these deserves to win the title of the World's Greatest Creative Partnership?

Instead of going with the obvious choices, today's lesson will explore creative partnerships where one person took the glory and the other stayed mostly out of the public eye.

Before we get into it, can you think of any such examples?

Who is it?

1. He was once taken to a place of execution and was only told at the last moment that his death sentence had been cancelled.

2. He spent several years in a Siberian prison camp.

3. He suffered from epilepsy, which began when he was a young man.

4. He had a serious gambling addiction and lost large amounts of money at the roulette table.

5. At one point, he was under such intense financial pressure that he had to write a complete novel in just 26 days.

Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anna Dostoevskaya

Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of Russia’s most famous writers and one of the most influential novelists in world literature. His best-known works include Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons and The Brothers Karamazov. His novels explore difficult questions about morality, religion, freedom, guilt and human psychology.

However, Dostoevsky’s success was not entirely his own achievement. One of the most important people in his professional life was his second wife, Anna Dostoevskaya.

The couple met in 1866, when Dostoevsky was 45. He was under enormous financial pressure and had a contract that required him to deliver a new novel within a very short period. He hired Anna, who was only 20, as a professional stenographer. She had been trained to write down spoken words quickly and accurately.

Her work was extremely important because Dostoevsky needed to finish The Gambler in just 26 days. If he missed the deadline, he could have lost the rights to his existing and future works to his publisher for many years. Anna worked with him every day, taking his dictation and helping him complete the novel on time. They succeeded, and their professional relationship soon became a romantic one.

They married in 1867, but Anna's role did not end there. She became an important business partner as well as Dostoevsky’s wife. She helped organise his finances, dealt with publishers and took responsibility for selling his books. She also helped him manage his gambling problem and worked to protect the family from financial difficulties.

Anna eventually became a publisher herself. She helped preserve Dostoevsky’s literary legacy after his death in 1881, collecting his manuscripts, letters and personal belongings.

Discussion

How familiar are you with Dostoevsky's work?

Did you know much / anything about Anna Dostoevskaya?

Many argue that we would never have got Crime and Punishment, The Idiot or The Brothers Karamazov if it hadn't been for Anna. Is it really fair to argue that?

"Behind every mad and toxic genius is a hardworking and suffering partner." To what extent do you agree?

Now take a look at some lesser-known works of a very famous artist.

Who do you think it might be?

And what do you think the partnership is?

Vincent and Theo van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous artists in the history of Western art. Today, paintings such as The Starry Night, Sunflowers and The Bedroom are recognised around the world. However, during his lifetime, Van Gogh was not a successful or wealthy artist. He sold very few paintings and struggled financially for most of his career.

One of the most important people in his life was his younger brother, Theo. The two brothers were extremely close, and Theo supported Vincent for many years, both emotionally and financially.

Theo worked as an art dealer in Paris. This gave him an important position in the art world and allowed him to help his brother develop as an artist. He regularly sent Vincent money so that he could pay for food, rent, paints and other materials. Without this support, Vincent might not have been able to continue painting.

Theo also believed in Vincent's talent at a time when very few other people did. He introduced Vincent to other artists and helped him understand new

developments in painting. Through Theo, Vincent became familiar with the work of artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Paul Gauguin.

The brothers communicated mainly through letters. Vincent wrote hundreds of letters to Theo, describing his ideas, his paintings and his struggles. These letters provide an extraordinary record of Vincent's creative development.

Theo was more than simply a source of money. He was one of Vincent's most important supporters and advisers. In return, Vincent gave Theo paintings and shared his artistic ideas with him. Theo also tried to sell Vincent's work and promote his reputation as an artist.

The partnership, however, did not bring them financial success during Vincent's lifetime. Vincent died in 1890, at the age of 37. Theo died only six months later.

Although Vincent became famous only after his death, Theo played a crucial role in making his career possible.

Discussion

How familiar are you with the life and work of Vincent van Gogh?

Had you heard of Theo van Gogh before?

Do you find it strange that it was the younger brother helping the older one?

Many artists (including musicians and writers) only get serious recognition for their work after their death? Why is that? And is there something heartbreaking about it?

Is it more or less justified to say that the world would not have got(ten) to see this genius' work if it hadn't been for his brother (in comparison with Anna Dostoevskaya)?

Finally, listen to a piece of music from a group that our next genius was a part of.

Have you heard the song?

Do you know the group?

Do you know the genius?

Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

Michael Jackson was one of the most successful and influential musicians in popular music. He became famous as a child with his brothers in the Jackson 5 before beginning an enormously successful solo career. His albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad turned him into a global superstar. Thriller, released in 1982, became one of the best-selling albums in music history.

One of the most important people behind this success was Quincy Jones, an experienced musician, composer and record producer. Jackson first worked with Jones when he was making his first major solo album as an adult, Off the Wall, in 1979. Jackson was already a talented singer, but Jones helped him develop his sound and bring together some of the best musicians and songwriters in the industry.

Their partnership became even more

successful with Thriller. Jones encouraged Jackson to experiment with different musical styles and helped him choose and arrange the songs. He also brought together talented musicians, including guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who played on the song Beat It. Jones and Jackson spent many hours working on the album, trying different arrangements and sounds until they were satisfied.

One important part of Jones's role was knowing when to challenge Jackson. Jackson was extremely ambitious and had strong ideas about his music, but Jones had decades of experience in the recording industry. He could take Jackson's ideas and turn them into polished recordings that would appeal to a huge international audience.

Their partnership continued with Bad in 1987. By this time, Jackson was already one of the biggest stars in the world, but he still chose to work with Jones.

Discussion

Michael Jackson's nickname is the King of Pop. Does he deserve to be mentioned alongside names like Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Prince?

"Pretty much every and any popstar is simply a face. The real genius takes place behind the scenes with the producers, the marketers and the real songwriters." To what extent do you agree?

"If Quincy hadn't been there, another producer would have come along and we still would have got(ten) to witness the greatness of Michael Jackson's music." To what extent do you agree.

Jackson's legacy has been called into question over allegations of child abuse. Debate still rages about whether he is innocent or not. Should that affect our enjoyment of the music?

Reflection

Which of the three stories were you most interested in?

What more information would you like to learn about any of these partnerships?

What makes a good creative partnership?