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Earlier today, I just listened to something a little removed from Osbert's time, a most moving and wonderful performance on BIS SACD 1616 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Vänskä.
I was particularly impressed with the clarity and sweetness of the forte passages - thats always hard to achieve even with sacd! Thank you Bissie! and Vanska is terrific!
I for one would really appreciate having Vanska/Minnesota mch sacds of Sibelius's symphonies #4,5 and 6. I would certainly collect them all if they were forthcoming, but #5 is my favorite and I see either 4 or 6 as suitable companions for it. Just a cherished hope.
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Post by Fredrikmo January 28, 2008 (292 of 4131)
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Windsurfer said:
Earlier today, I just listened to something a little removed from Osbert's time, a most moving and wonderful performance on BIS SACD 1616 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 - Vänskä.
Yes isn't it just wonderful! This recording is so good, I even bought it. Might seem like a strange statement but after all, it's the B9th. I already had four of it. This Vänskä is the only one I'll be listening to from now on.
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Post by raffells January 29, 2008 (293 of 4131)
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Osbert Parsley said:
As to the first extract from you above, I must have missed something. I was responding to your post, I thought.
Dear Parsley,spelt correctly,
Now I do find your reply interesting.
Surely the same explanation you offer, as to the interest because of differences ,each country or nationwide bein diffeent ALSO apply to the music post that period AND EVEN MORE SO?.
As an example I would add the intense variety of American music especially the last century.At the beginning (1900_) It is difficult to identify or name any worthwhile original compositions or even styles from there.
Most of their "original" music was imported, even their spirituals were based on known tunes from various countries.
Then seemed to follow a slow development ie Copland, Appalacian Spring itself based on an imported tune and then an explosion of varying styles from Jazz Blues Country Folk ,Theatre, Film,electronic and avante garde ,mathematical? to Nu Wave almost in the blink of an eye.
Yet try to select any American works in the World top 100 works woorldwide and you will struggle.
Gershwin ,Copland who ran out of steam very early and Barber each have a few.Yet prior to a famous funeral in the late 60s the later was unheard of. Yet Lennie Bernstien seems to have turned music into theatre and now we have numerous totally different versions of earlier great works.Beethoven in an Armani jacket is a "classic description"
You will note from one of my reviws re Beethovens Piano concertos I was rebuked for my wanting a more authentic sturm and drang interpretaion in line with what was expected in his day.I can live with and appreciate modern styling as long as it is equal to or improves the interest.
The complexity of how this USA musical styles alone interweaved with themselves whilst running parallel to the old worlds music and indeed the rest of the worlds music is In my opinion a far more complex, diverse and interesting subject than the previous 6 hundred years which progressed very slowly from its humble beginnings and for varying techical reasons was restricted.
The list of these reasons could easily fill another few paragraphs.
If you even look at the "Old worlds"music you will hopefuly look at the broad hint that Windsurfer posted re Beethovens great 9th symphony.
This wasperhaps the greatest turning point in history in his Ode to Joy.@ "Nicht deiser tonen."
This was a point when someone is saying the limitations of the music to date is enough.Lets move on.Take a challenge.Open Pandoras box. etc.
Im not sure everything thats developed from then is worthwhile or that I am comfortable with the more difficult variations but at least I am willing to give it a go.Are you?. personally dont find listening to music I was taught at school or in history to be much more interesting than watching the news repeats or film repeats on the television.
As regards trying to review and whether I understand the music Ive reviewed,ehm I will pass on that one.Didnt realize it was a pre requisite.If so I will delete a load of my reviews.LOL.
I only review items if no one else has done so, or I can reasonably add to the other reviewers comments.Most of which are very informative and probably posted in the same spirit as mine.ie For a good cause.
ps I wasnt bickering.
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Post by Edvin January 29, 2008 (294 of 4131)
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raffells said:
Then seemed to follow a slow development ie Copland, Appalacian Spring itself based on an imported tune and then an explosion of varying styles from Jazz Blues Country Folk ,Theatre, Film,electronic and avante garde ,mathematical? to Nu Wave almost in the blink of an eye.
Yet try to select any American works in the World top 100 works woorldwide and you will struggle.
Gershwin ,Copland who ran out of steam very early and Barber each have a few.Yet prior to a famous funeral in the late 60s the later was unheard of. Yet Lennie Bernstien seems to have turned music into theatre and now we have numerous totally different versions of earlier great works.
It is, of course, a matter of taste but I don´t think Copland ever ran out of steam. His later pieces are very exciting and alive. Appalachian Spring is not based on an imported tune, it quotes a quaker tune at the end of the ballet. Also, I would rank the Harris third as one of the 100.
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Post by Livy January 29, 2008 (295 of 4131)
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Edvin said:
It is, of course, a matter of taste but I don´t think Copland ever ran out of steam. His later pieces are very exciting and alive. Appalachian Spring is not based on an imported tune, it quotes a quaker tune at the end of the ballet. Also, I would rank the Harris third as one of the 100.
Philip Glass might make it into the Top 100, certainly into a Top 200. raffells left out Charles Ives as well. Bernstein himself possibly ranks there, with West Side Story. No, we haven't produced a Brahms, or a Bach. But John Philips Sousa revolutionized band music. And the Doors are from California...
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Post by raffells January 29, 2008 (296 of 4131)
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Edvin said:
It is, of course, a matter of taste but I don´t think Copland ever ran out of steam. His later pieces are very exciting and alive. Appalachian Spring is not based on an imported tune, it quotes a quaker tune at the end of the ballet. Also, I would rank the Harris third as one of the 100.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/copland/actime1961.htmle
The later pieces 1962-7.are hardly ever played ..He died 1990.Hence the reasonable description, he ran out of steam.This was a quotation from a bioghrapher.Copland was even reported as saying something to the effect that he had nothing new or of interest.
The quaker tune was earlier a Scottish hymn tune but I accept your comments.The popularity of this piece I suspect is heavily based on this theme.It is often performed on its own and has been recorded in sacd that way.
Wheras my reply was very generalized but was meant to be thought provoking for Aussie gentleman the fact you are ranking Harris third would make you unique in this forum.Im note even sure the president of his fan club would agree.
AND OK I MISSED OUT ROCK N ROLL IN THE USA LIST..
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Post by raffells January 29, 2008 (297 of 4131)
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Livy said:
Philip Glass might make it into the Top 100, certainly into a Top 200. raffells left out Charles Ives as well. Bernstein himself possibly ranks there, with West Side Story. No, we haven't produced a Brahms, or a Bach. But John Philips Sousa revolutionized band music. And the Doors are from California...
Hi Livvy ,I must admit I pondered over Ives and a few others before posting.
I suspect in another one hundred years time we will be looking at a much higher proportion and the comment re Barbers music which became a hit many years after it as written for all the wrong reasons indicates my general line of thinking.
Maybe John Williams in the next list.?
Dont think Glass will break into it though.Pain full joke?..
I can remember a time fairly recently when Ives was almost unknown.His early symphonies were hardly original.Later came the fireworks as I said in the posting when musical styles started interlacing and expanding their own boundries.
I can only appologize for forgetting Souza and indeed Rock n Roll and as some seems to think Punk and definitely NEW PUNK music.
The more one thinks about it the explosion I referred to,It was BIG,Even its effect on the Worlds biggest phenomonen of the 20th century.(4 lads)
Ironic the Doors are from there,especially knowing there biggest hit.
I excluded drug related music as original from over there as its pretty well known which of the Euro composers were previously influenced.
Califonia..That reminds me of yet another USA music culture.
Califonia RAP or.C.RAP for short...sorry I couldnt resist...
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Post by Orpheus January 29, 2008 (298 of 4131)
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raffells said:
Dear Parsley,spelt correctly,
Now I do find your reply interesting.
Surely the same explanation you offer, as to the interest because of differences ,each country or nationwide bein diffeent ALSO apply to the music post that period AND EVEN MORE SO?.
As an example I would add the intense variety of American music especially the last century.
[big snip]
Osbert Parsley has plenty of post-1800 Australian music around him that is very worthy of further listening to.
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Orpheus said:
Osbert Parsley has plenty of post-1800 Australian music around him that is very worthy of further listening to.
You folks just don't seem to get it. He isn't interested! I can't figure why, but that's my problem, not his. I would be happy to get my 18 yr old niece interested in as much as Osbert, but she only listens to what most of her age mates are listening to....sigh.
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Windsurfer said:
You folks just don't seem to get it. He isn't interested! I can't figure why, but that's my problem, not his. I would be happy to get my 18 yr old niece interested in as much as Osbert, but she only listens to what most of her age mates are listening to....sigh.
Thank goodness you get it, Windsurfer.
I simply don't like the post-1800 stuff, although I grew up with very music-minded parents who never stopped playing the stuff on the gramophone (!) or dragging me to concerts of it. Mahler, Schubert and Verdi were my father's favourites and I heard a lot of it and other 19th and 20th century classical composers (including some jazz-classical fusion), I can tell you!
And, as I indicated in an earlier post, I still hear quite a lot of it through friends who love the stuff. But I don't actually "listen" to it in the way I listen to my many, many kinds of music pre-1800. (And don't misunderstand: there are some chunks of pre-800 music I do not like too.)
What is facsinating is the view some have that my choice of music is somehow an important failing on my part and needs to be remedied by some stern reprimands. I love the naivety of Raffels' attempt to persuade me of my wrongheadedness! Very sweet, if rather robustly expressed.
This must pose a considerable problem for record producers such as Bissie when selecting repertoire. Is some of the work of selecting done through focus groups or enquiries throughout the music industry? Or is it just based on experience, gut-feeling and an attraction to the particular music or performance?
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