Music you "ought to" like but just aren't that into, .. help me like it? Options

[barry-clari]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[BerkshireMum]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

BerkshireSon was first given Poulenc's Romanza when he was 14 to look at over a holiday. I remember telling the teacher after said holiday that it was a pity she had given him such awful music at such a young age, as I thought it might put him off learning clarinet!

Teacher was more than shocked - she obviously thought me a complete Philistine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I must admit that over the years since then I have learned to quite like Poulenc, but it was a struggle for me, so I can see where you are coming from, Barry! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Actually, my son has never got to like it either, although he played movements from the Clarinet Sonata for both grade 7 and grade 8 because his teacher thought it essential repertoire. I don't think I've ever heard him play it since!

[barry-clari]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

BerkshireSon was first given Poulenc's Romanza when he was 14 to look at over a holiday. I remember telling the teacher after said holiday that it was a pity she had given him such awful music at such a young age, as I thought it might put him off learning clarinet!

Teacher was more than shocked - she obviously thought me a complete Philistine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I must admit that over the years since then I have learned to quite like Poulenc, but it was a struggle for me, so I can see where you are coming from, Barry! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Actually, my son has never got to like it either, although he played movements from the Clarinet Sonata for both grade 7 and grade 8 because his teacher thought it essential repertoire. I don't think I've ever heard him play it since!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hurrah.gif) I'm in a minority of two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[kingsley13]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

BerkshireSon was first given Poulenc's Romanza when he was 14 to look at over a holiday. I remember telling the teacher after said holiday that it was a pity she had given him such awful music at such a young age, as I thought it might put him off learning clarinet!

Teacher was more than shocked - she obviously thought me a complete Philistine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I must admit that over the years since then I have learned to quite like Poulenc, but it was a struggle for me, so I can see where you are coming from, Barry! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) Actually, my son has never got to like it either, although he played movements from the Clarinet Sonata for both grade 7 and grade 8 because his teacher thought it essential repertoire. I don't think I've ever heard him play it since!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hurrah.gif) I'm in a minority of two (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Three! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) My friend loves Poulenc and she's always telling me about how amazing the Poulenc flute sonata is, so I tried to listen to it and I just didn't know why she liked it. When she played part of it in our GCSE music lesson at school, I enjoyed it slightly more, probably because it was live, and I did think she played it very well, but I still didn't like the actual piece!


The other one for me is Debussy's piano music. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I'm probably on my own for this one! The only one I actually like is Clair de Lune, but I don't want to learn it because it's so famous and everybody learns it! On the other hand, I do like Debussy's orchestral stuff.

[corenfa]

...


The other one for me is Debussy's piano music. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I'm probably on my own for this one! The only one I actually like is Clair de Lune, but I don't want to learn it because it's so famous and everybody learns it! On the other hand, I do like Debussy's orchestral stuff.

I'm a pianist and I don't like all of Debussy's piano music - I like the earlier works, or the later ones which have a melody. I'm not that fond of the ones in which the piano is used just for sound effects. I know that it takes tremendous technical skill to pull it off, and I am in awe of people who can do it, but emotionally it doesn't do anything for me.

[Misti]

I generally refer to Polenc as 'Plonk', which may indicate my.. ambivelent attitudes.

That said, I prefer listening to his music than playing it. I don't find I can communicate much with it, myself, which combined with the technical traumas... nope would much rather listen to someone do it well! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[anacrusis]

edit: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) That's massive!!!! Sorry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

but utterly beautiful. No apologies needed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif).

[Tequila]

edit: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) That's massive!!!! Sorry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

but utterly beautiful. No apologies needed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif).

Thankyou.... and isn't it just!!

We saw the evening showing so experienced a sunset just like this one.

They are not my pictures - I pulled them from some tourist sites. It's teh Teatro Greco in Taormina, Sicily

[Misti]

It reminded me of the Minack Theatre in Cornwall. I love watching dance and Shakespeare productions there when a mist is rolling it. Its so atmospheric.

http://www.minack.com/

[Devonclari]

Another one indifferent to opera here and while I could enjoy the spectacle of some live opera, musically it does nothing for me . I also don't like Weber very much although there will be many other clarinet players who will think this a bit strange

[katica]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I have to admit I am not blown over by music from the "French School", despite their huge contribution to rescuing the oboe from the classic-romantic doldrums. I went to a concert early in the heady days when I had just realised I was completely in love with the oboe and was treated to a menu of Poulenc, Ravel, D?bussy, Dutilleux and the like. It really didn't "grab" me - though the Poulenc was more interesting than the rest. Actually, I am looking forward one day to being able to get my teeth into the Poulenc oboe sonata as playing something usually helps me appreciate it more.

[Sunrise]

Anyone got any ideas for how to approach music like this? Anyone got any other similar experiences?

....

Lastly it's also occurred to me that maybe no matter how much I intellectualise about opera or Chinese traditional music, I'll never like either, the same way I keep trying booze (see the alcohol thread (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) and just don't like the taste. That would be OK too, but I feel as though I ought to think about it a bit more (music, not booze (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) before writing it off altogether.

I was the same up to last year. My mother hated opera and would turn it off everytime it came on the radio. I grew up with an inbuilt hatred of it on this basis, I loved orchestral, instrumental etc music but solo singing? Nope.

Then last year daughter started singing lessons, and came home with her first aria. Beautiful! Then a few weeks later I started lessons and came home with 5! 7 months on I am really starting to appreciate opera and Lieder too (ahh, love some of those), and will watch them happily. Still prefer the lighter Mozart operas at the moment, and I think it all comes from familiarity.

There was a series of great programs last year on BBC4, talking about opera from Monteverdi all the way through to much later. It captured our imagination, the presenter was the director of a big british opera house and had so much enthusiasm it was infectious. Maybe that is a starting point, if they are ever repeated, they are seriously worth a watch.

[Dulcet]

Barry - I do love the Poulenc wind music, all of it, and I love it because it seems so emotionally ambiguous. I can never decide whether it is sad or happy, and because I think so much of life is like that, I really identify with it.

Perhaps that's part of the problem with it for me : it just comes over to me as being a bit cold and, dare I say it, directionless...

I do like Poulenc but don't think you should listen to too much at a sitting; you'd get bored with his tune... (did you see the Sacred Music series where one of the expert commentatorrs really dissed Poulenc? he did have a point!)

At a performance of Les Biches my companion said to me "I do agree with whoever said about this ballet "there's less to it than meets the eye"..."

No, i totally get why people like Poulenc.

There are some operas which I can listen to, others which I have to see.

vivaldi is not first rate.

I can leave out all music pre-1765 and not miss it unless it's Bach's B minor mass. A small amount of early baroque i can handle, but a little goes a long way.

Brass bands.

I used to dislike "operatic" singing when Iwas very young. I am not so blinkered now - there are places for many different styles of singing.

So what "ought" I to like? small scale performances of Bach. Nope, not for me. Instruments have IMPROVED over the years...

[barry-clari]

My Poulenc views seem to put me in a minority of one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I have to admit I am not blown over by music from the "French School", despite their huge contribution to rescuing the oboe from the classic-romantic doldrums. I went to a concert early in the heady days when I had just realised I was completely in love with the oboe and was treated to a menu of Poulenc, Ravel, D?bussy, Dutilleux and the like. It really didn't "grab" me - though the Poulenc was more interesting than the rest. Actually, I am looking forward one day to being able to get my teeth into the Poulenc oboe sonata as playing something usually helps me appreciate it more.

No, for me it's just Poulenc : the rest of the French School are fine (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[karslima]

I had a strong dislike of operatic style singing when a friend introduced me to Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten. Even then, the first time I heard it I felt a bit disturbed, but I still recognised that were some good bits in it. I was intrigued and found that with each listening, more and more parts stuck out until it gradually started to make sense. I felt that I had the 'big picture'. Then I moved on to a stage (perhaps after listening to it about ten times) where I didn't have the big picture at all and each time I heard it there were more things to discover - the significance of one line, the depth of emotion, and of course the music.

Having discovered there were more Britten operas to enjoy I bought several box sets and was pleased to find more enjoyment - Turn of the Screw, Billy Budd, Mid Summer Nights Dream. I was excited that there was a whole musical genre to be discovered!

Then I hit the hard times. Although Monteverdi and Purcell pushed the right buttons, I couldn't take a lot of the romantic 19th century operas that are held up as the real thing. I can't say I'm particularly moved by Wagner either. Unfortunately I don't think it helps that most opera is written in foreign language which means that we lose out on the storyline and its nuances.

Anyway what I'm saying is that opera covers a wide range of musical periods, and you don't have to like all of them. I would encourage people to be open minded and not write it off as difficult.

I'm not in a position to lecture because I fail to appreciate Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, Chopin, Mahler. But especially Mozart. I'm missing something there and it's not for the lack of trying.

Another thing, although I play the violin I'm not a fan of virtuoso violin concertos, such as Bruch and Mendelssohn. They just seem to go on and on like an annoying jazz solo. Give me a good piece of orchestral music any day.