Music you "ought to" like but just aren't that into

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

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katica	Feb 26 2011, 04:42 PM Post #16
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2393 Joined: 18-January 10 From: Central America Member No.: 87755	For me... Vivaldi. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) It's not that I don't really like Vivaldi but a lot of his music sounds rather the same to my ignorant ears. This is something I need to "get over" as I am losing out on a significant chunk of oboe repertoire. There are one or two pieces I really do quite like and it makes a difference when I actually play it for myself, so I guess I just need to get down to work...

kenm	Feb 26 2011, 06:18 PM Post #17
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2785 Joined: 9-September 04 Member No.: 2075	QUOTE(katica @ Feb 26 2011, 04:42 PM) It's not that I don't really like Vivaldi but a lot of his music sounds rather the same to my ignorant ears. That makes two of us, then. I have actually played some Vivaldi that I liked, but it was a church piece with a chorus. It gave me the idea that he had two styles of composition: flashy stuff with lots of scales and arpeggios that the girls of the Ospedale could play with great brio, so as to be noticed by a potential rich husband; and serious works, to be heard by a critical audience, for whom he tried harder and wrote counterpoint

Misti	Feb 26 2011, 06:50 PM Post #18
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3097 Joined: 31-March 04 Member No.: 879	QUOTE(KTViola @ Feb 26 2011, 04:01 PM) As for those string quartets that maggiemay's struggling with - I can understand that. It's the most fabulous sort of group to play in, but I can't see the attraction of sitting quietly and listening without being allowed to join in. I absolutely love playing quartets, but I can guarantee that if you sit me in a chamber music recital, I'm going to be asleep in no time. Well - unless the performers are either stonkingly good, or people I know, or I've had several strong coffees first. I may land up showing my ignorance of chamber music here, in which case feel free to... erm... re-educate me. I was under the impression a lot of the repetoire was designed either for background music (like we might put on a CD quietly while chatting with friends) or for dancing to. Surely it should come as no suprise to anyone, then, that it might be intollerable dull to just listen to (even in a concert)? I think it maybe needs appreciating in its original context!

TSax	Feb 26 2011, 06:52 PM Post #19
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2615 Joined: 14-December 05 From: London Member No.: 5567	I wonder if it's something to do with the "journey" thing? To be honest, I don't listen to a lot of classical music, not because I don't like it but because of the limited time available and the wealth of great music out there. I do listen to a lot of jazz. When I first started to get into it I was fairly non-discriminatory about what I tried to listen to. So, for example, I bought John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" because it was such an important recording. But I didn't get it at all. Then, quite a few years later, I listened to it again and I understood what all the fuss was about, but I needed the intervening years of listening and experience to get to that point. My dad sort of likes jazz. I think he'd like to like it more. In the days of theJazz digital radio station I bought him a digital radio as a birthday present and he ended up listening to theJazz for an hour or so every day, and it was perfect for him because it was a mix of the sort of stuff he already enjoyed - big band, swing, Ella Fitzgerald with the occasional more challenging piece thrown in. Taking some advice he'd given me many years earlier ("If you're not sure what to buy someone, buy them something you'd like yourself"), for a more recent present I bought him a boxed set of DVDs - Ken Burns Jazz. It's a history of jazz, and if that's the sort of thing you're into quite fascinating, for the social history as much as the musical. He'd never really enjoyed bebop much before, but he said that after watching the episode about bebop he started to understand it and could appreciate and enjoy it much more than he had. So, in rather a long-winded fashion, I wonder if you've tried to arrive at the destination "opera" without doing the journey you need to really appreciate it.

corenfa	Feb 26 2011, 07:22 PM Post #20
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4218 Joined: 28-March 10 From: Here Member No.: 95861	You're right about the journey, TSax - I remember after hearing the entirety of that Radio 3 programme about the sociological and psychological reasons that some people think explain why operatic heroines die, opera did have another dimension to it. I did use to feel like it was all a bit sterotypical, some lady does a lot of yelling and then expires (please nobody pillory me for this, I am making fun of myself here...). I'm not terribly fond of most string quartets myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) I really cannot tell any of the Mozarts and Beethovens apart. I like the Ravel though. And I think I may feel the way about Scarlatti the way some people feel about Vivaldi.

fsharpminor	Feb 26 2011, 08:01 PM Post #21
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12226 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:37 PM) Poulenc. I've been told that as a wind player, his flute and clarinet sonatas are 'must plays', but I'm afraid I really can't see the attraction... Dear oh dear. Im not a wind player but I love all Poulencs wind music and have a complete set ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Arundodonuts	Feb 26 2011, 08:02 PM Post #22
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4921 Joined: 14-May 08 From: Stockport Member No.: 30881	QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:37 PM) Poulenc. I've been told that as a wind player, his flute and clarinet sonatas are 'must plays', but I'm afraid I really can't see the attraction... The oboe sonata..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) Poulenc wrote some gorgeous choral works and songs. I don't know if there is anything for counter tenor though (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

maggiemay	Feb 26 2011, 08:03 PM Post #23
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18056 Joined: 12-January 04 From: S E England Member No.: 413	QUOTE(pushpull @ Feb 26 2011, 08:02 PM) QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:37 PM) Poulenc. I've been told that as a wind player, his flute and clarinet sonatas are 'must plays', but I'm afraid I really can't see the attraction... The oboe sonata..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) Poulenc wrote some gorgeous choral works and songs. ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Arundodonuts	Feb 26 2011, 08:08 PM Post #24
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4921 Joined: 14-May 08 From: Stockport Member No.: 30881	QUOTE(TSax @ Feb 26 2011, 06:52 PM) I wonder if it's something to do with the "journey" thing?...... .....So, in rather a long-winded fashion, I wonder if you've tried to arrive at the destination "opera" without doing the journey you need to really appreciate it. I think you make a great point TSax. I always reckoned one type of music I would never appreciate was Country and Western. Then (for some reason I can't recall) I read a wonderful book called "In the Country of Country" which describes the history of Country music and its social context. That and putting together the links from Irish, Scots, English folk and Bluegrass and Blues, suddenly made the music so much more than white, trailer park trash fodder. I still don't get A Love Supreme though.

barncottagecat	Feb 26 2011, 08:11 PM Post #25
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 176 Joined: 7-August 09 Member No.: 72372	Get Thee To Glyndebourne! I was really only going for the picnic, but it was such an uplifting experience even my husband (who was only going for me) was bowled over. Seeing a live performance in such a perfect setting really let the skill of the performers shine through, and we were in awe of their wonderful voices. Since then, I've found myself listening more attentively to opera, and I'm generally much less likely to switch channels. However, I will always be an opera lightweight I suspect - more "highlights of" or "most famous arias" from, and sticking to the easy ones, rather than Wagner box sets!

TSax	Feb 26 2011, 08:14 PM Post #26
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2615 Joined: 14-December 05 From: London Member No.: 5567	QUOTE(pushpull @ Feb 26 2011, 08:08 PM) .... I still don't get A Love Supreme though. I think I might just have to go and listen to it now!

Arundodonuts	Feb 26 2011, 08:22 PM Post #27
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4921 Joined: 14-May 08 From: Stockport Member No.: 30881	QUOTE(tamsin @ Feb 26 2011, 06:50 PM) I may land up showing my ignorance of chamber music here, in which case feel free to... erm... re-educate me. I was under the impression a lot of the repetoire was designed either for background music (like we might put on a CD quietly while chatting with friends) or for dancing to. Surely it should come as no suprise to anyone, then, that it might be intollerable dull to just listen to (even in a concert)? I think it maybe needs appreciating in its original context! A fair point but I think music as background is probably a medieval to renaissance use (progressing I suppose into the Baroque). Come classical onwards, I think it's predominantly for close scrutiny - Beethoven's Late Quartets are not dinner party music. Mind you, there has always been music for specific purposes such as dancing - up to and including trance and techno and whatever there is now. I always thought bopping to pop songs was spectacularly stupid. QUOTE(KTViola @ Feb 26 2011, 04:01 PM) As for those string quartets that maggiemay's struggling with - I can understand that. It's the most fabulous sort of group to play in, but I can't see the attraction of sitting quietly and listening without being allowed to join in. Well I may be a (novice) wind player now, but the love of the string quartet I developed some 30 odd ears ago hasn't left me. I think it's a perfect ensemble and the one often used to express a composers deepest feelings.

Tequila	Feb 26 2011, 08:51 PM Post #28
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3877 Joined: 3-July 08 Member No.: 34208	QUOTE(corenfa @ Feb 26 2011, 03:57 PM) QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:56 PM) QUOTE(corenfa @ Feb 26 2011, 03:52 PM) 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 can see how it could be seen as directionless - I've often thought that it can be a bit rambly, harmony- and form-wise. However I love the melodies so that tips it in the other direction for me. Oh I think the Romanza (2nd movement of the Clarinet sonata) is emotional. Sounds so haunting .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) QUOTE(anacrusis @ Feb 26 2011, 04:00 PM) I'd just not push the issue, one way or the other - I am also not a fan of opera, or indeed of anything much with agonised wobbliato singing in it, This applies to me too but when in Sicily I decided that we "needed" to go to the opera in the outdoor setting here: (IMG:http://www.bed-breakfast-sicilia.net/images/teatro-greco-taormina.jpg) (IMG:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/DSC00808_-_Taormina_-_Teatro_Greco_-_Foto_di_G._DallOrto.jpg) Sitting way up the back on hard stone seats (the modern seats at the front were not there then.) It was long and uncomfortable (wished we'd taken more padding) BUT .... It was amazing!!! We saw Bizet's Carmen in French. I'm nowhere near fluent in French having only done a few years of French in school and I wished I knew more of the story but got into picking out enough to understand what was happening. One over riding memory is that none of the performers or Orchestra were miked up and the start of Act 2 (?) opens with a solo flute ..... The sound just carried .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) So agree with the seeing it live aspect. Maybe in an unusual setting. I like some of the operatic arias so long as there's not a lot of "wobbliato" but it never will be my favourite genre. edit: (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) That's massive!!!! Sorry (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

barry-clari	Feb 26 2011, 09:00 PM Post #29
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 40564 Joined: 10-January 06 From: South East London Member No.: 5804	QUOTE(pushpull @ Feb 26 2011, 08:02 PM) QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:37 PM) Poulenc. I've been told that as a wind player, his flute and clarinet sonatas are 'must plays', but I'm afraid I really can't see the attraction... The oboe sonata..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) Nope, that doesn't do it for me either (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

andante_in_c	Feb 26 2011, 10:20 PM Post #30
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 10320 Joined: 15-November 03 From: Hampshire, UK Member No.: 130	QUOTE(maggiemay @ Feb 26 2011, 08:03 PM) QUOTE(pushpull @ Feb 26 2011, 08:02 PM) QUOTE(barry-clari @ Feb 26 2011, 03:37 PM) Poulenc. I've been told that as a wind player, his flute and clarinet sonatas are 'must plays', but I'm afraid I really can't see the attraction... The oboe sonata..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) Poulenc wrote some gorgeous choral works and songs. ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) My 'difficult' area is much of the nineteenth century Romantic repertoire. I tend to go for the eastern European stuff (Russian, Czech) over the German. A lot of it to me is obvious, predictable and repetitive. I'm much more at home with baroque or twentieth century music. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

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