[FullBright1]

Korzeniowaki
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[CanadianMaestro]

^ Is that supposed to be that harlot, Wallace Simpson?

 

[CanadianMaestro]

The great Brendel playing the divine Franz Schubert

 

[Quinto]

I have a softspot for Brendel..he introduced me to Beethoven and Schubbie back in the days..

 

[FullBright1]

^ Is that supposed to be that harlot, Wallace Simpson?

Indeed.
And such a beautiful piece of music.
You know, with so much Classical music, you have to use an X-ray machine, a Laser, and a flashlight, to try find a really good melody.
This is why most people dont enjoy classical music.
Much of it is like an endurance test designed for your ears.
Some really famous composers have the most remarkable ability to write 50 min compositions that dont possess 34 seconds of memorable or beautiful melody.
With many, its more about showing off with notes, then it is really making something beautiful using them...
Music is math to them, and they just write 50 min equations, and if a melody is in there........great, if not...... then nothing new.
No so with this video-song i posted.
Its a beautiful song sweetly and cleverly orchestrated.
He does what the really good composers do....he takes a lovely line and just keeps remodeling it, and layering it...
No need modulate, no need to change the melody.....He just keeps it in the center and enhances it all around.
So pretty.

 

[Quinto]

 

[5twnr]

my favorite version of une barque sur l'ocean



No one plays this piece quite like Richter; while some may say this is too fast, losing a lot of the colors and texture, I say it brings out another aspect of the piece - that of the ocean being a violent and restless entity. Take 1:23; he bangs the keys like splashes of water crashing against the side of a ship. This is not a friendly ocean.

 

[Christer]

The great Brendel playing the divine Franz Schubert

Heavenly beautiful.
Who just said classical composers can't compose music with beautiful melodies needs to hear this and a LOT of other TRULY great works from Schubert ,Mozart Beethoven,Brahms, Bach, Verdi,Puccini, Mahler and many many others imho.
Ok there have been some,mainly 20th century contemporariy composers who have been more mathematicians than great composers.

But all in all I think Classical music and not only western classical, is THE greatest treasure trove of great melodies.

The reasons so many don't like classical music are more related to the fact that unlike most of the popular genres it demands more of the listener than the average 3-4 minute pop track, attention span imho!
And if you are not exposed to classical music at a relatively early age it may be to late to develop the taste and appreciation for more complex and demanding music than the repetitive droning electronic and way too loud for young ears, beat and simple chords and at best catchy tunes, pop and rock that the western world spits out in an endless stream on hit lists to the kids. And with current education systems in the Commercial Western music world basically ignoring music education it looks pretty grim for the future in the West I fear.
On the other hand in Singapore for example which puts big value on education in general music education is not ignored as in the West.
One of this winter season's most moving experiences so far apart from the loads of teenagers that go to classical concerts both in Singapore and KL was hearing really young music school pupils from 5 years old to 10-11 play parts of Vivaldi's Season's actually quite well!
It brought tears of joy to "mine" eyes.
The youngsters of today are too often helpless victims of greedy commercial powers wherever they turn.And music is unfortunately one of the worst hit imho.
Cheers Controversial Christer

 

[CanadianMaestro]

I have a softspot for Brendel..he introduced me to Beethoven and Schubbie back in the days..

Yes me too. Been itching to get back to Vienna; just really busy here writing papers and setting exams. Then the holiday rush. Oh well.

 

[Pro-Jules]

I like pompous Baroque harpsichord

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Heavenly beautiful.
Who just said classical composers can't compose music with beautiful melodies needs to hear this and a LOT of other TRULY great works from Schubert ,Mozart Beethoven,Brahms, Bach, Verdi,Puccini, Mahler and many many others imho.
Ok there have been some,mainly 20th century contemporariy composers who have been more mathematicians than great composers.

But all in all I think Classical music and not only western classical, is THE greatest treasure trove of great melodies.

The reasons so many don't like classical music are more related to the fact that unlike most of the popular genres it demands more of the listener than the average 3-4 minute pop track, attention span imho!
And if you are not exposed to classical music at a relatively early age it may be to late to develop the taste and appreciation for more complex and demanding music than the repetitive droning electronic and way too loud for young ears, beat and simple chords and at best catchy tunes, pop and rock that the western world spits out in an endless stream on hit lists to the kids. And with current education systems in the Commercial Western music world basically ignoring music education it looks pretty grim for the future in the West I fear.
On the other hand in Singapore for example which puts big value on education in general music education is not ignored as in the West.
One of this winter season's most moving experiences so far apart from the loads of teenagers that go to classical concerts both in Singapore and KL was hearing really young music school pupils from 5 years old to 10-11 play parts of Vivaldi's Season's actually quite well!
It brought tears of joy to "mine" eyes.
The youngsters of today are too often helpless victims of greedy commercial powers wherever they turn.And music is unfortunately one of the worst hit imho.
Cheers Controversial Christer

Interesting observations. Especially about the teenagers in Singapore attending classical concerts. A product of early education, I guess. Good for them. As for me, I actually didn't get started listening to classical music until I was about 29. Then it was no lookin' back after I got hooked on classical radio and CDs. No musical training compared to some friends.
Christer, why Singapore? It's right on the equator, hot like h---.
cheers

 

[CanadianMaestro]

In that video of Brendel above, he has his index and middle fingertips bandaged. Ugly. Same in other old videos of him as well. I wonder whether that's his preference ("technique"?) or a real injury. Can't imagine how a fingertip injury could adversely affect a pianist's tactile sense of the keys.....

 

[Christer]

Yes me too. Been itching to get back to Vienna; just really busy here writing papers and setting exams. Then the holiday rush. Oh well.[/QUO

Interesting observations. Especially about the teenagers in Singapore attending classical concerts. A product of early education, I guess. Good for them. As for me, I actually didn't get started listening to classical music until I was about 29. Then it was no lookin' back after I got hooked on classical radio and CDs. No musical training compared to some friends.
Christer, why Singapore? It's right on the equator, hot like h---.
cheers

Hi Pete,
maybe I should have added: But it is never too late... and 29 is still young .
I was really lucky to get hooked on classical through my best mate in my early teens. His father was the conductor of our local symphony Orchestra and once properly hooked and not only at concerts to collect tickets from concertgoers, and for the pretty girls,I also used to go to his orchestra rehearsals and learnt a lot from him.
As far as Singapore is concerned it is sometimes a bit hot but a wonderful City.

This winter so far, rarely above 28-30 C daytime and nice warm 25 C at night.

But I am actually spending this week in nice cool 22 C daytime and chilly 14-15 C at night in Cameron Highlands Malaysia before I venture down into KL again on Friday for three concerts this weekend, One of them actually by their enthusiastic Youth Orchestra so I expect the hall to be full of teenagers .
I talked to the resident conducor of the MPO about it last weekend and he said they have rehearsed a lot and are very keen to perform.
Many of them are already in their late teens and early twenties even.

But oh my God,you should have seen and heard those 5-10 years old violinists playing Vivaldi and Bach.
That was the cutest most heart-warming thing I have seen in years.

And their violin-teacher is a young woman educated at the Conservatory in Prague, my absolute favourite city in the entire world for classical music.
I hope to go to Prague in May 2019 again, it has been a while since last time.
But I got stuck there for a full 6 weeks of music that time.
I may even stay on for a bit of Wiener Festwochen in 2019.
Cheers Controversial Christer

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Christer,
Nice!! I'm envious. All those live concerts, something I don't do much nowadays here. Carnegie Hall's schedule for winter 2019 looks very tempting, and I love NYC. May try to go to the Feb 15 (Concgbw: Beeth Emperor and Strauss' Heldenleben) or Jun 14 (Elina Garanca Mahler ruckertlieder/Bruckner 7th with Met Orch).

When kids that young are performing classical music, I wonder how much pressures their parents are placing on them, and whether they are missing out on a normal childhood. Head scratch.

Prague is beautiful -- likely the most gorgeous city scape in Europe, period. No two rooftops are the same. But their language is impossible -- even "thank you" or "excuse me" are impossibly hard to remember and say. That Slavic tongue gymnastics.... Was there in 2006 for a few days of R&R did not attend any concerts, but should have gone to see Don Giovanni; perpetual piece in Prague, the city of Mozart.

Enjoy the concerts.

cheers

 

[Christer]

H

Christer,
Nice!! I'm envious. All those live concerts, something I don't do much nowadays here. Carnegie Hall's schedule for winter 2019 looks very tempting, and I love NYC. May try to go to the Feb 15 (Concgbw: Beeth Emperor and Strauss' Heldenleben) or Jun 14 (Elina Garanca Mahler ruckertlieder/Bruckner 7th with Met Orch).

When kids that young are performing classical music, I wonder how much pressures their parents are placing on them, and whether they are missing out on a normal childhood. Head scratch.

Prague is beautiful -- likely the most gorgeous city scape in Europe, period. No two rooftops are the same. But their language is impossible -- even "thank you" or "excuse me" are impossibly hard to remember and say. That Slavic tongue gymnastics.... Was there in 2006 for a few days of R&R did not attend any concerts, but should have gone to see Don Giovanni; perpetual piece in Prague, the city of Mozart.

Enjoy the concerts.

cheers

Hi again Pete,
I suppose there could be a risk of kids under pressure as often in sports.

But in this case "not to worry chicken curry" they were ever so keen to show off with their little violins and the young teacher even had to tell tem to wait for their turn during changes in ensemble.
Sheer joy and youthful enthusiam in such full glow as a former teacher like myself would only experience occasionally.
Cheers Controversial Christer