Tasteless, vulgar and banal music

[amateur51]

Tasteless, vulgar and banal music, eh?

The entire oeuvre of Lord Lloyds-Bank, surely

I'd throw in a dash or two of plagiarism too, but that would give french frank a fit, I'm sure

So I won't.

I'll get the solicitor warmed up & expect a letter by courier.

[Nick Armstrong]

Isn't most music redeemable if well played, and most music ruined by 'tasteless, vulgar and banal' performance? And isn't concensus spelled with three s's?

Damn it - meant to double-check spelling before posting!

Most, yes. But I think rubbers is getting at the minority of music which is irredeemable even by the best performance.

[mercia]

I'm afraid I find Britten's Young Apollo somewhat banal but I could possibly be persuaded .........

[Auferstehen2]

Ye Gods! I’m crushed, simply crushed!

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy is “…perhaps not tasteless or vulgar but…verging on the banal”?

I must leap to his defence! A simply theme which any one of us would die for to compose just once in their lifetime, followed by simple variations a student of music theory could have a lifetime’s enjoyment analysing, followed by a chorus to lift the hearts of hard men, all punctuated by full strings OFF the main pulse, is now considered by some to be banal?

Somehow I feel, like the greatest football team in the world, Manchester United, the greatest composer in the world, Ludwig van Beethoven, is attracting volleys of abuse wholly unwarranted.

So there!

Peace and love to all from a sunny Mediterranean.

Mario

[Mary Chambers]

I'm afraid I find Britten's Young Apollo somewhat banal but I could possibly be persuaded .........

Britten fan though I am, I'm inclined to agree. It was a CBC commission and Britten withdrew it after the first performance. It wasn't performed again in his lifetime, but it does seem to have an opus number (16).

When we have this sort of thread I always bring up the names of Rutter and Karl Jenkins, but I'm not sure that they count as serious music - though someone's mentioned Lloyd-Webber, so perhaps anything goes.

[Op. XXXIX]

I'm afraid I find Britten's Young Apollo somewhat banal but I could possibly be persuaded .........

Funny how it goes. I've always found it so thrilling, mabe I didn't notice -or was bothered by- any banalities?

[Bryn]

Ye Gods! I’m crushed, simply crushed!

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy is “…perhaps not tasteless or vulgar but…verging on the banal”?

I must leap to his defence! A simply theme which any one of us would die for to compose just once in their lifetime, followed by simple variations a student of music theory could have a lifetime’s enjoyment analysing, followed by a chorus to lift the hearts of hard men, all punctuated by full strings OFF the main pulse, is now considered by some to be banal?

Somehow I feel, like the greatest football team in the world, Manchester United, the greatest composer in the world, Ludwig van Beethoven, is attracting volleys of abuse wholly unwarranted.

So there!

Peace and love to all from a sunny Mediterranean.

Mario

Ignore the detractors, Mario. It's been fashionable to decry the work for ages. I put it down to unumaginative listening. If you have not yet heard the Komen/Weil recording, you really should (the mp3 download is only 69p at amazon.co.uk). Mind you, I also love the Pollini/Abbado, less so the Tan/Norrington.

[Flosshilde]

How boring, to like only 'tasteful' & 'polite' music - rather like decorating your house in Magnolia. Be bold! Be adventurous! Bring on the organ & fifteen trombones! Get a bit of colour & excitement into your life!

& yes, I do like Beethoven's Choral fantasia, and the last movement of his 9th symphony. And the Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem. And even, at times, Ravel's Bolero.



So there.

[Tapiola]

I can't believe anyone thinks Lizst's 'Les Préludes' has any qualities which save it from fully deserving the three adjectives which head this thread - but I bet there are some who do

err... Caliban, that would be me then.

A wonderful work.

[mercia]

fashionable to decry the work for ages

I wasn't aware of that. I would genuinely like to have it's finer points described to me so that I can change my mind.

[Nick Armstrong]

err... Caliban, that would be me then.

A wonderful work.

[mercia]

Beethoven's Choral fantasia, and the last movement of his 9th symphony

to my small mind the two don't compare, at least not favourably to the first

[Auferstehen2]

How boring, to like only 'tasteful' & 'polite' music - rather like decorating your house in Magnolia. Be bold! Be adventurous! Bring on the organ & fifteen trombones! Get a bit of colour & excitement into your life!

& yes, I do like Beethoven's Choral fantasia, and the last movement of his 9th symphony. And the Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem. And even, at times, Ravel's Bolero.



So there.

Flosshilde, if I may be so bold...

I think I love you.



Mario

[Auferstehen2]

Bryn,

Thanks for the pointers on the Amazon downloads.

Unfortunately, downloads from Amazon are not available in Malta, hence my sometimes unintentional predilection to making myself look like a complete twit on these MBs in not being aware of something so blatantly obvious to others.

Being a fully-paid member of the Norrington Fan Club, may I ask why you are unimpressed with Melvyn Tan 's version please?

Thanks,

Mario

[salymap]

Un -tasteless,vulgar and banal music can be come so, witness the film 'Fantasia'. Iloved it once but shudder at the Stokowski arrangements now.

Also, the Brahms Handel variations for piano are certainly banal to me, and go on for hours and hours.