Tasteless, vulgar and banal music

[Uncle Monty]

I like Gloriana! (Apart, perhaps, from the libretto ). I think I've heard it's going to be on at Covent Garden in 2013, conveniently both Britten's centenary year and the 60th anniversary of the Coronation.

Seriously, that will encourage me to get to grips with it again. There are some wonderful bits in there!

[3rd Viennese School]

The British National Anthem sounds okay if you can play it on an elastic band like moi.

Did I mention Haydn Symphony no.94 mvt 2? Can you imagine if you were a serious contemporary composer and you accidentally composed that!!?

3VS

[Thomas Roth]

Turangalila. Can´t stand it.

[Dave2002]

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.

... anything goes ....

Talking of which - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5wcLl13a8s

[Tapiola]

Perhaps not tasteless, perhaps only a tiny bit vulgar, but definitely banal (and very dreary):

Reich's "Desert Music".

IMO

[Serial_Apologist]

Don't you mean Howard Skempton's Lento ?
i don't think Tim Souster wrote a piece with that name ?? (let me know if he did though !)

I'm with you on Sea Pictures (and the dreadful Gerontius ........... yes yes I KNOW you all love it )

Yes, SKEMPTON's Lentils. Thanks - and sorry 'bout that

[Serial_Apologist]

Turangalila. Can´t stand it.

Stravinsky is said to have stated about Mozart's symphonies, "If he'd cut out all the development sections, they'd be fine". My feeling about "Turangalila" is that if Messiaen had cut out all the movements containing that awful "Theme of Love", the work would have been fine.

Likewise the main theme of the "Vingt Regards". Messiaen was prone to let banality run riot in his 40s music imv. For me he's like the very different Britten inasmuch as he could both delight and appal; tastewise, with Messiaen one takes the rough with the smooth.

I anticipate howls of disagreement: these two works could not have existed without the passages I've mentioned, etc etc.

S-A

[Bryn]

No disparagement. Just pity, both as regards your problems with Messiaen, and with Skempton.

[rubbernecker]

Turangalila. Can´t stand it.

It is very gaudy, isn't it. However, the material is too inventive to be banal, and the sentiment too noble to be tasteless, IMO.

[Mary Chambers]

Has anyone mentioned Puccini? Plenty of all three qualities there. I'd include Gershwin, too, and most definitely Bernstein, almost always.

[Bax-of-Delights]

Shosta's 3rd Symphony with the shouty chorus has to be a contender does it not? I've only heard it about three times in my life and each time that particular section makes my toes curl.

[Bax-of-Delights]

Has anyone mentioned Puccini? Plenty of all three qualities there. I'd include Gershwin, too, and most definitely Bernstein, almost always.

Bernstein I'd go with 100% apart from THAT overture R3 plays on a regular basis. Gershwin - not so sure - and Puccini, well get thee to the naughty step for such a suggestion (but I know what you mean!)

[Serial_Apologist]

and most definitely Bernstein, almost always.

If you're thinking of Bernstein's Mass, and the cringeworthy Chichester Psalms, then I'd agree, Mary; but not in the case of West Side Story - the one and only successful musical for me, possibly qualifying Bernstein for the "one tune composer" thread.

S-A

[John Wright]

I've always thought a good candidate was the Alexander Brothers version of "I'm Nobody's Child" and whoever wrote it or performed it before them.....

[Op. XXXIX]

I'd include Gershwin, too...

Sad... :o