Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[ahinton]

Indeed, confession is good for the soul

So the phrase runs - yet I sometimes wonder if, when I confess something, the only soul/s to benefit are other than mine.

As you were...

[Richard Tarleton]

Sarah Walker coyly asked her guest if she (SW) would need to be a very wealthy lady to own one of the bits of jewellery her guest had brought in. What she meant was, how much are they. Said guest preciously replied that it depended on how long they took to make. It was her time, not the materials (24 carat gold, platinum etc.).

The answer to the question Sarah meant to ask is anything from £500 to £30,000. The answer to the question she actually asked is, Yes.

[Nick Armstrong]

Sarah Walker coyly asked her guest if she (SW) would need to be a very wealthy lady to own one of the bits of jewellery her guest had brought in. What she meant was, how much are they. Said guest preciously replied that it depended on how long they took to make. It was her time, not the materials (24 carat gold, platinum etc.).

The answer to the question Sarah meant to ask is anything from £500 to £30,000. The answer to the question she actually asked is, Yes.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

These quiz things get worse. I had the answer to today's before Rob had drawn breath after the first clue. And if the second didn't help, the third gave it away to the extent that only a complete m**** would fail to know the answer.

What are they saying about their audience?

[Stanfordian]

These quiz things get worse. I had the answer to today's before Rob had drawn breath after the first clue. And if the second didn't help, the third gave it away to the extent that only a complete m**** would fail to know the answer.

What are they saying about their audience?

Hiya Eine Alpensinfonie,

What's a moron? I can't be one as I've stopped listening to it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Hiya Eine Alpensinfonie,

What's a moron? I can't be one as I've stopped listening to it.

Um, yes - point taken.

[Stanfordian]

Um, yes - point taken.

Eine Alpensinfonie,

Don't worry, it was meant to be a joke not a bollocking!

[Black Swan]

Hiya Eine Alpensinfonie,

What's a moron? I can't be one as I've stopped listening to it.

I normally do not listen to nonessential classics as I am at work. However, this week I did have a listen in the car and after 5 minutes went to a CD. I am not a fan of RC style. He is very knowledgable but I don't turn on the radio for a lecture. I also find the quizzes as stated tiresome. I leave it to those who are interested. But I like Stan have stopped listening.

[Richard Tarleton]

John Craven (who perhaps doesn't normally listen to R3) obviously doesn't realise that we've been having Finlandia about twice a day for the last two months. (It was on in the background, Mrs T was vaguely listening).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Eine Alpensinfonie,

Don't worry, it was meant to be a joke not a bollocking!

Yes, but it was such a GOOD point.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It was good to hear the whole of Grieg's Holberg Suite - a work I've known and love longer than nearly anything else. My music teacher at primary school often played the Gavotte on the piano as we filed out of morning assembly.

But this morning, at the end of the work, Rob didn't tell us what it was, or who had played it, until he'd read out a pointless tweext from some listener who obviously wasn't listening to it properly. (I expect someone gave him 2 Brownie points for doing so.)

[Bax-of-Delights]

Just heard Sarah Walker talking about Stockhausen's Hymnen and describing it as "music of our time". I'm not sure that a piece that is 50 years old could be described as "of our time". Would the same epithet be given to Malcolm Arnold's 9th symphony which was completed 20 years later? Or is "of our time" a euphemism for "difficult"?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Just heard Sarah Walker talking about Stockhausen's Hymnen and describing it as "music of our time". I'm not sure that a piece that is 50 years old could be described as "of our time".

Exactly the same thought occurred to me when I heard the advertrailer.

Or is "of our time" a euphemism for "difficult"?

Well, no - because Stockhausen's Music isn't "difficult". I think it just means "this is what R3 thinks the majority of its audience thinks of as 'Music of our time'" ... which may be right. As long as it gets that perceived audience listening to Stockhausen (and realizing that it isn't "difficult") then fair dos (?"does"?? "do-es"??? "di"????). With a bit of luck, it might even mean we get to hear genuine "Music of today" before the "Late Saturday Night" slot.

[Beef Oven!]

Just heard Sarah Walker talking about Stockhausen's Hymnen and describing it as "music of our time". I'm not sure that a piece that is 50 years old could be described as "of our time". Would the same epithet be given to Malcolm Arnold's 9th symphony which was completed 20 years later? Or is "of our time" a euphemism for "difficult"?

Maybe it is music of our time in that it was written, performed and broadcast in 'our' lifetime. Does that count?

[Beef Oven!]

Well, no - because Stockhausen's Music isn't "difficult". I think it just means "this is what R3 thinks the majority of its audience thinks of as 'Music of our time'" ... which may be right. As long as it gets that perceived audience listening to Stockhausen (and realizing that it isn't "difficult") then fair dos (?"does"?? "do-es"??? "di"????). With a bit of luck, it might even mean we get to hear genuine "Music of today" before the "Late Saturday Night" slot.

I don't think 'difficult' is intrinsic to the music, it's a 'mindset'. No music is difficult, unless you want it to be.

IMV, difficult often means "this music does not go where I expect music to go, things don't follow on as they 'should'. I don't feel comfortable listening to music that does not conform to my expectation. I'm frustrated that I can't call it rock or something else and forget about it, because it's composed by people from the 'classical tradition' and often orchestras are used".