Essential Classics - The Continuing Debate

[oddoneout]

True.
To be honest I dislike that even more.

But that's because it's neither your"tribe" nor your music? But that view isn't seen as the same when it is applied to "classical" music, especially opera, then it becomes elitist. Talk of ticket prices, cost of fancy clothes also doesn't stack up - big stadium gigs are expensive, travel and accommodation costs for either would be similar, and I doubt that many attending would think to hire clothes or wear old ones perhaps handed down from older family. The odd/sad thing is that so very often it seems to be something from opera that is the lightbulb moment for many people unfamiliar with "classical", and their unlocked door into a wider musical world. Roger W's observation above isn't an isolated one.

[Ein Heldenleben]

But that's because it's neither your"tribe" nor your music? But that view isn't seen as the same when it is applied to "classical" music, especially opera, then it becomes elitist. Talk of ticket prices, cost of fancy clothes also doesn't stack up - big stadium gigs are expensive, travel and accommodation costs for either would be similar, and I doubt that many attending would think to hire clothes or wear old ones perhaps handed down from older family. The odd/sad thing is that so very often it seems to be something from opera that is the lightbulb moment for many people unfamiliar with "classical", and their unlocked door into a wider musical world. Roger W's observation above isn't an isolated one.

You are right - I have at least five acquaintances who’ve bought Taylor Swift tickets for £250 . For that you can sit in the stalls at Covent Garden and listen to 150 plus ultra talented musicians ..

I do like rock music and I used to like going to rock concerts. But not any more.
To respond to your original comment

“Yet when people don fancy dress, observe strange rituals and consume drink(among other things) at "popular" music events, no-one bats an eyelid about it.”


But in the years I went : e,g, The Who at Charlton - dozens of injuries caused by flying bottles and plenty of fist fights; A massive fight at a local club in Deptford during a local band performance

Spool on fifty years to a well known rock festival in the East Midlands
-people drug taking to the point of psychotic stupor , constant swearing on and off stage , people being punched in mosh pits, one random person boasting he’d sexually assaulted an unconscious woman…oh yes and raging tinnitus despite wearing Earplugs .
I’m told Glasto isn’t like that.
Thankfully Glyndebourne certainly isn’t ..

[LMcD]

You are right - I have at least five acquaintances who’ve bought Taylor Swift tickets for £250 . For that you can sit in the stalls at Covent Garden and listen to 150 plus ultra talented musicians ..

I do like rock music and I used to like going to rock concerts. But not any more.
To respond to your original comment

“Yet when people don fancy dress, observe strange rituals and consume drink(among other things) at "popular" music events, no-one bats an eyelid about it.”


But in the years I went : e,g, The Who at Charlton - dozens of injuries caused by flying bottles and plenty of fist fights; A massive fight at a local club in Deptford during a local band performance

Spool on fifty years to a well known rock festival in the East Midlands
-people drug taking to the point of psychotic stupor , constant swearing on and off stage , people being punched in mosh pits, one random person boasting he’d sexually assaulted an unconscious woman…oh yes and raging tinnitus despite wearing Earplugs .
I’m told Glasto isn’t like that.
Thankfully Glyndebourne certainly isn’t ..

Meanwhile, back on Essential Classics: a bonus point for Ian Skelly, who has just mentioned that well-known composer 'Faylicks' Mendelssohn.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Meanwhile, back on Essential Classics: a bonus point for Ian Skelly, who has just mentioned that well-known composer 'Faylicks' Mendelssohn.

Yea sorry about the digression. He has quite a posh voice hasn’t he ? I can forgive him that but not this terrible Glass piano piece- a Radio 3 perennial- currently playing.

[french frank]

a bonus point for Ian Skelly, who has just mentioned that well-known composer 'Faylicks' Mendelssohn.

Bonus points for getting things right?

[Old Grumpy]

You are right - I have at least five acquaintances who’ve bought Taylor Swift tickets for £250 .

Who is this Taylor Swift of whom you speak, and what, pray are Swifties?

In my day a swiftie was the half pint in the theatre bar at the interval!

[oddoneout]

Who is this Taylor Swift of whom you speak, and what, pray are Swifties?

In my day a swiftie was the half pint in the theatre bar at the interval!

A transient bird visitor to these shores which creates enormous interest from dedicated twitchers, aka Swifties*.



*Not to be confused with half pints, or indeed quickies...

[Ein Heldenleben]

Bonus points for getting things right?

I think we’d better keep quiet . The otherwise impeccable Skellers has just forgotten the name of a famous singer coming up in the next track,

[Ein Heldenleben]

Who is this Taylor Swift of whom you speak, and what, pray are Swifties?

In my day a swiftie was the half pint in the theatre bar at the interval!

Well having listened to some a person who’s made a fortune out of using just four chords. It’s just so musically repetitive in a way that a twelve bar blues (a mere three) isn’t …

[Cockney Sparrow]

A transient bird visitor to these shores which creates enormous interest from dedicated twitchers, aka Swifties*.



*Not to be confused with half pints, or indeed quickies...

Whole movement in our area to install "Swift Boxes" - nesting boxes. I'm not very knowledgeable about birds* but I went on a guided walk in a housing area much favoured by Swifts for nesting in the roof spaces. I was fascinated to learn they remain airborne all their lives, unless they are nesting - such is my ignorance of bird matters.

We've got a swift box fixed on the top of the brickwork, as more modern houses don't have the necessary spaces / roof construction for their nests. We haven't gone so far as to rig up a speaker and play the right sounds to attract Swifts as dusk approaches and are just waiting..... and waiting, for signs of it being used.

(* Whenever I've been on bird walks a black dot on the edge of my vision shoots off and an authoritative voice names the bird - how do they do that?)

[Roger Webb]

I think we’d better keep quiet . The otherwise impeccable Skellers has just forgotten the name of a famous singer coming up in the next track,

Yes but he has just done my Playlist idea.......for the second day running..........not lamenting the absence of MissyG ( as she's undoubtedly known in DJing circles)

[LMcD]

Bonus points for getting things right?

'Pour encourager les autres'.

[Barbirollians]

I was taking a courtesy car back to the garage this morning and put Radio 3 on . I heard Roger’s suggestion but was also unfortunate enough to hear a revoltingly sickly piece of film music from Star Trek . It’s Classic FM just with an informed presenter .

[Serial_Apologist]

True.
To be honest I dislike that even more.

As Frank Zappa famously told an audience heckler: "Don't kid yourself buddy; we're all wearing uniforms" .

[Roger Webb]

I was taking a courtesy car back to the garage this morning and put Radio 3 on . I heard Roger’s suggestion but was also unfortunate enough to hear a revoltingly sickly piece of film music from Star Trek . It’s Classic FM just with an informed presenter .

I agree the content of this and other 'presenter' led programmes has slipped in the last few years - I only do this spot as an experiment to see how easy it is to get ones choice read out.

I only do the Playlist when Skellers is in the chair - MissyG (Georgia's new Glasto name!) stopped reading out my choices after I pointed out that Radio 3 was probably not the place to brag about having tickets for the Eurovision finals in Liverpool!

I do it under RW and under an alias - so far for the two days I've done it this week I've had a mention both days as RW and a work played yesterday under my alias, not bad so far!

Last time Skellers was on he did six days, I had four mentions and a 'play' as RW and three mentions and two plays as my alias...up there with my best perfs!

In doing this I choose out of the way and, I hope, interesting music - I'm constantly amazed at the crass and repetitive choices made and selected for playing.

I guess my alias will be mentioned tomorrow...now who is that alias?