Berta Joncus on this Saturday's CD Review...

[Don Petter]

Poor old Berta is being ignored by everyone on this forum bar me. Come on, let's give her some response or are you all post mortum?

Switched on in car. Didn't like the performance of 'Ich Habe Genug' at all. No sense of peace there!

Then changed to listening to a CD because we found BJ's voice too unpleasantly grating.

[VodkaDilc]

But I'd echo your sentiments anyway. Unpleasant comments about individuals, be they other members, Radio 3 staff or broadcasters, performers, members of your own family, anyone else, are unnecessary and unwelcome. They are unpleasant for others to read and reflect badly on the forum and FoR3. There. I've said it.

Toujours la politesse, ne vous déplaise This is not a branch of Regent's Park Zoo.

What did you say about such comments being unnecessary and unwelcome, french frank? Comments about the accent of the owner of one of our major CD retailers were removed a couple of weeks ago. Should the same thing happen to the previous message? (No 46)

[VodkaDilc]

Is Ms Joncus from the United States? (Just asking, her accent is intriguing)..

From the USA, I think, by way of Bonn, Vienna, Oxford and south London. All the ingredients for an intriguing accent, as you say.

[verismissimo]

What did you say about such comments being unnecessary and unwelcome, french frank? Comments about the accent of the owner of one of our major CD retailers were removed a couple of weeks ago. Should the same thing happen to the previous message? (No 46)

Bringing the game into disrepute, eh, VD?

[VodkaDilc]

Bringing the game into disrepute, eh, VD?

I love hearing regional accents on the radio. Come back, Wilfred Pickles.

[Don Petter]

My post #46 was a simple statement of fact in response to that of Ariosto.

Radio is an aural medium and must be judged by both content and sound. I did not refer to personality or morals, which would indeed not have been germane.

If I had been to an art gallery and observed that I found a painting by Francis Bacon to be visually unpleasant, and that rather than stay looking at it for long I passed on to other works, would that be an unwarranted attack on that artist? I don't think so.

In the field of music, there are those who do not like the singing of Callas, finding it unattractive. Am I not also allowed to say that I do not like the singing of Kathleen Ferrier, finding it far too nasal? (Oops! A bag of hate mail coming now, I expect. )

[Ariosto]

My post #46 was a simple statement of fact in response to that of Ariosto.

Radio is an aural medium and must be judged by both content and sound. I did not refer to personality or morals, which would indeed not have been germane.

If I had been to an art gallery and observed that I found a painting by Francis Bacon to be visually unpleasant, and that rather than stay looking at it for long I passed on to other works, would that be an unwarranted attack on that artist? I don't think so.

In the field of music, there are those who do not like the singing of Callas, finding it unattractive. Am I not also allowed to say that I do not like the singing of Kathleen Ferrier, finding it far too nasal? (Oops! A bag of hate mail coming now, I expect. )

Well, no hate mail from me, although personally and like many others such as Bruno Walter, I loved KF's singinging, her voice and her artistry. But everyone is free to like or dislike any such performer, or composer.

When I heard the BJ CD Review (BaL) yesterday there were singers I found to be disapointing and not to my taste, for varying reasons, so I'm with you certainly some of the way there.

Of course there are people who hate Beethoven, for example, but this does not cause me to have sleepless nights. There are composers that I dislike quite intensly, but others may love, and that is just human nature and quite healthy in my opinion. Some people even hate Heifetz, Milstein and Kreisler! But then I may dislike some of the fiddlers that they adore. (I have strongly negative feelings about Mutter for example, but I just avoid her these days, or listen and watch with a certain amused disbelief!)

I strongly dislike certain vegetables (Cameron could be one ) but I love others. Does any of this this matter when a pandemic and/or nuclear holocaust is around the corner?

[Nick Armstrong]

Didn't like the performance of 'Ich Habe Genug' at all. No sense of peace there!

I guess you mean the soprano version, of the two that were played? I've commented here about that http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...722#post397722

[visualnickmos]

Must agree with you regarding Young Musician. Have been following this for years, and have noticed the standards dropping.. This years "crop" without exception really seem to have reached rock bottom. Wonder how they are chosen to be on the show? Surely not, like some Radio3 presenters. Daddy knows someone who knows someone. As with so many professional musicians of the past twenty years or so, most have a technical competance, but musically they leave something to be desired. Had the misfortune recently to attend a recital by Freddie Kampf, for example. He was note perfect. But seemed to have absolutely no feeling for the music. He seemed to think everthing should be approached as though it was Beethoven...Even Ravel. Of course maybe he had a bad day. But these shortcomings are all too obvoius in his recordings. Like Lang Lang, and many others, ideal for the "charts" maybe. The spirit of Semprini is alive and well.

I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head, here. A perfect and succinct summation that says it all.

May I be so bold as to add Mantovani after your mention of Semprini ?!

[visualnickmos]

Well I did think of leaving permanently, but as there are some really nice, intelligent and well educated people on here I decided to remain. And the doc told me today I might last a few more months. I'm more worried about Bonnie who has to see the vet today as she has developed a bad limp (probably from chasing music critics ... and maybe she bit a conductor when I wasn't looking, so may have done her front leg in).

Well, I for one, am glad to see you back.

[Don Petter]

I guess you mean the soprano version, of the two that were played? I've commented here about that http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...722#post397722

Well, there you could enlighten me, as I only heard most of one of the versions, so didn't know they had played two!

After the one I heard there was some discussion to the effect that the unusual pitch might have made it sound unfamiliar or strange. was that the 'soprano' one?

[Sir Velo]

May I respectfully suggest that any criticism of her (if any!) is tempered with a degree of civilised behaviour?

Bertha Joncus?

Cue trash job, N(uff said).

[verismissimo]

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