Pieces which are fun to play - dull/boring/uninteresting/unpleasant to listen to

[Dave2002]

There are differences in roles regarding relationships with music. Some people are listeners, some want to dance, and some are composers or performers.

I think that performers may have a different attitude to some music than listeners. Some music may be fun to play, or exciting, or challenging or very dificult, yet listeners may not appreciate it at all. I'm not sure if the converse is true.

I can think of a few - though how this works out may depend on the performer and the style of playing used.

One flute piece - Hindemith flute sonata - great piece to play, but I'm not sure if all listeners would like it.

Ensemble pieces - Bach's Contrapunctus 1 from the Art of Fugue. This is an odd one. It may not be unpleasant for a listener, but it can be very challenging (IMO) for a performer, as it's very hard to keep all the parts together. Good/professional performers shouldn't have a problem, but mere amateurs might. The difficulty here is the way the parts link together, and there are few landmarks. Get a beat or two out, and resyncing is very hard. It's fun to play anyway, because of the challenges it presents.

I wondered about the Gordon Jacobs suite for recorder and strings on another thread earlier today.

Any more?

[rauschwerk]

About 30 years ago I sang the Credo from Machaut's Messe de Notre Dame with three other guys. Our staple repertoire didn't go back much before 1600, so this was quite a challenge. We got thoroughly absorbed in such things as changing our tuning and enjoyed singing the piece. A few years later, I heard the piece on the radio. Well before it finished, it had me chewing the carpet!

[Dave2002]

Years ago we went to a concert by Stephen Isserlis and Thomas Ades. They play well together.

One of the pieces was by Ades, and Stephen said he liked it - it was interesting to play and a challenge. I'm afraid afterwards we thought it was a challenge for the listeners too, and probably not to be repeated. That conversation got me on to thinking about the difference between listening and playing. As a player it is possible to get to like pieces which are not immediately appealing. The same is also true for listeners of course, but they approach things differently. Players may respond to things in the music which listeners do not - such as (but not exclusively) technical challenges.

[Keraulophone]

The quasi-minimalist choral music on our lastest CD was, for a significant proportion of the adults involved, not much fun to learn, sing or (especially) record. However, it has been well received in the musical press and has even been chosen as one of Gramophone's Critics' Choices. Although I don't really enjoy listening to it, I have to admit that this kind of music provides better listening than performing. The effect is soporific and relatively undemanding, and could enhance a G&T before supper.

Another composer, of whom certain lay clerks are even less fond, has sold a greater volume of his music than anyone else we sing, and his CDs have been our best-sellers. Whenever he's on the music list for Evensong, academic hoods are not worn!

[MrGongGong]

The quasi-minimalist choral music on our lastest CD was, for a significant proportion of the adults involved, not much fun to learn, sing or (especially) recorded. However, it has been well received in the musical press and has even been chosen as one of Gramophone's Critics' Choices. Although I don't really enjoy listening to it, I have to admit that this kind of music provides better listening than performing. The effect is soporific and relatively undemanding, and could enhance a G&T before supper.

Another composer, of whom certain lay clerks are even less fond, has sold a greater volume of his music than anyone else we sing, and his CDs have been our best-sellers. Whenever he's on the music list for Evensong, academic hoods are not worn!

I think you should name names

I'm sure you are thinking of a certain well known "Coral" (see PCME on FB if you need to) composer



(PCME = Pretentious Classical Music Enthusiasts)

[Serial_Apologist]

The first and best known of Poulenc's Mouvements perpétuels of 1918 is a fun piece and just great for an imcompetent such as myself to play on the piano, falling easily as it does under the fingers.

[Joseph K]

When I played classical guitar, there were quite a few pieces that I'd use as etudes and enjoyed playing - but, and this was one of the main reasons for giving it up, I was not enamoured of most the classical guitar repertory, aside from Bach, but then that's not music conceived for guitar. I mean I didn't dislike the guitar repertory, but it made more sense for me to resume jazz guitar, so now the listening me and the playing me are more at one now.

[ardcarp]

OMG rauschwerk. I sang the Macaut Mass 50 years ago! As you say, quite an experience. Luckily there were no carpets in the church.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvIEA2dBKGA

[Keraulophone]

I think you should name names

The bursar might give me the boot.

[Serial_Apologist]

When I played classical guitar, there were quite a few pieces that I'd use as etudes and enjoyed playing - but, and this was one of the main reasons for giving it up, I was not enamoured of most the classical guitar repertory, aside from Bach, but then that's not music conceived for guitar. I mean I didn't dislike the guitar repertory, but it made more sense for me to resume jazz guitar, so now the listening me and the playing me are more at one now.

I have heard it said that Bach sounds fine performed on any tuned instrument. On the other hand there has always been disagreement as to whether any music composed for the harpsichord should ever be played on a piano.

[Barbirollians]

I have heard it said that Bach sounds fine performed on any tuned instrument. On the other hand there has always been disagreement as to whether any music composed for the harpsichord should ever be played on a piano.

If anyone ever says that then they should be played Lipatti's recording of the First Partita and hopefully will be silenced permanently on the point.

[cloughie]

I have heard it said that Bach sounds fine performed on any tuned instrument. On the other hand there has always been disagreement as to whether any music composed for the harpsichord should ever be played on a piano.

I think there are more pieces composed for piano that should never be played on the harpsichord!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think there are more pieces composed for piano that should never be played on the harpsichord!

An instrument with virtually zero dynamic range is so unmusical that nothing should ever be played on it.

When the Yamaha Clavinova was launched, the harpsichord sound was touch sensitive, like the piano, so at last dynamics were possible. But some purist must have objected, because nowadays, the harpsichord button has the same monodynamic as the ancient instrument.

[Maclintick]

The Nielsen Wind Quintet -- I yield to no-one in my devotion to CN as a symphonist, but this piece...the aural equivalent of paint drying. Apologies to wind-players -- I'm sure it's great fun for you..

[LeMartinPecheur]

The Nielsen Wind Quintet -- I yield to no-one in my devotion to CN as a symphonist, but this piece...the aural equivalent of paint drying. Apologies to wind-players -- I'm sure it's great fun for you..

One of my favourite works and I ain't a wind player!

Perhaps I should try listening to wet paint. Recommended brands/ colours anyone?