Extremely annoying pieces of classical music

[Barbirollians]

Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man . Can't abide it .

[PhilipT]

Anything by Debussy, but especially La Mer(de) and Prelude de l'Apres-Midi ..

All the Stockhausen I've ever heard

Most of Stravinsky, including The Rite but excluding Petrushka, which is saved by the fact that it has one decent tune (which he stole from a barrel organ).

Rather a lot of Birtwistle

Half of Tavener - Apocalypse, Theophany etc.. (The other half is brilliant - The Protecting Veil, The Hidden Face etc.)

Schnittke's Concerto Grosso #1 - the only piece of whatever-term-we are-using-for-art-music-as-opposed-to-popular-music-I-don't-like-to-call-it-classical that has given me a headache on first hearing.

[Barbirollians]

The ubiquitous Spiegel im Spiegel No 8 - By Arvo part . Musicless music.

[makropulos]

Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man . Can't abide it .

Even in its re-incarnation in the Third Symphony, Barbirolians? Oh well, each to their own, I guess.

[agingjb]

Is there anything the "Friends of Radio3" do like?

I fear I'm so unmusical that I simply cannot share many of these aversions. Up to now I've always made a real effort to see what music that doesn't immediately appeal, for instance atonal music, has to offer, with some success.

But I suspect that if I can't share the loathing I'm supposed to feel for so much music I'm likely to encounter on Radio 3, then I would be advised to take myself to another channel (and just endure the adverts).

[french frank]

Is there anything the "Friends of Radio3" do like?

I assume you mean 'Listeners to Radio 3'? The comments posted here by Radio 3 listeners have nothing to do with 'Friends of Radio 3' which is a completely separate group

[Bryn]

Is there anything the "Friends of Radio3" do like?

I fear I'm so unmusical that I simply cannot share many of these aversions. Up to now I've always made a real effort to see what music that doesn't immediately appeal, for instance atonal music, has to offer, with some success.

But I suspect that if I can't share the loathing I'm supposed to feel for so much music I'm likely to encounter on Radio 3, then I would be advised to take myself to another channel (and just endure the adverts).

While run under the good offices of "Friends of Radio 3", the membership of these boards is by no means confined to that organisation's membership. Far from it! Apart from that, why would anyone expect to find contributors listing the the music they like on a thread titled "Extremely annoying pieces of classical music"?

I either love, or at least have some time for most of the works that have been mentioned in this thread, by the way, but others are quite entitled to mistakenly regard them with ennui.

[french frank]

I either love, or at least have some time for most of the works that have been mentioned in this thread, by the way, but others are quite entitled to mistakenly regard them with ennui.

It reminds me of that person who on being told by another how much they were liked, replied: "But there's no satisfaction in being being liked by you because you like everyone"

Thanks for the clarification. Assuming the opinions here are those of Friends of Radio 3 is a bit like assuming the opinions of posters on the old BBC boards were those of the BBC.

Wedding Day at Troldhaugen

[agingjb]

OK. I'm in the wrong place. Where should I be?

[french frank]

OK. I'm in the wrong place. Where should I be?

Well, there's a wide variety of, often conflicting, views here so I'm not sure why this would be the wrong place.

[Nick Armstrong]

It reminds me of that person who on being told by another how much they were liked, replied: "But there's no satisfaction in being being liked by you because you like everyone"

Thanks for the clarification. Assuming the opinions here are those of Friends of Radio 3 is a bit like assuming the opinions of posters on the old BBC boards were those of the BBC.

Wedding Day at Troldhaugen

Enjoyed the deft final line, ff (I actually quite like that piece )

Well, there's a wide variety of, often conflicting, views here so I'm not sure why this would be the wrong place.

Quite!

[Nick Armstrong]

Warlock's "Serenade" (on R3 at the moment)

[MickyD]

It's sad to say that for me, what were once enjoyable pieces of classical music have become "extremely annoying pieces of classical music" entirely because they are played so frequently on Radio 3. All too often I hit the off button in the morning and reach for more unfamiliar fare in my CD collection.

[johnb]

I either love, or at least have some time for most of the works that have been mentioned in this thread, by the way, but others are quite entitled to mistakenly regard them with ennui.

I'm definitely with Bryn on this, but then I rarely (if ever) listen to Breakfast or CC. People inevitably have different tastes but I can't think of an "extremely annoying" piece of classical music". There are works that puzzle me, intrigue me, leave me cold, etc - but "annoying" - no.

[moeranbiogman]

That blasted Canon by Pachelbel and most operas by Verdi.